Heart Therapy: Forty Hadiths in Tazkiyah and Soul Purification

by Ali Albarghouthi

Depression, anxiety and loneliness are common problems today. Envy, greed and materialism invade our hearts and poison our relationships and lives. Racism, warfare and economic deprivation the symptoms of a greater spiritual weakness are destroying our world. What is the solution to all of these problems? We need a spiritual awakening, a healing of the hearts that can heal the world.

We need to rediscover our iman. This book attempts to revive authentic Islamic spirituality based on the Quran and Sunnah by collecting and explaining forty hadiths of the diseases of the heart and the purification of the soul. It is a book of tazkiyah, a self-help book, and a project of changing your life and increasing your iman. In it, you will find practical advice on how to cleanse your heart and bring change into your life. If we fix our hearts, we can fix the rest of our lives.

Genres: Islam, Religion

473 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[eny · Rating 5 out of 5]

a collection of forty ahadith on the diseases of the hearth and its purification, enriched by many āyāt from the Qur’an, and sayings of the Companions and the early pious predecessors.

written by an author that has a background in religious counselling, i feel like this book is perfectly indented for muslims that are embarking on their healing journey, that want and need their spiritual/religious identity to be the central and most important aspect of their journey. as the author says, this is a book in tazkiyah and a self-help book, where you are given many pieces of advice on how to navigate problems such as depression, anxiety, loneliness, amongst many other, through the wisdom and practices of the Prophet pbuh and his Companions. your spiritual, mental and emotional health are all interconnected with each other, and one cannot take care of one of them while neglecting the rest: this books perfectly describes that and helps you identify possible shortcomings in any one of those aspects that might be effecting your mental health and imān, while also providing practical insights on how to combat such diseases according to the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

i really enjoyed reading this book and literally took all the time i needed while doing so - packed with so much beneficial knowledge/advice/faith-based counselling, that i definitely feel like i will need to read it again very soon, from cover to cover.

may Allah swt reward Dr. Albarghouthi for all his efforts and may this book be means of barakah for him in this life and the next, ameen <3

[Sanaa Hyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

In early 2018, I bought this book in Makkah from a bookshop (named so after the publisher: Dakwah Bookstore) I did not stop to think twice about; I remember the bookseller pushing this book at me when I was slightly crestfallen about not finding the books I was actually looking for.

Since then i.e. over the past year and more, as I slowly read this book from cover to cover, I have come to the realization that this book and that bookshop were signs from God for me, signs of Him looking out for me truly unbeknowst to me.

My heart needed all the words in this book. And I hope I remember to come back to re-read them again. I would actually go so far as to compare this book to a close second after Hamza Yusuf’s Purification of the Heart.

Some critique: there were some copy editing errors in the physical copy I bought; but I stopped noticing these at some point because the lessons within are so incredible and significant. As for the ahadith cited, I cannot critique them as I am far far far from being an expert on this subject. Regardless, the author has done a fantastic job at extracting gems from the magnificent repertoire of Islamic knowledge.

Highly recommend!

[sawaaiiq · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hadith no. 41 - Muhammad ﷺ said:
"Call upon Allah while certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not answer a supplication from a heedless and distracted heart."

Reported by al-Tirmidhi (660) and al-Hakim (1031). Al-Albani declared it hasan (Sahih al-Tirmidhi, 3479).

Pertinent. This book is essential for any home library and must be read by all seeking purification of the soul. The ahadith and adhkar in there are definitely worth learning and taking advantage of as best we can. The author does an excellent job in explaining the ahadith, he does suggest going through this book slowly and implementing changes accordingly but I could not resist reading it all.

I will definitely read this again inshaAllah and try to learn some of the narrations in there. Du'aa is essential to changing your life and seeking Allah's help, this book brings to you comprehensive and short du'aa that you will be amazed by or find at least one that fits your needs and struggles.

[These Okudum · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the first MCO began in early 2020, I was one of the students who had to stay on campus while many of us already went home. It was then that I learnt about the 5Pages1Day telegram channel, wherein people share short reflections/quotes from their readings of the day. At the time, the number of subscribers was less than a thousand.

With the limited amount of my own books to read, I spent quite some time reading those sharings, one of them being about this book, Heart Therapy. It was shared by a sister I didn't know and still don't know, but I'll always be thankful for.

I noticed that quotes from the book were very interesting in that they touch my heart and they discuss things I have never thought of. Months later when I was at home, I decided to buy the book and found that it could be one of the best books I have read. Its title is very descriptive of what's inside - the 40 (+1) hadith that were discussed are truly helpful in soul purification.

