Healing for the Hearts

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءَتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاءٌ لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ 

O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers. (Surah Yunus: 57)

The Qur’an is a Maw’idah (Instruction). It contains advise, warnings and admonitions. 

And it is also Shifaa (healing) for what is in the chest, i.e. the heart.

The heart not only has physical diseases, but it also has spiritual diseases such as hatred, envy, jealousy, anger, vanity, pride, prejudice, desires and doubts. 

The Qur’an is a remedy for all these diseases of the heart, because through the advise and admonitions it contains, it instills in a person the desire to perform righteous deeds and a motivation to stay away from evil.

The Qur’an also instills certainty in the heart and so whatever questions a person may have, those questions are answered, problems are solved and doubts are removed.

So when the heart is purged of all these diseases, and it is adorned with Iman, piety and righteousness, then the other organs and limbs follow in its wake. If the heart and soul are sound, then everything else will be sound too.

Also, when it comes to sadness and unhappiness, many people try to find a cure for it in other things such as watching movies, playing games, shopping, sometimes even drugs and alcohol! 

However nothing can alleviate that sadness except the Qur’an. No matter how much a person eats, shops or talk to others, that sadness will remain.

The Qur’an is Shifaa. It is a healing. Allah Himself is telling us this. However it is a healing only for the one who seeks healing through it.

You see, when a person is physically ill, he may seek a cure through medication. However if he just buys the medication without actually taking it, or if he takes the wrong dosage, or if he is not consistent in taking it, then he will no doubt remain in that state of illness.

So a person needs to have a consistent connection with the Qur’an, for it to become a Shifaa for him. He has to firmly believe that the Qur’an will help him, heal him and cure him. 

The Qur’an is also Hidayah (Guidance). It differentiates between truth and falsehood. It clearly explains the do’s and don’ts, the commands and prohibitions. Just like the Qur’an heals those who wish to be healed through it, The Qur’an guides those who wish to be guided through it. 

And finally it is a Mercy for those who believe in it. It brings about much goodness and reward both in this Dunya and in the Akhirah.

The address in this ayah is to all of mankind, everyone is being told about the Qur’an here. But it is only those who firmly believe in the Qu’ran, who will ultimately benefit from it.

And so when the believing person attains this guidance, and he is endowed with blessings, then that is the most perfect reward. Allah then says:

قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِّمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ  

Say, “In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy – in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate.” (Surah Yunus: 58)

Fadl in this ayah refers to the Noble Qur’an and Rahma refers to the ability of benefiting from the Qur’an

So on knowing, receiving and learning the Qur’an, one should be happy and rejoice!

The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “Verily, Allah has His own people among humanity.” They said, “O Messenger of Allah, who are they?” The Prophet said, “They are the people of the Qur’an, the people of Allah and his chosen ones.” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

What a huge blessing to have the Qur’an in our lives! Think about all those people who remain oblivious to the Qur’an, who turn away from it, who refuse to seek guidance through it! Now think about yourself, and how Allah has guided you, and has bestowed this enormous blessing upon you! Will you not rejoice then?

Allah also states in this ayah that this Qur’an is better than what people accumulate. 

If all the wealth and treasures of this Dunya were collected, they would pale in comparison to the blessing of the Deen and the Qur’an.

Many people collect random things to fill some void in their lives and to give them an inner satisfaction. People collect clothes, shoes, crockery, money, stamps, cars, toys and so many things. 

However if you think about it, will a person be able to take all these things with him when he dies? No. 

But the Qur’an that a person collects in his heart, will go with him to his grave, and it will accompany him on the Day of Judgment, and it will even intercede for him on that Day. A person’s stamp collection will not intercede for him, neither will his wealth. 

The things of this Dunya can never satisfy you, it can never bring comfort to your heart, it can never fill that void in your life.

It is only the Qur’an that can bring comfort, peace, contentment and satisfaction to a person. It is after all the Kalaam (Speech) of Allah!

O Allah make us of the people of the Qur’an and Your Chosen Ones! Ameen.  

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