Source: huffingtonpost.com

The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing of God be upon him, once told his companions “Indeed God has vessels amongst the people of the Earth, and the vessels of your Lord are the hearts of His righteous servants. The most beloved to Him are those which are most delicate and tender.”

There is a strong emphasis in the Islamic tradition about taking care of one’s heart and ensuring that it maintains the level of cultivation that it is due. The heart’s function is to love and it will love that which we put in its presence, so a certain mindfulness is needed in order to avoid allowing for it to be an abode of things that are neither healthy for it or for us.
In the latter part of this particular narration, the Prophet Muhammad is highlighting two characteristics that if possessed by a heart enables that heart to stand out amongst others when he says “Ahabuhaa alyanuhaa wa araquhaa” — “the most beloved to Him are those which are most delicate and tender.”

The Arabic language is so rich and beautiful and meanings can easily get lost in translation. I’d like to focus on the the word alyanuhaa … continue reading at huffingtonpost.com