Islam’s principles revolve around the heart—or the heart-mind connection, to be more specific.

You must focus on one crucial part of Tazkiyah: “what Islam is not about.”

Tazkiyah: The Lifelong Journey of Purifying Heart


“Our Lord! Raise from among them a messenger who will recite to them Your revelations, teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify them. Indeed, You ˹alone˺ are the Almighty, All-Wise.”
(Surah Al-Baqarah 2:129)

This concept is repeated several times in the Quran, and the order of its mention even shifts, with Tazkiyah being prioritized at times.

Cleansing of the heart is not a one-time task—it’s a lifelong process, especially if you continue to expose yourself to “dirt.” The heart get stained with problems like:

Sins: such as backbiting, missing prayers, etc.

Ill feelings: like jealousy, envy, dissatisfaction, and more.

It’s essential to clean your heart from all of this. The deeper you are in your struggles, the more intentional your approach to cleansing needs to be. Dr. Haifaa Younis breaks this process into 4 steps:

Know your problem: Identify your specific issues—jealousy, anger, certain sins, etc.

Take care of your company: Surround yourself with people who don’t support or encourage your struggles.

Start learning: Knowledge is a powerful tool to move forward.

Struggle and persevere: when we face challenges, we should resist, make istighfar, and continue to progress.

Today, I want to dive deeper into one point: knowledge to conquer doubts.

I think that there are two types of knowledge here:

Knowledge about what Islam is about.

Knowledge about what Islam is not about.

Let’s focus on the second one today.


How Knowledge About What Islam Is Not About Fits Into Tazkiyah
If you want to fully commit to cleansing your heart, let me remind you that the process of Tazkiyah can be incredibly challenging at times. It’s not something you’ll achieve overnight.

Start with one thing at a time. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to fix everything at once. Setting unrealistic goals will only lead to frustration and failure.

Let’s say your struggle is with anger. Identifying this as a problem that corrupts your heart is already the first step. But what comes next?

Ask yourself tough questions:

Do I have friends or family who, in some way, encourage or trigger this behavior?

What causes my anger?

What is anger, anyway? Why do humans experience it, and what does Islam say about it?

Learn about your problem:
Seek knowledge through the Quran and Sunnah. Strive to understand anger through the lens of Islam, and complement this with holistic approaches, like advice from experts or coaches.

Struggle and fight your nafs:
Practice patience and self-control whenever you’re tested. Make istighfar and keep progressing, even if it’s slow.

But here’s the thing: how strong will this process of Tazkiyah really be if your yaqeen (certainty) isn’t strong? If the foundation of your faith is shaky, how can you fully commit to purifying your heart?

The Importance of a Strong “Why”
Human beings need a compelling “why.” This is why the Quran describes paradise in such vivid detail, making us yearn for Jannah even more:

Allah paints pictures of rivers in Jannah—luscious streams of milk, honey, and non-alcoholic wine.

He describes palaces, gold, jewels, and the honor of being dressed in the most beautiful garments.

Allah emphasizes the freedom, happiness, and abundance of Jannah—without guilt or limitations.

These descriptions give Muslims a reason to strive. And it’s not just about thinking, “I’m not missing out on anything in this dunya.” For some, the struggle is real:

Someone might genuinely enjoy the idea of drinking alcohol but abstains for Allah, hoping for the pure wine of Jannah.

Another might struggle with love for wealth, yet gives generously in sadaqah, yearning for the eternal abundance of Jannah.

So, what makes some Muslims stronger in their journey of striving for Jannah?
Their yaqeen.

Don’t get me wrong—guidance is from Allah. But you need to show Allah that you mean it. Just as we won’t enter Jannah without effort (even the Prophet ﷺ said he’ll only enter through Allah’s mercy), your yaqeen will drive your actions.

-Your yaqeen will push you to do better.
-It will strengthen your resolve to abstain.

Your yaqeen will, inshaaAllah, guide you to Jannah.

It is your faith that will help you conquer doubts and fears. The desire and yearning to come closer to the Almighty will eventually make you progress in this world and the hereafter.

