Do you take care of your heart? Take a moment to think about it and let your answer sink in. Whether you’re thinking about taking care of it physically, mentally, or both, your answer is valid. Unfortunately, I’m assuming that most people’s answer would be a simple “no”, or an on and off debate with themselves, trying to push for a “yes” but drifting away as the pain of their past memories flow right back in. Religion gives purpose — to the heart, the mind, and the soul. Ghazali refers to a sacred Hadith in one of his writings, in which God said, “Neither the earth nor the heavens are wide enough for Me, but there is room for Me in the gentle, meek heart of my faithful servant” (Ghazali, 2010). As I absorbed the meaning of the Hadith, I came to rediscover the realization that our hearts need the highest form of care and treatment in every manner possible, not denying it from the happiness and health we are given in our lives. However, this is not to say that life is “supposed to” go smoothly with no bumps down the road. It should be expected that not every day will be a happy day, but you can find happiness in every day. By that, I mean, that we should remember to thank God for the little things… the little things we so often forget, and especially our blessings and privileges. 

     Some might think that sinful acts are ones that tear the heart apart, but in reality, we should acknowledge our sins, our mistakes, our pasts, and move forward once we’ve forgiven ourselves, whilst asking for forgiveness from The Merciful, Allah. Ghazali discusses the importance of the line that one crosses when choosing to sin, and how that line often becomes blurry quicker than one may realize, bringing sinful acts closer to those trying to avoid sinning. The “traces of tarnish” drawn when sinning do not fade over time, and instead, they settle in our hearts. However, pure intentions and good deeds will, in fact, increase the illumination of the heart, allowing one to improve and seek forgiveness, as well as allowing one to move forward rather than dwell on past mistakes for the rest of their lives (Ghazali, 2010).

     Questioning our religion should not be treated as though it is wrong for one to ask, but instead, our curiosity should be acknowledged and appreciated. Speaking from personal experience, it is so incredibly easy to drift away when not having answers to our questions, and not understanding why we are following the beliefs of those around us when not knowing the purpose behind obeying certain “rules”. Last week, I was part of a group discussion, in which someone shared their experience, making me realize the significant amount of change it can make for one’s curiosity to be explored. The person discussed how they kept drifting further and further away from Islam, especially due to how they felt when being told to follow something, no questions asked. Being told to “accept what they hear”, as Ghazali writes, has become the norm, and society has made it seem like a taboo topic to ask about, when in reality, it should be the other way around. They then mentioned how much closer they felt to God once they were more educated, and how their relationship with their religion grew profoundly, which I personally found beautiful. Our curiosity illustrates our interest in our religion, bringing us closer to our beliefs, and allowing us to indulge in the deep-rooted peace of Islam.