The measure:
When a servant walks on the path to his Lord, worshiping Him and performing obligatory and supererogatory acts, with his heart being in deep attachment to Allah, you find him in relief and joy, with this good condition being expanded for him by the Almighty Lord. On the other hand, when a servants commits sins, he becomes uneasy and dispirited.
This feeling of unease is the constriction by Allah Almighty. It is a fleeting tribulation that leads to His grace.
{[And Allah also turned in mercy to] the three who stayed behind, until the earth became constrained to them, despite its vastness, and their souls became a burden to them, and they realized that there was no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them in mercy, so that the y might repent, for Allah is the Accepter of Repentance, the Most Merciful.}
[Surat at- Tawbah: 118]
On the other hand, the feeling of relief and joy and the inclination towards Allah fall under the expanding by our Lord.
Also, the feeling of unease, backtracking from worship,or lack of pleasure in worship falls under constriction. Indeed, a person could be constricted by sins, be they outward or inward, like the diseases of the heart.
Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Verily, when a pe rson commits a sin, his heart is marked with a black spot. When he repents, his heart is polished clean. Bu t if he returns, it increases until it covers his entire heart. And that is the ‘Rān’ which Allah mentions:{No indeed! Their hearts have been stained by what they used to commit!}
[Surat al - Mutaffifīn: 14] ”[Narrated by Ibn Hibbān; Classified as Sahīh (authe ntic) by Al - Arnā ’ūt]
The believer oscillates between expanding and constricting. Hence, he constantly implores his Lord to make him steadfast and gran
t him a good ending. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate saying:
“Ya muqallib al - qu lūb thabbit qalby ‘ala dīnik (O Turner of the hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion).”
[Narrated by Al - Tirmidhi; Sahīh (authen tic)]
If this is the case of the believer, then what about one who persists in sins and disobedience?!
“Verily, when a person commits a sin, his heart is marked with a black spot. When he repents, his heart is polished clean. But if he returns, it increases until it covers his entire heart. And that is the ‘Rān’ which Allah mentions: {No indeed! Their hearts hav e been stained b y what they used to commit!}
[Surat al - Mutaffifīn: 14]” [Narrated by Ibn Hibbān; Classified as Sahīh (authentic) by Al - Arnā’ūt]
The believer oscillates between expanding and constricting. Hence, he constantly implores his Lord to make him steadfast and grant him a good ending. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate saying:
“Ya muqallibal - qulūb thabbit qalby ‘ala dīnik (O Turner of the hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion).”
[Narrated by Al - Tirm idhi; Sahīh (aut hentic)]
If this is the case of the believer, then what about one who persists in sins and disobedience?!
