Some Aspects of Diseases

1.INTRODUCTION

This is the fifth article of the Men and Evil Web. In this article we intend to discuss some aspects of diseases with special reference to spiritual diseases (sickness of the spiritual heart). In connection with human beings, diseases can be divided into two main categories: physical diseases and spiritual diseases. It is necessary to differentiate ‘spiritual disease’ from that of ‘physical disease.’ Physical disease is the sickness of the physical body, while spiritual disease is the sickness of the spiritual heart (Soul). Some people define the spiritual disease as the disease of the freedom of will (obsession with some kind of sin). The more a person commits sins the more severe disease one faces. There are certain diseases which may be considered both: the physical and the spiritual.

In this article we will discuss in the light of Revealed Knowledge and acquired (scientific) knowledge, the concept of health and sickness, spiritual health and sickness, seriousness of spiritual sickness, classification of spiritual diseases, causes of spiritual diseases, spirituality as a component of disease management, and integrated management of physical diseases. 

2. THE CONCEPT OF HEALTH AND SICKNESS

The health is a balance between a person and the environment, the unity of soul and body, and the natural origin of disease. It was the backbone of the perception of health in ancient Greek. For example, Plato in his ‘Dialogues’ mentions: a healthy mind in a healthy body can be achieved if people establish internal harmony and harmony with the physical and the social environment. Aristotle emphasized the necessity for regulating the relations in the society to achieve harmonious functioning and preservation of health of its members. Hippocrates was the founder of the concept of ‘positive health,’ which depended on the primary human constitution (in modern language ‘genetics’), diet and exercise. In the 5th century BC, Pindar defined health as ‘harmonious functioning of the organs,’ emphasizing the physical dimension of health, the physical body, and the overall functionality, accompanied by the feeling of comfort and absence of pain.    

All modern concepts of health recognise health as more than the absence of disease, implying a maximum capacity of the individual for self-realisation and self-fulfilment. The holistic concept of health is contained in the expression of wholeness. Both health and illness are dynamic processes and each person is located on a graduated scale or continuous spectrum ranging from wellness and optimal functioning in every aspect of one’s life.  

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity (WHO). With the passage of time certain modifications were made in the WHO definition of health by the addition of a fourth dimension i.e. the inclusion of spiritual health. Generally speaking, spiritual health involves a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction with our lives, system of values, self-confidence and self-esteem, self-awareness and presence, peacefulness and tranquallity with dynamic emotional balance, both internal and toward the environment, morality and truthfulness, selflessness, positive emotions, compassion and willingness to help and support others, responsibility and contribution to the common good, and successful management of everyday life problems and demands as well as social stress(1).

Paul King is of the view that diseases of flesh are physical in nature and are treated using the traditional medical model: a history is taken, physical exam and laboratory or other tests are conducted, and treatment is discussed with the patient, physicians also discuss prevention ideas such as diet and exercise. Diseases of the spiritual heart  may result from the misuse of short-term anxiety – relieving techniques and may not be adequately addressed by the medical model. For example, drinking to relieve stress may lead to alcoholism; opiates and benzodiazepines can lead to abuse problems and chemical dependency; sexual promiscuity may become sex addiction; excessive gambling and shopping may lead to financial ruin; and pornography can lead to sex offender behaviour. The spiritual heart requires sustenance and care, and its neglect can lead to disorders, just as neglect of the body leads to physical disease. 

The normal state of an organism represents a condition of delicate physiological balance, or homeostasis, in terms of chemical, physical, and functional processes, maintained by a complex of mechanisms that are not yet fully understood. 

Sickness is any harmful deviation from the normal structural or functional state of an organism, generally disease is associated with certain signs and symptoms and differing in nature from physical injury. Thus, the normal condition of an organism must be understood in order to recognize the hallmarks of disease. The disease represents the consequences of a breakdown of the homeostatic control mechanism.

3. SPIRITUAL HEALTH AND SICKNESS 

Spiritual health means a person with a healthy spiritual heart. If the spiritual heart is healthy all senses, organs, limbs and other parts of the body will be healthy. If the spiritual heart of a person is sick, then one’s senses, and other parts and limbs of the body will become spiritually sick and will not be able to perform their functions for which they have been created. Any deviation from Allah’s Commandments and that of teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) will result in the sickness of human personality. The concept of health and spiritual diseases becomes clear from the Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh): 

In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they (habitually) used to lie (2).

The disease mentioned in this verse includes doubt, hypocrisy, arrogance and disbelief.

O mankind, there has come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers (3).

And We sent down the Qur’an which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss (4).

He has certainly succeeded who purifies himself (5).