The book discussion begins with a few hadith that help us understand the nature of our hearts; that our heart is central to our iman, that it is volatile, that it is forgetful, that it can be either rich or poor, and many other features of the heart. These hadith and the commentaries help us comprehend first and foremost why is soul purification important.

It then moves to a few hadith that illustrate the different states of the heart, and what causes them, and the many conducts and prayers taught by the Prophet SAW to help us cure them or enhance them. Here we learn what our heart loves and what it dislikes, what it constantly needs and what burdens it, and how the states of our hearts translate into our speeches, actions, thoughts, and habits.

And towards the end of the book, hadith on what habits ail the heart and what habits should we observe instead to purify them and keep them pure are brought into the picture.

I personally feel that this book has taken a special place in my heart. From my limited reading, it feels that there are not many books that discuss the relationship between what we do in our day to day life in a way that enables us to see the significance of every little thing we do as this book does.

Here we can see how what we do/think of/say can either stain/clean our hearts, how the sins we collect from day to day can slowly turn our hearts to a dark, black wall, unable to receive the light of faith. The discussions inside this book helped me view the importance of constant repentance and effort to abstain from sin with better comprehension.

And the way these things are discussed - they are so eloquently written and coherently elaborated. The author uses words that help us feel close to the issue at hand. The hadith chosen were also, as far as I observed, only the ones graded hasan and sahih.

The author also made sure to cite the full name of the kitab he referred to, to include the reference numbers and page numbers, and to include both the Arabic text of the hadith and its English translation inside. This helps readers feel secure and convinced of the authenticity of what is delivered, and when we don't, we can always cross-check the sources.

The fact that this book is actually commenting on a number of hadiths - sayings of our beloved Prophet SAW - also made me feel so loved, so differently from before. It made me think of the many many things on which the Prophet SAW took the time to say as a reminder and guidance for us in living this life that's full of trials and tribulations.

For the love that he had for us, he made sure to remind us of what Allah loves and what Allah dislikes, so we can live life adhering to this guidance, complementing the Quran. It really changed the way I see and read hadith, and it did make me wonder why I never thought of this before - or perhaps I have forgotten to.

There were many times when reading this that I felt the urgent need to share my readings with everyone because it felt so good a reminder for me. I usually abstained from doing so because I was too afraid of making a mistaken conclusion from what's being said. I thought I should let people read this and benefit from it on their own.

The book is only 473 pages long, but I really took my time, having started in May and only finishing today, to fully grasp the message and try to inculcate them in my daily life, in shaa Allah. In fact, this is what the author enjoins. The book encourages readers to read only one hadith a week and use the 'Project' section at the end of each chapter to try to practice what we've learnt.

This can mean practising some habits that the Prophet enjoined, or abstaining from what the Prophet said to be harmful, or memorising a du`a, and many more.

If you are looking for something to read and refresh your iman, or to remind you of abstaining from sins and doing more of what Allah loves, I would highly recommend reading this, in shaa Allah. May Allah purify our hearts and guide us all to become better believers.

[Suraya (thesuraya) · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Call upon Allah while certain of being answered, and know that Allah does not answer a supplication from a heedless and distracted heart." [Tirmidhi]

Heart Therapy discusses 40 hadiths in regards to heart purification as taught by Rasulullah SAW.

I spent exactly a year with this book, dedicated my weekly monday nights for a much-needed heart purification. A year of checking the state of my heart, and the egoistical struggle of accepting the fact that my heart was indeed... diseased. A year of trying to improve myself. Fast forward to a year later: can’t say I’m anywhere near finished, but I am progressing, albeit some failures here and there heh.

Strangely enough, there were quite a number of times where the chapter of the week I was reading hit the right spot— I was struggling with the exact issue the chapter was addressing and the chapter came right on time, as Allah intended perhaps. He knew I needed that.

So this book feels personal to me. One I cherish wholeheartedly. And I’d definitely come back to this book from time to time.

[Suad Ahmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

I basically spent a whole year with this book, and there are so many things that stick out, and I don’t even know where to begin with providing a review.

but all I can say is that it was amazing, and I thank Allah for allowing me to be able to stumble upon this.

[Nazeera☕︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“ Only Allah can bring serenity in our hearts.” Such beautiful Hadith’s said by the prophet ﷺ on how to beautify one’s heart. Lessons to always come back to.

[KakEllereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I understand why a lot of people love this book so much.
I myself too can't help falling in love with this gem all over again, from one hadith to another.
MasyaAllah Tabarakallah
This is definitely a must have book at home.
Learning little or getting to know about hadith, this book is a must!
I never thought that Hadith could be explained as detailed as this one, and at the same time I'm able to understand it.
Most important is all the hadiths selected for this book, are authentic and the sources mentioned.
I love this book! One of my best read for this year 🥰

[Jan Jaap]

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Found this book just ago (from some one else's profile).


