Reliable Fatwas Reliable Fatwas
It was asked of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam):
“Which person is the best?”
He (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) replied:
“Every (person with a) “cleaned out” heart and an unwaveringly truthful tongue.”
They asked:
“A truthful tongue, we understand, but what is a “cleaned out” heart?”
He (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) answered:
“That is (the heart which is) Allah-fearing and pure, with no sin in it, nor injustice, nor malice, nor envy.”
(Authentic Hadith recorded by Ibn Maajah)
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali (rahmatullahi alayhi) states regarding this Hadith in his Tafseer:
Some of the Salaf said:
“The best of deeds is (developing) soundness of the heart, selfless generosity of the soul, and sincere advice (well-wishing) for the Ummah. By these qualities does the one who reaches the heights, does so, not by abundant exertions in fasting and praying.”
ﻗﻴﻞ ﻟﺮﺳﻮﻝ اﻟﻠﻪ ﺻﻠﻰ اﻟﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ﻭﺳﻠﻢ: ﺃﻱ اﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﺃﻓﻀﻞ؟ ﻗﺎﻝ: «ﻛﻞ ﻣﺨﻤﻮﻡ اﻟﻘﻠﺐ، ﺻﺪﻭﻕ اﻟﻠﺴﺎﻥ» ، ﻗﺎﻟﻮا: ﺻﺪﻭﻕ اﻟﻠﺴﺎﻥ، ﻧﻌﺮﻓﻪ، ﻓﻤﺎ ﻣﺨﻤﻮﻡ اﻟﻘﻠﺐ؟ ﻗﺎﻝ: «ﻫﻮ اﻟﺘﻘﻲ اﻟﻨﻘﻲ، ﻻ ﺇﺛﻢ ﻓﻴﻪ، ﻭﻻ ﺑﻐﻲ، ﻭﻻ ﻏﻞ، ﻭﻻ ﺣﺴﺪ»
تفسير ابن رجب الحنبلي:
ﻗﺎﻝ ﺑﻌﺾ اﻟﺴﻠﻒ: ﺃﻓﻀﻞ اﻷﻋﻤﺎﻝ ﺳﻼﻣﺔ اﻟﺼﺪﻭﺭ، ﻭﺳﺨﺎﻭﺓ اﻟﻨﻔﻮﺱ. ﻭاﻟﻨﺼﻴﺤﺔ ﻟﻷﻣﺔ، ﻭﺑﻬﺬﻩ اﻟﺨﺼﺎﻝ ﺑﻠﻎ ﻣﻦ ﺑﻠﻎ، ﻻ ﺑﻜﺜﺮﺓ اﻻﺟﺘﻬﺎﺩ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺼﻮﻡ ﻭاﻟﺼﻼﺓ
Whatever the heights one reaches through abundant exertions in fasting and prayers,one reaches through qualities of mind and heart provided one doesn’t give up farz fastings and prayers. Right?
The Fard, Sunnah and even much Nafl acts are essential for a person’s spiritual well-being. They are the foundation of one’s Deen. However, to reach the highest spiritual ranks one must undergo a process of cleansing one’s heart of all blameworthy qualities, and instilling in it praiseworthy characteristics.
Jazak Allah khair