Quranic Verses About the Hardness of Hearts
The Holy Quran contains numerous verses that address the issue of heart hardness and the admonition against it. Herein, I will highlight some of these significant verses:
- Allah, the Exalted, states: (Then your hearts hardened after that, so they became like rocks or even harder. And indeed, from the rocks are rivers that burst forth, and there are some that split open and water flows from them, and there are some that fall down from the fear of Allah. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.)
- It is mentioned in the Quran: (So when Our punishment came upon them, they did not supplicate, but their hearts became hardened, and Satan made their deeds appear fair to them.)
- The Almighty says: (This is so that what the devil throws may cause a trial for those in whose hearts is disease and those who have hardened hearts, and indeed, the wrongdoers are in extreme division.)
- Allah, the Most High, declares: (So whoever Allah wills to guide, He expands his breast to Islam; and whoever He wills to misguide, He makes his breast tight and constricted as though he were climbing into the sky. Woe to those whose hearts are hardened from the remembrance of Allah; those are in clear error.)
- It is also stated: (Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before; for a long time had passed over them, and their hearts hardened. And many of them were defiantly disobedient.)
- The Almighty mentions: (And it is by mercy from Allah that you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude in speech and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and seek forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].)
Methods to Overcome the Hardness of the Heart
There are several approaches that can assist an individual in overcoming the hardness of the heart. These methods include:
- One of the most effective methods is to recite the Quran with humility and reflection. Engaging with the Quran thoughtfully and attentively can soften a hardened heart. As Allah states: (Indeed, those who were given the knowledge before it, when it is recited to them, fall upon their faces in prostration and say, “Exalted is our Lord; indeed, the promise of our Lord has been fulfilled.” And they fall upon their faces weeping, and it increases them in humility.)
- Increasing the remembrance of Allah is foundational in softening the heart. When a person’s heart becomes neglectful, it consequently grows harder. Thus, the remembrance of Allah melts this hardness away.
- Frequent contemplation of death can help soften the heart, as heart hardness often stems from excessive attachment to worldly pleasures and neglect of the afterlife and the Day of Accountability.
Causes of Hardness of Heart
There are several factors that contribute to the hardness of heart. Here are a few of them:
- One of the primary causes of heart hardness is associating with the corrupt and spending time with those who hold no virtue. If one must interact with such individuals, it should be done with caution and limited to necessity.
- Being overly attached to the temporal world can lead to heart hardness. When a person is consumed by commerce and worldly temptations, their heart may steer away from remembrance of Allah. Nevertheless, if one seeks to engage with the world, it should be approached with wisdom and mindfulness.