And (by) the soul and He who proportioned it; and inspired it (with discernment of) its wickedness and its righteousness. He has succeeded who purifies it. And he has failed who instills it (with corruption) (6).

The Soul (Spirit) is also known as the spiritual heart, and these two terms are used interchangeably in the literature. Some religious scholars are of the view that the Soul resides in the heart, while others assert that it is attached to the heart. Every organ of the body has a function; and when it fails to perform its prescribed function, it means it is not healthy but sick. The function of the spiritual heart is to know its Creator, to love Him, and to get closeness to Him. If the heart fails to perform its functions as a ruler and a king of human personality then it is considered sick. It is important to mention here that ailments make the heart weak. When the heart gets sick, it loses its desire and ability to do truthful utterances and perform  good deeds. This affects the morals and manners, and general behaviour of a person. 

Moral vices and sins lead to sickness of the spiritual heart.. Human beings are able to purge their heart through establishing a relationship with Allah Almighty and then take actions to reform the outside world. The worlds are run by Allah’s will based on prudence and mercy. All events happen with Allah’s authorization, and human beings have to respond to them. It is imperative to recognize the patient’s spiritual response to illness that can appear as symptoms of an unsound heart or sick heart due to the pains caused by sickness and then alleviate the patient’s suffering with the help of spiritual approaches for the transformation of the sick heart to a healthy one (7).

Spiritual disease is a lack of hope in Allah, deviation from His Commandments and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); the patient of spiritual diseases becomes unable to distinguish between right and wrong; good deeds and bad deeds; and one becomes servant of Satan instead of the Creator and the Maintainer of the universe.

Some examples of spiritual diseases are arrogance and conceit (al-kibr wa al-ghurur), ostentation (ar-riya), jealousy or envy, hate and conceit, (al-hasad, al-hiqd, al-ghish), suspicion (su’az-zann), anger (al-ghadab), stinginess (al-Bukhl), love of power, money, position and fame, etc. These are called ‘diseases of the spiritual heart.’(amrad al-Qalb), and they lead to major sins if they are not managed properly.

Through the spiritual heart, human beings acquire the knowledge of Allah Almighty and His attributes; attains nearness to Him, or it takes away from Him depending upon the condition of the heart. If a person deviates from the Straight Path, the heart becomes sick and becomes susceptible to spiritual disease  or diseases. A healthy heart is accepted by Allah (swt) and such a heart remains in touch with Him, while the heart which remains busy in things other than Allah, it drifts away from Him..

The heart remains most of the time in an unstable condition – sometimes it reaches the last limit of Satan and just the next moment it achieves very high status among the known creations of Allah Almighty. It is therefore necessary to acquire in depth knowledge relating to spiritual knowledge which is the root of religion. Spiritual heart is a basic subtle element which has connection with the material heart  and has a link with Allah and His angels. It will be rewarded and punished according to one’s faith and deeds. Hands, feet, eyes, ears, tongue and other outward and inward organs of the body are the submissive servants of the spiritual heart. 

According to Imam Gazzali, their submission to the heart is like that of angels of Allah Almighty. The senses and other organs are necessary for the health of the heart in the journey of life and to achieve true success, as conveyance and food are necessary for the body. It has to cross many stations to meet Allah. Body is the conveyance or carrier of the heart and its food is knowledge. To reach Allah is impossible for it till the body does not remain sound. To take food which keeps the health of the body is necessary and to avoid that which is harmful to it. Greed for food and drink have been created in the heart as they are necessary for the upkeep of the body (8).

 For a healthy spiritual heart, a healthy physical heart and healthy body are required. The health of the body depends on the availability, selection,  ingestion, and digestion of balanced food. In this connection human senses (power of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch) and the coordination of different organs and senses is required. The food of the spiritual heart is knowledge, especially the revealed knowledge.The system of human personality works on sound basis if the spiritual heart is able to have full control over internal and external senses and internal and external body limbs and organs.

The position of the intellect is that of advisor of the king. If the heart fails to control his public or is attacked by the evil web it will become sick and the possessor of such a heart will get astray. The disease will lower the level of resistance against the evil web. Occurrence of one disease may invite a number of other diseases and such a complex of diseases may make the heart helpless against Iblis and his web. If the heart fights against evil forces with the help of its conscience, seeks help from pious forces such as angels and comes under the protection or refuge of Allah against internal enemy (lower soul) and external enemies, and does righteous deeds, it can defeat all of them and become resistant against their attacks with the grace and help of Allah.

