from their wealth a charity that will purify them and cause them to grow.”

Likewise, refraining from indecencies makes the heart grow pure, and abandoning all acts of disobedience does the same, for such sins are like harmful humors in the body or weeds in a field. When the body rids itself of those bad humors—just as excess blood is drawn out—its natural strength is freed and finds relief, and thus the body grows. The heart is exactly the same: when it repents of sins, it has discharged the corrupt admixtures that had mingled a righteous deed with something else. Once it abandons sin, the heart’s inner strength and its resolve to perform righteous works are set free, and it finds respite from the corrupt intrusions that had been lodged within it. In this way the zakāh (purification and growth) of the heart lies in its flourishing and reaching completion.

The Exalted says in al-Nūr (24:21), “Had it not been for Allah’s bounty toward you and His mercy, none of you would ever have been purified.” He also says in the same surah (24:28), “If you are told, ‘Turn back,’ then turn back; that is purer for you.” And again (24:30), “Tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts; that is purer for them. Allah is well aware of all that they do.”

He, Most High, says in al-Aʿlā (87:14–15), “Successful indeed is the one who purifies himself, remembers the name of his Lord, and prays,” and in al-Shams (91:9–10), “Successful indeed is the one who purifies it, and ruined indeed is the one who corrupts it.” He says in ʿAbasa (80:3), “Yet what makes you know? Perhaps he may purify himself,” and in al-Nāziʿāt (79:18–19), “Say: ‘Would you like to be purified, and that I guide you to your Lord so that you may fear Him?’”

Although the root meaning of tazkiya (purification) is growth, blessing, and the increase of goodness, it is only attained by the removal of evil; hence the term tazkiya gathers both senses together. The Exalted says in Fuṣṣilat (41:6–7), “Woe to those who associate partners with Allah, those who do not give zakāh,” meaning monotheism and faith through which the heart is purified. For this involves removing from the heart the divinity of anything other than the Truth and affirming the divinity of the Truth within it—this is the very reality of la ilāha illā Allah, and it is the foundation upon which hearts are purified.

Tazkiya thus means to render a thing pure—either in its very essence or in people’s estimation and testimony—just as one might say, “I declared him ʿadl (upright),” meaning that one has deemed him upright in himself or in people’s eyes. The Exalted says in al-Najm (53:32), “So do not claim purity for yourselves,” that is, do not announce your own purity. This is different from His statement in al-Shams, “Successful indeed is the one who purifies it.” For this reason al-Najm continues, “He knows best who is truly God-fearing.”

Zaynab’s original name was Barrah (“pious”), and it was said that this was a form of self-commendation, so the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) changed her name to Zaynab.

As for His words in al-Nisāʾ (4:49), “Have you not seen those who claim purity for themselves? Rather, Allah purifies whom He wills,” this means that He makes a person pure and bears witness to that purity, just as an attestator validates the uprightness of witnesses. Uprightness is iʿtidāl (balance), and balance is the soundness of the heart, just as injustice is its corruption. For this reason every sin a person commits is an act of injustice against himself, and injustice is the very opposite of justice; therefore