Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “Trials are presented to the heart. Any heart afflicted by them will have a black mark put into it, but any heart that rejects them will have a white mark put into it. Thus there will be 2 kinds of hearts: one is pure like a white gemstone; it will not be harmed by any trial as long as the heavens and earth endure. The other is black and dusty like a worn-out vessel, neither acknowledging good nor rejecting evil, rather absorbed in its desires.” [Sahih Muslim 144]
Brothers and sisters, when a fitnah (trial) is presented to a person’s eyes, hands, and limbs, and he does nothing to prevent himself from it, instead he consumes it by absorbing it into his heart, then know that that heart will one day turn into a horrible, ugly heart. When this happens, and when someone calls this person towards khayr, extends a sincere hand or advice to help him get out of that hole, that person will not see nor realize it. He doesn’t see anything wrong with what he does, because he’s far too absorbed in his desires.
When a person goes online and watches filth, does he think that the moment he closes that window, the fitnah stops as well? That video follows him throughout his day, the scene plays again when he tries to sleep, or even when he tries to pray. Because Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said that trials goes into a person’s heart. Therefore, do not take these matters lightly, for it can indeed corrupt one’s heart.
May Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala make us among those who have the first heart – the pure, white, strong heart, for they are the ones who will be protected from the harm of trials. Ameen.