There is a need to remove the impurities, contamination and infection of both physical and spiritual heart that has fallen on both types of hearts due to bad habits, eating of unhygienic food and drinks and by committing sins. Knowledge of Allah (swt) does not enter in the spiritual heart if it is already filled up with things other than Allah. The person who remains busy in the remembrance and worship of Allah Almighty and does righteous deeds, the evil forces do not dare to attack such persons, and their hearts remain healthy. It is therefore necessary to make efforts to keep both the physical as well as spiritual constituents of human personality healthy and protect them from all types of diseases. It is evident that those who make efforts only for their physical comforts become like beasts or other lower animals.

Heart directly influences areas of the brain integral to emotion production and regulation. The construction of emotional experience is not only influenced via the heart-brain axis, but via neurons that stem from the heart itself. It has become evident that spirituality and emotions are inextricably linked. Intuition initiates in the heart; which houses the soul. The spiritual heart is open and expressive and its energy is not merely confined within the physical body, but is found beyond the limits of the body. Capacity for spiritual experience is innate and lies dormant until it is exploited properly. The spiritual heart may have a physiological vigor and vitality due to harmonization of mind, body and soul, etc.

Spiritual diseases of the heart are those sins which are committed by the heart and cannot be seen. They have an impact also on our outer actions, because they are often the cause of other sins. If we do not cure these diseases we cannot get rid of the cycle of sin (9).

Spiritual diseases may result from the misuse of short-term anxiety-relieving techniques and may not be adequately addressed by the medical model (10).

Shamanism is a spiritual practice, it cuts across various faiths and creeds, reaching deep levels of ancestral memory (John Matthews). This spiritual practice is sound in different cultures around the world from ancient times to the present time (E. E. Baken Centre for Spirituality and Healing). According to American psychologist Stanley Kripper, Shamans are “community-assigned magico-religious professionals who deliberately alter their consciousness in order to obtain information from the ‘spirit world.’ They use this knowledge and power to help and to treat people.” 

Shamanism encompasses the oldest form of healing and psycho-spiritual and energetic practices and sophisticated technology of consciousness known to mankind. It offers an interconnected ecological, cosmological, and evolutionary perspective of our sense of Self, our embodied present moment sensory and sensual awareness of being. According to them everything that exists is alive and has a spirit or vital essence. Consciousness is not solely dependent on our physical existence. It crosses boundaries of time and space, language, culture, race and species. The wider field of consciousness can communicate via images, symbols, intuition, inner knowing, direct revelation, and bodily felt sensations. Everything in the universe including human beings is an interconnected and reciprocal web of life. In this connection Chief Seattle says: This we know: The Earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the Blood that unites one family. Man did not weave the web of life; He is merely a strand in it.

As a natural consequence of the interconnected web of life, psycho-spiritual, neuro-social, ecological, and energetic realm of our creative consciousness can be assessed in order to acquire resources and information that may assist in the healing of an individual, community and our world. The ultimate causes of virtually of all illnesses are to be found within the imaginal realms – those same regions from which illnesses derive their initial power to affect us adversely. Because of this it is not enough to simply suppress the effects of illness with medication of the physical plane and hope for the best. For true healing to occur, the causes of the illness must be addressed. From the shaman’s perspective, there are three classic causes of illness, and they are not microbes, bacteria, or viruses. Rather they are negative internal states that appear within us in response to negative or traumatic life experiences. These include disharmony, fear, and soul loss. Disharmony is what we experience when life suddenly loses its meaning, or when we have lost an important connection to life. This causes a diminishment of our personal power or disempowerment in a subtle manner or in a catastrophic way and affects our energetic matrix, rendering us vulnerable to illness. Fear produces disharmony, disharmony generates fear, and if both are working together it affects the protective mantle of the body’s immune system, as well as the energetic matrix and results in illness. Soul loss is regarded as the most serious factor and it is considered as damage to one’s life essence. It results in trauma and in severe cases causes fragmentation of one’s soul cluster and these soul parts may not return to their original position  (11).

The most manifest attribute of the lower soul is lust (shahwat). Lust is a thing that is dispersed in different parts of the human body, and is served by the senses. One is bound to guard one’s senses from it, because one shall be questioned concerning the act of each sense. The lust of the eye is sight, that of the ear is hearing, that of the nose is smell, that of the tongue is speech, that of the palate is taste, that of the body is touch, and that of the mind is thought. It behoves the seeker of Allah (swt) to spend his whole life, day and night, in ridding himself of these incitements to passion which show themselves through the senses, and to pray Allah Almighty to make him such that this desire will be removed from his inward nature, since whoever is with lust is veiled all spiritual things. If anyone should repel it by his own exertions, his task would be long and painful. The right way is resignation (12).