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[Ameena Goodine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly beautiful and inspiring book with heartwarming reminders ❤️

[Siti Nur Izzati · Rating 5 out of 5]

I took months to finish this book.
Though it focuses on hadith related to soul purification (seems heavy topic), it was an easy read. The author explains the hadith in beautiful way that grab readers' attention.
Details on several du'a in hadith number 20++, helps to better understand the basis of the du'a/adhkar.

Praying allah to make us readers practice what we've read in this book.
Thanks to dr ali and dakwah corner team for writing and publishing this gem!

[Sharmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life-changing read. Meant to be visited time and time again, for the hadiths to be internalized, to aid our tazkiyah process. Complemented with discussions and lectures about each hadith from the sheikh himself, makes this reading unlike any other -- perfect for a weekly series.

[Haliza Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book about the best way in take care of your heart in this Dunya while working towards Jannah.

[Tiyy · Rating 5 out of 5]

So soothing

[ukuklele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been into the topic of soul purification for many years. I have read books and listened to lectures both online and offline relating to the topic. I always need reinforcement and to be reminded of how to face life hassles properly without contaminating my heart even more. At other times this feels redundant, as there are so many things to apply. At the very least, there are some spiritual routines a muslim should maintain, such as the five times prayer, daily portion of Quran, voluntary fasting for the unmarried, and reading Islamic books like this one to keep us on the right track, and those are only the bare minimum.

From this book, things that I find most relevant and want to always keep in mind are:

The four hours

It is written in the Wisdom of David that it is incumbent upon the wise not to miss four hours.

The first is the hour when he is alone, conversing with Allah.

The second is the hour when he checks and reviews his actions.

The third is the hour when he is alone with his brothers who are honest with him about his faults and what he is truly like.

And the fourth is the hour when he lets himself satisfy his desires, in what is halal and decent, for this hour is one that aids in attaining the other hours and it is a relaxation and refreshment for the hearts.

Ibn Abi al-Dunya in Muhasabat al-Nafs(p. 30). (p. 83/496)

Non-beneficial knowledge

Non-beneficial knowledge is of different types and degrees.

The first category of non-beneficial knowledge is one that harms our iman and taqwa. This is like learning magic, reading the books of disbelief and innovation, and those causing religious doubts. It includes learning how to harm others, steal, embezzle, forge documents, and fornicate. There is also no benefit in news of movies and their stars, the latest about singers and athletes, and gossip and rumors.

The second category is knowledge that has no inherent merit to it and can distract from Allah such as the latest on fashion and cars. This knowledge strengthens our attachment to this world at the expense of our commitment to the next life.

The third category is knowledge that has some merit but is overemphasized like political news and analysis that consume our time and discussions, and fixating on worldly knowledge at the expense of our relationship with Allah.

The fourth category is beneficial knowledge that fails to bring us benefit. This happens when we don’t apply it, like religious knowledge that changes nothing in our hearts and lives, and wisdom that doesn’t affect our manners and character. Since the purpose of religious knowledge is application, receiving it without implementation is a liability. ….

The fifth category is beneficial knowledge that we are unable to comprehend because our level of knowledge and maturity doesn’t allow us to digest it. Though it is true, this knowledge could be a source of fitnah for some. ….

Beneficial knowledge is what brings khushu‘. It moves us closer to Allah, increases our iman, and reminds us of the Hereafter. Any knowledge that does the opposite is non-beneficial or harmful knowledge. And the more harmful it is, the farther it keeps us from Allah. (p. 316-8/496)

For as a person in this day and age, we are very prone to wasting time and consuming too much information that would make us losers and led astray.

That is why at the introduction, the writer suggests to digest this book slowly, one hadith/week, like the learning method of the Companions of the Prophet SAW. At the time of the Companions, I suppose they didn't have sources of information as much as we have now. I imagine they had more mental clarity and spaciousness at acquiring and implementing the divine knowledge from the ultimate trusted source, ie the Prophet SAW. While at our time now we are continuously flooded with tons of information, whether we are intentionally searching for it or not. This age of information seems to be suspiciously meant to disrupt our mental capacity. So, implementing all the 40(+1) hadiths in this book to daily life will not be an easy task, as we are either forgetful or consciously ignore it, and more likely to give in to our desires anyway.

A recurrent point is prioritizing obligations over rights and giving over asking to be given. This is also oftentimes difficult to apply, as we are afraid that by always being kind, people would take us for granted or even take advantage of us. There are some people who really like to help but no one is available when they need help themselves. We might also tend to feel entitled to the kindness of others as well without realizing it.

