In the Holy Qur'an, the heart is introduced as the central axis of human existence and the bearer of an aristocratic reality that transcends material dimensions, playing a fundamental role in the spiritual and ethical conduct of the individual. This reality, attributed with numerous and diverse qualities in the Qur'anic versesranging from benevolence to malevolenceopens a window towards a deeper understanding of human existence. This study, relying on the verses of Surah Al-Baqarah and profound Qur'anic analyses, examines the position of the heart, its levels, and the impact of its attributes on human spiritual and physical life. Employing a scientific and systematic approach, this investigation endeavours, through a refined and academic language suited for erudite audiences, to elucidate the semantic connections among Qur'anic concepts and the philosophical, theological, and psychological dimensions of the heart. Utilising elevated metaphors and allegories, the text not only analyses the verses but also invites reflection upon the existential reality of humanity and the necessity of heart purification for attaining perfection.
The Holy Qur'an introduces the heart not merely as a physical organ, akin to the pineal heart or the brain, but as an aristocratic reality that oversees human existence. This reality, analogous to water in a vessel or oil in an almond, is not confined within the body but shines like a jewel upon the crown of human existence, manifesting in its low, intermediate, and exalted levels through spiritual conduct. Numerous verses in Surah Al-Baqarah, such as the verse "لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا", allude to this reality, indicating that the heart, beyond its blood-pumping function, possesses spiritual perception which, in some, remains unactualised.
لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا
They have hearts with which they do not understand, and eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear.
This verse clearly delineates the distinction between the material and spiritual functions of the heart. The physical heart performs the function of blood circulation in all humans, believers and disbelievers alike, whereas the spiritual heart, the locus of comprehension and perception of realities, remains inactive in some. This inactivity does not imply the absence of the heart, but rather the lack of its aristocratic motion.
The aristocratic reality of the heart manifests under various titles such as spirit (r), intellect (aql), heart (qalb), breast (adr), and innermost heart (fud) in the Holy Qur'an; however, in essence, it is a unifying appellation. These titles, akin to different facets of a single essence, all refer to one reality that appears with varying intensity and weakness in humans. Some hearts are strong, others weak; some possess both soul and heart, but their intellect or fud remains unactualised. This diversity points to the dynamic nature of human existence and the different spiritual capacities therein.
In the Holy Qur'an, the heart is not merely a biological organ but an exalted reality that supervises human existence. This reality, with its numerous titles and varying levels, is the pivot of human spiritual conduct. The distinction between the spiritual and material heart highlights the necessity of contemplating its aristocratic functions.
The Holy Qur'an attributes numerous existential qualities to the heart, encompassing benevolent traits (such as health and reassurance) and malevolent ones (such as illness and hardness). These attributes portray the heart as the source of human behaviour and spirituality. The following verses exemplify some of these attributes:
خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
"God has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their eyes is a veil. And for them is a great punishment."
فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَرَضٌ فَزَادَهُمُ اللَّهُ مَرَضًا وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْذِبُونَ
"In their hearts is a disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie."
وَقَالُوا قُلُوبُنَا غُلْفٌ بَلْ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَقَلِيلًا مَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
"And they say, 'Our hearts are wrapped'No, but Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few."
وَأُشْرِبُوا فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْعِجْلَ بِكُفْرِهِمْ
"And they were [filled] with the calf [i.e. idolatry] in their hearts because of their disbelief."
These verses attribute traits such as sealing, illness, covering, and the infiltration of the calf to the heart, each indicating spiritual deficiency and the impact of disbelief on the heart.
The verse "يَوْمَ تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ" refers to the intense movement and power of the heart, which increases in speed and force under stress or special conditions. This fluctuation indicates the hearts dynamism in good and evil, revealing that the heart, due to its inherent motion, is subject to change, stabilization, and purification of its attributes.
يَوْمَ تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ
"The Day when hearts and eyes will be overturned."
This dynamism portrays the heart as a bubbling spring that reacts differently when confronted with good or evil.
The attributes of the heart in Surah Al-Baqarah, ranging from sealing and illness to health and reassurance, are all existential and signify the hearts role in managing human behaviour and spirituality. The hearts dynamism renders it a flexible entity capable of growth or decline.
The Holy Qur'an introduces the heart within the chest as a container and contained, as stated in the verse "قُلُوبٌ التِّي فِي الصُّدُورِ". This relationship signifies the chest as a receptacle for the heart and the innermost heart (fud) as another dimension of the aristocratic reality. Although these terms differ, they all denote one unified reality manifesting in various levels.
قُلُوبٌ التِّي فِي الصُّدُورِ
"Hearts which are in the breasts."
The inquiry into the relationship between the heart and the chest underscores the complexity of the aristocratic reality. Does the heart emanate from the chest, or is the chest a vessel for the innermost heart? Such questions highlight the necessity for precise analysis of human existential dimensions.
As the core of the aristocratic reality, the heart possesses dual attributes of benevolence and malevolence. The chest and innermost heart, as vessels or facets of this reality, acquire their positive and negative traits from the heart. For instance, the heart may be healthy or diseased, and the chest and innermost heart are likewise influenced by these conditions.
The relationship of the heart with the chest and innermost heart as container and contained demonstrates the unity of the aristocratic reality and the diversity of its manifestations. This relation emphasises the complexity of human existence and the hearts central role therein.
The Holy Qur'an assigns multiple negative attributes to the heart, including sealing, illness, hardness, deviation, fear, anxiety, and stubbornness. Each refers to a particular deficiency within the heart:
