Purifying Hearts

God tests believers to purge them and purify their hearts from carnal desires. He says,﴾ So that Allah might test what is in your hearts and purify what is in your hearts. And Allah knows of that within the breasts.﴿ (Ale Imran: 154)

Improper deeds effect man’s soul and stain his pure nature. Qur’an says, ﴾Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning.﴿‌ (Al-Mutaffifin: 14). Just as rust is purged by the fire of the furnace, God purges the stains on man’s soul and heart in the furnace of incidents and problems. Therefore God submerges His beloved servant in a sea of difficulties in order to purge him of impurities. Imam Kadhim says, "In happiness God bestows the blessing of grace, and in hardship, the blessing of purging."¹ Therefore there are blessings of God in every situation that man faces. Sometimes we may not realize that a hardship is a test or trial for us, but in reality even hardships are meant to improve man's fortitude and patience. At the same time during the time of hardship human beings are inclined to purify themselves from evil characteristics.

According to Islamic teachings, Islam is aware of human beings' breasts and therefore hardship may be a means to purify what is in our hearts.

^{* Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi}

^{1-  Behar al-Anwar. Vol. 75, P 243}