improper things, suspect others, and think bad of them. We do not even care about this at all, despite the fact our hearts are being looked at by Allah Himself!

Four illnesses of the heart and how to cure them

Dear Islamic brothers! There are numerous illnesses of the heart and just as many cures for them. Imam Ghazāli رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه has discussed this subject in his book Minhāj al-ꜤĀbidīn. Here is a summary of his writings.

Unrealistic hopes

There are four foundational causes behind a person’s heart becoming hard. If these are avoided, their heart shall be purified - اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه. The first cause of a hardened heart are wistful hopes. In other words, mistakenly thinking one shall live for a long time. This is the main reason behind hearts being made hard. Allah says in His Quran:

فَطَالَ عَلَیۡہِمُ  الۡاَمَدُ فَقَسَتۡ قُلُوۡبُہُمۡ ؕ

And when the term was prolonged upon them, their hearts therefore became hard.^[1]

Unrealistic, fleeting, and misplaced hopes are a barrier to righteous acts. They are the root of all evils. It is an incurable disease which leads to many more. They result in procrastination, laziness in good deeds, and cause the heart to fall into negligence. Love for the world continues to grow inside someone as long as they harbour these long hopes.

Greed then develops to the extent a person is completely involved in the world and becomes oblivious to the Hereafter. As a result, the heart hardens and becomes covered with the filth of sin. So, whoever seeks to amend his heart should curtail his hopes and always remember death.