Diseases of The Hearts And Their Cures By Shaykul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah

The heart is the most important organ in Islam. Not because of its physical function, but because of what it carries: tawheed, iman, sincerity, and love of Allah. When the heart is diseased, the entire person is diseased. When it is sound, everything else follows. Diseases of the Hearts and Their Cures by Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah is a precise diagnosis of the heart's illnesses and a clear prescription for their cure, drawn entirely from the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah.

What This Book Covers

The Heart as the Foundation of All Actions

Ibn Taymiyyah opens by establishing why the heart is the starting point of everything in a believer's life. Actions are distinguished in the sight of Allah not by their number or their outward form, but by the condition of the heart behind them — its truthfulness, its sincerity, and the extent to which it prefers Allah over itself. A person who performs many acts of worship with a corrupt heart gains little, while a person with a sound heart whose deeds are fewer may be far more beloved to Allah.

The Position of the Heart in Islam

The heart is described as the owner of the limbs — its soldiers. When the heart is purified, the limbs are purified. When it is corrupted, the limbs follow in corruption. Ibn Taymiyyah draws on the saying of al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani: "The heart has been singled out because it is the leader of the body, and through the purification of the leader, the subjects become purified, and through his corruption they become corrupted." This is not merely a spiritual metaphor — it is a description of how moral and spiritual discipline actually functions in Islamic practice.

Practical Prescriptions for the Believer

Ibn Taymiyyah does not leave the reader only with diagnosis. He prescribes: truthfulness in seeking refuge with Allah and trusting in Him, abundant supererogatory prayers, acts of obedience performed consistently, night prayer, continuously sticking to the remembrances of Allah, befriending the righteous, and frequent recitation of the Qur'an. These are not abstract recommendations — they are the specific, proven means by which the heart is cured and maintained in good health.

About the Author

Shaykhul-Islam Ahmad ibn Abd al-Halim Ibn Taymiyyah (661–728 AH) was born in Harran and taught in Damascus. He wrote across aqeedah, fiqh and hadith, defending the methodology of the Salaf across a large body of work produced under conditions of repeated imprisonment and hardship. This treatise was found within his fatawa collection and published separately for the benefit of Muslims seeking to rectify their hearts. Published by Dar as-Sunnah Publishers.

Who This Book Is For

This is the book for every Muslim who has noticed that their worship feels hollow, that their sins have accumulated, that their heart feels distant from Allah, or that they struggle with sincerity, heedlessness, or excessive attachment to the dunya. It is short enough to be read in a single sitting but rich enough to be returned to repeatedly.

Continue Reading

Browse more works by Ibn Taymiyyah or continue through the author with Books by Ibn Taymiyyah: where to start. If this treatise is your starting point, our guide to the best books on purifying the soul (tazkiyah) maps out what to read next, and the full tazkiyah collection carries related works on the diseases of the heart.