The Greatness of the Practice of the Heart in Islam
The heart is likened to a king, while the body parts are the soldiers. If the king is good, then the affairs of his soldiers will also be good. If it is bad, then so will the affairs of the soldiers. Therefore, in Islam the actions of the heart have a great position. It could be said that the reward from the deeds of the heart is greater than the deeds of the body. Just as the sins of the heart are greater than the sins of the body. Therefore we find; The sins of kufr and hypocrisy are greater than the sins of adultery, usury, drinking wine, gambling, etc.
The heart is the standard of the goodness of the body. It is like a leader for the body. The goodness of the heart will influence the goodness of the body. And the bad heart will affect the bad practice of the body. The Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, said:
Indeed, in the body there is a embryo that if it is good, the whole body is good, and if it is spoiled, the whole body is spoilt. And it is the heart.
"Know that in the human body there is a lump of flesh. If it is good, the whole body is good. If it is damaged, the whole body is also damaged. Know that (a lump of meat) is the heart.." (HR. Muslim).
Shaykhul Islam Ibnu Taimiyyah affirmed:
Outward deeds are not good and acceptable except through the deeds of the heart, for the heart is king and the members are its soldiers. If the king is evil, his soldiers are evil.
“The deeds of the body will not be accepted without the intermediary of the deeds of the heart. Because the heart is king, while the limbs are like soldiers. If the King is bad, then all his soldiers will be bad too. ” (Majmu’ Al Fatawa, 11/208).
Likewise, we know that this religion has three levels: Islam, then above it is Iman, then above it is Ihsan. As explained in the following hadith of Gabriel:
From Umar bin Khotob radhiyallahu'anhu. He said,
While we were sitting with the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, one day, a man appeared before us, whose clothes were very white and whose hair was very black, with no traces visible on him. He left the book, and none of us knew it, until he sat next to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and he leaned his knees against his knees and placed his palms on his thighs. He said: O Muhammad, tell me about Islam. The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said: Islam is that you bear witness that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God and is pious. Pray, pay zakat, fast Ramadan, and perform Hajj to the House if you are able to make a way to it. He said: You have spoken the truth, so we were amazed at him asking questions and believing him. He said: Then tell me about faith. He said: That you believe in God and His angels and His books and His messengers and the Last Day and believe in predestination, the good and the evil of it. He said, “You have spoken the truth.” He said, “Then tell me about ihsan.” He said, “To worship God as if you see Him. If you do not see Him, then He sees you.”
"One day when we were sitting near the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, suddenly came a man wearing a very white shirt and very black (clean) hair. There were no traces of long journeys (strangers. pent), and none of us knew him. Then he sat in front of the Prophet sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam. Then he put his knees to his knees and placed his palms on his thighs, may God bless him and grant him peace, while saying, "O Muhammad, tell me about Islam?"
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, replied, "Islam is you bearing witness that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, you establish prayer, pay zakat, fast Ramadan and go to Hajj if you are able," then he said , "You're right."
We were all surprised, he was the one who asked and he was the one who allowed. Then he asked again, "Tell me about Faith?"
He said, "You believe in God, His angels, His books, His messengers and the Last Day, and you believe in good and bad destiny."
He said, "You're right."
Then he said again, "Tell me about courtesy."
He answered, “Ihsan is when you worship Allah as if you see Him. If you don't feel that way, (know) that He sees you..." (HR. Muslim)
Shaykh Abdul Muhsin Al Abbad –hafizhohullah– (a hadith expert from the city of Medina) explained when discussing the above hadith,
There are three degrees: the first is the degree of Islam, then comes the degree of faith, then comes the degree of charity. Each degree is more complete than the one before it, and each degree is included in the one before it. Every believer is a Muslim, and every doer of good is a believer and a Muslim. Because the degree of charity is a degree of perfection, less than that is the degree of faith, and less than that is the degree of Islam
” There are three levels of this religion: first is Islam, then second is iman, then ihsan. Each level is more perfect than the previous level. And each level falls within the scope of the previous level. So every believer is a Muslim. Every muhsin is both a believer and a Muslim. Because the level of ihsan is the most perfect level. Then below that there is faith, below that there is Islam." (http://audio.islamweb.net/audio/Fulltxt.php?audioid=170547).
Two levels include; namely faith and ihsan, are related to the actions of the heart. These two things are above the Islamic level, which means bodily practice. Because when Islam is mentioned together with Faith, each has a different meaning. That is, Islam is the practice of the body, while faith is the practice of the heart.
