Reviving the Heart

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وقال علي بن أبي طالب روحوا القلوب واطلبوا لها طرف الحكمة فإنها تمل كما تمل الأبدان

Ali ibn Abi Talib said, 'Refresh the hearts and seek for them a portion of wisdom, for they get weary as bodies get weary.'

وَقَالَ أَيْضًا إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْقُلُوبَ تَمَلُّ كَمَا تَمَلُّ الْأَبْدَانُ فَالْتَمِسُوا لَهَا مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ طَرَفًا

And he also said, 'Indeed, these hearts get weary as bodies get weary, so seek a portion of wisdom for them.'

وَعَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ قَالَ رَوِّحُوا الْقُلُوبَ تَعِي الذِّكْرَ

Usama ibn Zaid said, 'Refresh the hearts so they may retain remembrance.'

وعن الحسن قال إن هذه القلوب تحيى وتموت فإذا حييت فاحملوها على النافلة، وإذا ماتت فاحملوها على الفريضة

Al-Hasan said, 'Indeed, these hearts live and die. When they are alive, push them toward extra acts of worship; and when they die, push them toward the obligatory acts.'

وَعَنْ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ كَانَ رَجُلٌ يُجَالِسُ أَصْحَابَ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَيُحَدِّثُهُمْ

Al-Zuhri said, 'There was a man who used to sit with the companions of the Messenger of Allah and talk to them.'

فإذا كثروا وثقل عليهم الحديث، قال إن الأذن مجاجة، وإن القلوب حمضة

When they became many, and the talk became burdensome on them, he said, 'Indeed, the ears become tired, and indeed, the hearts become sour.'

فَ هَاتُوا مِنْ أَشْعَارِكُمْ وَأَحَادِيثِكُمْ

So bring from your poetry and your stories!

وَقَالَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ إِنِّي لَأَسْتَجِمُّ نَفْسِي بِبَعْضِ الْبَاطِلِ كَرَاهِيَةً أَنْ أَحْمِلَ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ لَحَقٍ مَا يُكِلُّهَا

And Abu al-Darda said, 'Indeed, I refresh myself with some idle talk, fearing that I might burden it with so much truth that it becomes weary.'