*    Having unrealistic hopes.

*    Greed for the world. ^[1]

Signs of a hard heart

Dear Islamic brothers! We learnt hard-heartedness deprives one from the mercy of Allah Almighty, and it is a cause of eternal misfortunate. Many people today complain because of their difficulties, worries, financial problems, and obstacles in their businesses. Can it be that our hard-heartedness has caused all of this and deprived us of the mercy of Allah Almighty? Have our hearts become harder than stone and we are oblivious to it? Every illness has symptoms through which it is diagnosed, and hard-heartedness is no different. Here are some signs of this illness.

Laziness in worship

One sign of a hardened heart is the lack of desire to perform good deeds. Even if a person is granted the opportunity to enter the masjid, he prays hurriedly without focus and no presence of heart to leave as quickly as possible, as if he is a bird desperately trying to escape from a cage. Likewise, considering the obligations and wājibāt to be a burden is another symptom. This sign is alarming because it is a sign of the hypocrites. The noble Quran states:

وَ اِذَا قَامُوْۤا اِلَی الصَّلٰوۃِ قَامُوْا کُسَالٰی

And when they stand for the prayer, they do so most unwillingly. ^[2]

We ask Allah Almighty to protect us from this calamity, and to grant us steadfastness, focus and sincerity in our worship and recitation.