Noble Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said,

“Listen carefully! There is a piece of flesh in man’s body, if it is healthy then the whole being is healthy and if it is corrupted then the whole being is corrupted. Beware! That piece of flesh is the heart (qalb).” (Bukhari)

He also said,

“Just as iron catches rust on contact with water, so are the hearts rusted.”

People asked, “How to remove the rust of the heart?”

The Noble Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said, “By remembering death and by reciting the Qur’an.” (Baihaqi)

Living a heedless life in an un-Islamic environment makes our heart rusty. Parts of the machinery inside clank, crank and move grudgingly. Acting on Shariah laws seems extremely difficult. The heart mechanic (Shaikh) using the Prophetic medicines removes this rust by prescribing contemplation of death and here-after (muraqaba e maut) and oils it with the of remembrance of Allah. (This is in a systematic and individualized manner. The daily compliance is an essential component for the aspirant’s success.)   Once this rust is removed and the parts well lubricated the machinery of the qalb starts to function properly. Then there are no hardships in observing the laws of Shariah. Actually it becomes an innate calling.

May Allah facilitate this for us. Amin!