How to Build Yaqeen

Building yaqeen requires three key components:

Tadabbur (reflection on the Quran)

Tafakkur (reflection on Allah’s creation)

Good company

Tadabbur on the Quran

If you’ve subscribed to my newsletter, you probably already have my free Tadabbur guide. This is one of my main focuses—teaching the importance of reflecting on the Quran.

Tadabbur isn’t just about understanding the ayat; it’s about appreciating the nature of the Quran itself.

Why is the Quran a miracle?

What makes it so special and timeless?

The Quran even challenges us to think critically:
“Why don’t you read? Why don’t you reflect? This book is the truth. Don’t you understand?”

Tadabbur opens your heart and strengthens your yaqeen, which is why it’s so vital in the process of Tazkiyah.



Tafakkur on Allah’s Creation

Tafakkur is another powerful way to strengthen your faith. I remember once sitting outside, observing the world around me, and writing down what I noticed. Over time, those notes turned into a poem—a reflection of Allah’s creation and how everything in this world, though contrasting, harmonizes perfectly.

(Stay tuned for my upcoming poetry book inspired by this situation!)

Reflecting on Allah’s creation takes you out of doubt. This world is far too intricate to have come into existence without Allah. And even if you consider yourself “scientific,” you’ll find that the Quran addresses scientific wonders too.

For instance, I once heard about a philosopher who tried to challenge the Quran with endless questions. Every doubt he raised had an answer—because the Quran is profound, direct, and deeply thought-provoking.

But here’s the catch: you must be sincere. Allah knows if your heart is genuine in seeking the truth.

In conclusion, the process of Tazkiyah requires both understanding what Islam is and what Islam is not. It’s not just about doing the right things—it’s about aligning your heart and mind with the truth. And that truth begins with yaqeen, built through Tadabbur, Tafakkur, and surrounding yourself with the right people.

May Allah guide us all to purify our hearts and strengthen our yaqeen. Ameen.


Keep Your Friends Close, but Your Enemies Closer

There’s a fine line between knowing what you need to and diving too deep into irrelevant things. But what I’m referring to here is simple: understanding the isms—the ideologies—that attack Islam.

Let me name just a few:

Feminism

Atheism

Liberalism

These man-made ideologies have infiltrated even Muslim households. Look around—how many men have become dayooths (those who display their wives), and how many women engage in tabarruj (display of beauty) because they believe they are “empowered”?

We’ve reached a point where some men think they’re “supporting” their wives by encouraging such behavior, and women think it’s their “right” to act this way.

But the real tragedy? Their faith starts to shake the moment they hear that tabarruj is haram or that being a dayooth will be a reason to not enter paradise:

“Three people will not enter Paradise: the one who disobeys his parents, the woman who imitates men, and the dayooth.”


(Musnad Ahmad, classified as authentic by scholars like Al-Albani)
“The dayooth is the one who does not care about who enters upon his women.”


(Sunan an-Nasa’i, graded authentic)
And that’s why we need to know what these ideologies teach, how they infiltrate our homes, and what they say about Islam and Allah.

Still not convinced? Let me remind you: these ideologies are attacking Allah, His Prophet ﷺ, and ultimately, His Deen. This isn’t a small matter.

Knowing their arguments isn’t about adopting them—it’s about building a shield out of the strong yaqeen you’ve established, with the mercy and permission of Allah.

A strong yaqeen doesn’t just protect your faith—it strengthens it. And we all know that a strong imaan is what will carry us through life, into the Akhirah.

What is more important than that?

Ibn Al-Qayyim’s Blueprint for Tazkiyah
I’ll leave you with a gem from Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله about the process of tazkiyah. He said we need:

4 things less of:

Talking

Sleeping

Eating

Interacting with people unnecessarily

One more thing:

Dhikr

And the best form of dhikr? The Qur’an. Engage with it. Make it a part of your daily life. It can be any amount—just start somewhere.

Choose a time: Tahajjud, Fajr, Asr, Isha—whatever works for you. Sit down with the Qur’an, even if it’s just for 10 minutes.

Do this consistently for six months. I promise you, with Allah’s help, you won’t recognize yourself by the end.