Then further evidence that the practice of the heart is of greater value than the practice of the body is that the principles or foundations of this religion are in the practice of the heart. Such as love for Allah and His Messenger, tawakkal, rojaa' (hope), khosyah (fear accompanied by knowledge), sincerity, patience, gratitude. (See: Majmu' Al Fatawa: 5/10)
It is mentioned in the Qudsi hadith, where the Messenger of Allah, may God bless him and grant him peace, narrated from his Lord, Allah Ta'ala said,
I spare partners from polytheism, so whoever does a deed in which I associate others with me, I will abandon it and associate him with it
"I don't need an ally at all. Whoever performs an act in a state of associating Me with other than Me, then I will leave him with his associates." (HR Bukhari and Muslim)
The above hadith is proof that the deeds of the heart have a greater position than the deeds of the body. Because the practice of the body will not be useful if a person commits shirk, no matter how much he practices. Small shirk is good, let alone big shirk.
Like a person giving charity because of riya' (and this riya is in the heart), then the reward will be wasted. No matter how big the nominal alms he gives out. Or read the Qur'an so that people praise his voice (sum'ah). This will also be worthless. No matter how good his voice is.
The scholars also explained that the size of the reward is closely related to the state of intention in a person's heart. This is also proof that the actions of the heart have a high position. It could be that small deeds have great reward value due to intention. It could also be that big deeds have small rewards due to intention. As explained by Abdullah bin Mubaarak:
A small employer is made great by his intention, and a large employer is made small by his intention
"It can be a small practice, but the reward becomes big because of the intention factor (sincerity). And it could be that great deeds become small in value due to intention."
So does sin. Small sins will become big, if they are done with a sense of trivialization. And major sins will disappear if the perpetrator feels guilty, regrets, makes forgiveness and repents to Allah. All of this has to do with the heart. Therefore the scholars say:
Neither small with persistence nor big with seeking forgiveness
"There is no small sin when done continuously. And there is no great sin when it is covered with istighfar. "
Body Practice Enters the Scope of Faith
Even though we have explained that the actions of the heart have a higher position than the actions of the body, this does not mean that we should underestimate the influence of the actions of the body. Because the good deeds of a person's body are proof of a clean heart and perfect faith.
In the creed of Ahlussunnah wal Jama'ah, physical practices are included in the scope of faith. Because the meaning of faith according to the creed of Ahlussunnah wal Jama'ah, faith is belief in the heart, which is pledged through the mouth, and then practiced by the body parts. Faith increases and decreases, increases due to acts of obedience, decreases due to immoral acts.
There are many arguments that show that bodily actions are included in the scope of faith. Among them are the words of Allah Ta'ala,
The believers are only those who, when God is mentioned, are terrified in their hearts, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith, and in their Lord they put their trust.
"Indeed, the believers are those whose hearts tremble when the name of Allah is mentioned, and when His verses are recited, their faith increases (therefore), and only in God do they put their trust" (QS. Al Anfal: 2).
Then Allah 'azza wa jalla explains in the next verse, continuing about who the believers are,
Residing prayer and thus provided them spend
"(namely) those who perform prayers and who spend part of the sustenance that We have given them." (QS. Al Anfal: 3).
These are the true believers. They will have ranks with their Lord and forgiveness and generous provision.
"Those are the true believers. They will obtain several degrees of elevation in the presence of their Lord and forgiveness and glorious sustenance (favors)" (QS. Al-Anfal: 4).
In another verse Allah 'azza wa jallaberfirman,
God would not let your faith be lost
“Allah will not waste your faith. ” (QS. Al-Baqarah: 143).
In a hadith, which was narrated by Imam Bukhari, it was explained that this verse was revealed regarding some of the Prophet's companions, who were killed before the Qiblah moved (from Baitul Maqdis to the Kaaba), what was the fate of their prayers? Is it accepted? Then God revealed this verse to His Messenger.
So the meaning of faith in the verse above is prayer. Where prayer is part of the body's practice. But in this verse, Allah also calls it faith. This shows that bodily practices are also included in the scope of faith. Imam Bukhori in his shohih book wrote a chapter:
Chapter: Prayer from faith
"Chapter: Prayer is part of faith"
Then Al-Hulaimi, may God have mercy on him, explained,
The commentators unanimously agree that he meant your prayer to the Holy House, so it is proven that prayer is faith, and if that is proven, then all obedience is faith, as I do not know of any difference in this designation between prayer and other acts of worship.
"Experts agree (about the meaning of the verse above) that what Allah means by "your prayer" in the verse above is your prayer when facing Baitul Maqdis. So it is proven that prayer is included in faith. When this is the case, so is the whole practice of obedience; it all comes under the meaning of faith. Because it is not known that there is a difference between prayer and other acts of worship." (Al-jami' Li Syu'abil Iman 1/121, quoted from dorar.net)
That's what we can say. Hopefully this simple article is useful for all writers and readers. Alahu a'lam bis showab.
***Author: Ahmad Anshori
Artikel: Muslim.or.id