is one whose condition is sound. Such people are described thus:

“Those are upon guidance from their Lord, and it is they who are successful.”

If an organ is not used for its rightful purpose but is left idle, that is a loss, and its owner is the loser. If it is used contrary to the purpose for which it was created, that is misguidance and ruin, and its owner is among those who have exchanged Allah’s blessing for disbelief.

The master and chief of all the organs is the heart, as its very name suggests. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Indeed, in the body there is a piece of flesh: if it is sound, the whole body is sound, and if it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. Indeed, it is the heart.”

He also said, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:

“Islam is outward, while faith is in the heart.” Then he pointed with his hand to his chest and said, “Indeed, mindfulness of Allah is here. Indeed, mindfulness of Allah is here.”

Since the heart was created as a means of acquiring knowledge, its turning toward things in pursuit of knowledge of them is thought and reflection. Similarly, directing the ear toward speech in order to hear it is attentive listening, and turning one’s gaze toward things in order to see them is looking. Thought is thus to the heart what attentive listening is to the ear, and likewise what looking is to the eyes, as mentioned above. When the heart comes to know what it has reflected upon, it has attained its goal, just as the ear does when it hears what it has listened for, or the eye when it sees what it has looked toward. Yet how many people reflect and think without acquiring or attaining knowledge, just as many look for the crescent moon without seeing it, or listen for a sound without hearing it!