heart for that which does not.” The person asked, “O Messenger of Allah, how can I identify what disturbs my heart?”

The final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم instructed, “When you are to do something, place your hand upon your chest and observe. Indeed, the heart quivers and beats speedily upon haram, yet is tranquil upon that which is halal.”^[1]

Dear Islamic brothers! Allah has placed this special quality in our hearts. They begin to beat faster if we are about to do something wrong. Maybe some of us know this feeling; when we do something bad, a panic begins to grow inside us. For example, when a thief first steals or an alcoholic first drinks alcohol, their heart panics and beats faster. If a person listens to his heart at this stage, accepts the voice of his conscience and desists from sin, this feeling of panic and disturbance goes away. On the contrary, if a person does not pay heed to this and commits the sin, he gradually becomes accustomed to it and darkness envelops his heart.

Dear Islamic brothers! You can see how great a blessing it is to have a clean heart. The awliyāˈ (saints) have hearts of utmost purity, which shine with the light of maʿrifah. The darkness that comes with sin is not found in them. Their hearts are blessed with the ability to discern between good and bad. Even if an untoward situation presents itself, their hearts immediately react, and they are saved from sin. Some saints are maḥfūẓ (protected) from sin through the bestowal of Allah.

Divine protection from sin

Shaykh Abū ꜤAli al-Daqqāq رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states:

When Hārith al-Muḥāsibī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه would unknowingly extend his hand towards doubtful food, a vein in his finger would begin to throb. In this way, he would become aware of that food not