There is also a hadith which makes me feel uncomfortable as a woman (Hadith 34. “Find joy in the halal”). It seems to justify practices such as “contract marriage”, and how Islamic figures in boarding schools consummate their female students, and the manner is to conceal the disgraces of the figures–legitimates that religiosity is side by side with lustfulness. I feel more comfortable with the next hadith (Hadith 35. “Fast for your heart”), and in the previous chapter (Hadith 14. “The thankful heart”), this book gives understanding that even though one of the best treasures is a pious wife, one should not put the entire burden on their mate. So, why do Islamic teachers keep promoting polygamy over fasting? Isn't that showing their priority on lust over self-restraint, patience and gratitude for only one wife?

As I finish this book, I continue to Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. According to Kahneman, there are two systems of thinking: System 1–the automatic system, and System 2–the effortful system. I spontaneously link these two systems with the tazkiyah--regardless of being right or not. We mostly act based on impulses (System 1), and System 2 is needed to control the impulses so as to not cause us troubles. So it is with tazkiyah, our desires keep us alive, but we also have to be aware of where they direct us to, and with iman and ilm, we must take over whenever they drive us to do wrong, and do the good deeds instead. With iman, we are fully aware that Allah is always watching us, knowing what is happening inside our soul, and angels are on guard as well to record our deeds, and with ilm we are taught on how to do the right deeds.

[Irfan Muhaimin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buku ini versi asal bahsa inggeris tapi diterjemah dalam bahasa melayu. Mengumpulkan 40 hadis tentang masalah hati dan merawatya. Paling suka apabila ada hadis disertakan ada dalam Hisnul Muslim dan penerangan dalam ini member satu makna jelas mengapa Nabi mengalakkan sesetengah do | semestinya ada sebab. Semua berpunca dari hati dan cara merawatya secara spirtual adalah kembali kepada Allah dengan mengikut segala arahannya.
Antara nasihat yang tajam walaupun hadis ini dhaif, jangan kita gembira atas musibah saudaramy semoga Allah menyembuhkannya dan menimpakanya kepada kamu dan apabila ada sifat ini dalam hati maka terus memohon keampunan kepada Allah. Hadis empah puluh satu paling hujung buku ini menyebut, memohonlah kepada Allah sambil yakin baha a akan dihawab dan ketahuilah bahawa Allah tidak meniawab permohonan dari hati yang lalai. Satu nasihat mendalam ialah, kita harus jaga hubungan kita dengan Al Quran dan berusaha mendalami setiap maksudnya.

[siso.sofy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart therapy is my first book of the year. I think this book is a must-read for everyone. I learn a lot from this book. It makes me reflect on how much we care about our life, but we tend to forget about our hearts' condition. I love how the author explains each hadith in a relatable way that we can see in our daily life.

This book will help you to diagnose and find treatment for your heart. Plus, you can join the online book club that discusses this book, chapter by chapter. You should follow Dr Ali YouTube and listen to his talk.

[Irfan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a gift from the bookshop I regularly visit, mostly after Friday prayers.

I pass it to my sister, as I don't felt the immediate need to read it. Later when she returned the book, I came to know from her first hand review that this should be must read.

So I give it try, and trust me I recommend you all to read it, if you thinking about it. It's 40 hadees those talks about our situation day in day out.

This book is amazing, and I thank Almighty for making me read it.

[Liyana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took me a year plus to finish this book as it was quite a heavy read. Highly recommended to all that are seeking to build your spiritual development. Prepare some tissues and my advice is just take it slow to finish the book. 🥹 Worth every page.

[She · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars doesn't do this book justice. Packed from cover to cover with advice for the heart and soul.. so much to digest, reflect upon and act upon. 41 hadiths in total, each chapter begins with one hadith, each chapter is breaks down the hadith. The language and style is easy to read.

[シティ]

xxx

[Casein Nitrate · Rating 4 out of 5]

DNF 56%

It is taking me a long time to read. I may return to it another time.

[Bintbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

'He has succeeded who purifies it. And he has failed who instills it [with corruption]' (91:9-10)

This book opened my eyes to the deeper causes of heart ailments and how I have some of these. It helped me recognise where I’ve been going wrong in my approach to self-care and tazkiyah. A must-read for anyone looking to heal from within and strengthen their connection with Allah through both du'a and conscious self-improvement. A lot of cited authentic sources upon the aqeedah of Ahlul Sunnah wal Jammah which is so important as sources for tazkiyah tend to be incorrect. May Allah reward the author immensely.

[Um Abdullah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book to read.