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The purification of heart and soul in Islamic teachings is known as Tazkiyah. The literal meaning of Tazkiyah is “to purify”. It is a spiritually cleansing process of the heart and the soul to get rid of the negative traits like jealousy, anger or pride and instead it fills the heart with humility, sincerity and love of Allah Almighty.
Tazkiyah connects your soul (nafs) with Allah Almighty by purifying and sincere devotion. Quran and Hadith also emphasize the importance of purification of the heart and soul, which leads to higher levels of faith, morality, and peace of heart in Islam.
When your heart is clean, it will bring truthfulness in worship, clarity in the decisions of life, and connection with Allah Almighty. But when your heart is not clean and your intentions aren’t pure, you might be doing everything right on the outside, but you would still feel completely out of sync with your faith deep down.
You can start your journey with the 3 essential steps below.
Step 1: Self-Awareness & Intention (Niyyah)
Step 2: Establish Spiritual Habits
Step 3: Acquire Righteous Influence and Knowledge
Classical Islamic scholars, based on the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah, have identified three spiritual states of the self.
1. Nafs al-Ammarah (The Commanding Self)
The selfish and sinful soul who is tempted to sin and heedlessness.
"Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil except those upon which my Lord has mercy. " (Quran 12:53)
2. Nafs al-Lawwamah (The Self Reproaching Soul)
The individual who realizes his faults and makes an effort to improve.
"And I swear by the self-reproaching soul." (Quran 75:2)
3. Nafs al-Muṭma’innah (The Tranquil Soul)
A soul that is at peace and content in its heart due to its strong faith in Allah Almighty.
"O tranquil soul, return to your Lord well-pleased and pleasing [to Him]." (Quran 89:27-28)
| Practice | Spiritual Impact |
| Quran Recitation & Reflection (Tadabbur) | Reciting the Quran and applying its teachings in your daily life helps in aligning your actions with Allah Almighty's will and brings peace to both mind and soul. |
| Regular Istighfar (Seeking Forgiveness) | It removes all of your sins and purifies your soul. |
| Daily Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah) | It will help you to create strong connection with Allah Almighty. |
| Prayer (Salah) | It makes the soul humble and makes you disciplined. |
| Fasting | It will teach you self-control and help you understand the problems of people who have no access to necessities. |
| Charity (Zakat/Sadaqah) | It will purify your wealth and decrease the desire for material things |
The Hadith on the Purification of the Heart are as follows:
The Messenger of Allah Almighty Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said:
“Every good deed is charity. Verily, it is a good deed to meet your brother with a smiling face, and to pour what is left from your bucket into the vessel of your brother.”
Source: Sahih Muslim 1009, Grade: Sahih
The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) once said about spiritual consequences of sin on heart that:
“Verily, when the believer commits a sin, a black spot appears upon his heart. If he repents and abandons the sin and seeks forgiveness, his heart will be polished, but if he increases in sin, the blackness increases. That is the covering which Allah has mentioned in his Book: Nay, but on their hearts is a covering because of what they have earned.” (83:14)
Source: Sunan ibn Majah 4244, Grade: Sahih
Here are some authentic duas that will help cleanse the heart:
1. For a Pure Heart
اللَّهُمَّ آتِ نَفْسِي تَقْوَاهَا، وَزَكِّهَا أَنْتَ خَيْرُ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا
Allahumma aati nafsi taqwaha, wa zakkihā anta khayru man zakkāhā
Translation: O Allah, grant my soul its piety and purify it. You are the best to purify it.
Source: Sahih Muslim – Hadith 2722
2. To Remove Hatred and Malice
اللَّهُمَّ أَلِّفْ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِنَا
Allahumma allif bayna qulubina
Translation: O Allah, unite our hearts. Source: Ibn Hibban – Hadith 4561
3. For Sincerity and Inner Peace
يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ
Ya Muqallibal-qulubi thabbit qalbi 'ala deenik
Translation: O Turner of the hearts, keep my heart firm on Your religion. Source: Jami‘ at-Tirmidhi – Hadith 2140
Tazkiya starts with the purification of the heart and soul, and helping a person in need is one of the effective methods of purification.
Start your journey of spiritual growth and tazkiyah with us today. The charity you give for the sake of pleasing Allah Almighty will not only transform the lives of other people but will also transform your soul for the better.