The spiritual heart is like a mirror in which the evils and virtues are reflected. The virtues make the heart shining, resplendent, and bright, but the evils and sins make it dark. The sins are like smokes full of darkness which covers the heart. One sin after another comes over the heart like a layer of smoke till one’s heart gets completely enveloped with darkness. As a result, the heart becomes removed from Allah (swt). When sins accumulate in the heart, it becomes blind to good things of religion. When a person commits a sin, a black spot falls in one’s heart. When one repents, it blots out. Again when one commits sin, the spot increases in size. Thus if sins are committed one after another, the heart becomes dark and that is the seal on the heart (13). We have already discussed in previous article about the death or sealing of the heart.

No! Rather, the stain has covered their hearts of that which they were earning (14).

4. SERIOUSNESS OF SPIRITUAL SICKNESS

Spiritual diseases are comparatively more dangerous than those of the physical diseases, because physical diseases to the extreme extent can cause death of a person, but the spiritual diseases badly affect in this world and prove very detrimental from death to onward journey and result into very bad final  abode in the hereafter (15).

As the body becomes sick and requires care, the spiritual heart also needs spiritual care. The treatment of both are same in certain aspects, but different in other cases. A physically healthy person may be sick spiritually and vice versa. However, there is a need to treat both types of diseases in an integrated manner. In certain cases physically healthy persons may suffer from spiritual diseases due to deviation from the religion of Islam. Sometimes human beings with physical diseases also suffer from spiritual crises due to fear and anxiety about the likelihood of losing their health. 

One disease may become the cause of other diseases. For example, arrogance and conceit stem from egotism and overestimation of oneself and one’s abilities or merits, which leads sometimes to the denial of the Creator, as happened in case of Satan; ostentation may lead one to hypocrisy; jealousy, envy, hate and conceit; jealousy and envy lead to hate, deceit, and violence; suspicion comes from lack of trust and confidence in others; suspicion creates cynicism and takes away hope and optimism; suspicion sometimes leads to violence; stinginess stems from selfishness, materialism, and too much love of this world. Stinginess leads sometimes to cheating and dishonesty. 

The spiritual heart is like a fort and Satan wishes to enter it and commit havoc. In order to save it from the attack of Satan, one must guard the doors of the fort. It is impossible for one to guard them unless one knows the mechanism of attack of Satan. A great door for Satan’s entry is anger and sexual passion. When intelligence is weak, the forces of Satan attack it. Whenever any person gets angry, Satan plays with him. When a person gets angry, Satan moves in one’s  body like the circulation of blood; and he holds control over a person at the time of anger. When a person has a haughty temper, Satan overturns him as a boy overturns his toys. When a person has got greed for anything, Satan makes him deaf and blind.

Hastiness comes from Satan, therefore one should avoid it. Another great door of Satan is to have wealth and properties beyond necessity. If one possesses surplus wealth he cannot enjoy peace and he wants more and more and there is no end in this regard. Another great door of Satan is miserliness and fear of poverty, they prevent charity and expense, encourage hoarding and create greed for wealth. There is no weapon stronger to Satan than fear of poverty. One of the great doors for Satan to enter is love for sect and hatred for opponents. These are such faults for which the theologians are ruined, because to disclose the faults of others is the beastly conduct of man. Bad opinions about Muslim also encourage Satan to attack the spiritual heart (16).

Sick body not only badly affects physical activities of human personality, but also  affects one’s worship of Allah (swt). In severe cases, the body ceases to work and it needs proper care and treatment, otherwise its death may occur. 

The diseases of the spiritual heart and its death are more dangerous than those of the body. The physical diseases, to maximum extent, can cause death of the body – the separation of the Soul from the body temporarily. The purpose of this separation is to shift a person from time zone to non-time zone. In the non-time zone, union of body and Soul again occurs in the grave. It means human journey continues and it stops for a while. The grave is a temporary abode and it is generally a resting phase, after a short span of time the journey will start again on the Day of Judgment. 

On the other hand, spiritual diseases cause the death of the spiritual heart in this world. After the death of the spiritual heart, apparently people are alive and they are performing their duties not for the sake of Allah, but for the sake of Satan and for his evil web; they have eyes but they cannot see; they have ears, but they cannot hear; they have heart but they cannot perceive and use their faculty of reason and become unable to ponder on Allah’s signs. In other words they do not remain in a position to use their senses and body parts and limbs in a proper way, but misuse them in all their utterances and actions. They become aggressors, oppressors, violators of all rules and regulations; they use their wealth and authority in creating fitna in the world. In short, they become the worst of all the creatures in the world. The sickness of the heart results in loss of spiritual pleasure in worship; no joy in remembrance of Allah; no surge of faith; and subsequently the intensity and severity of the disease increases and one may reach to the death of the heart due to which one’s life in this world becomes miserable and one will face difficulties at the time of death, in the grave and onward journey and one’s final and permanent abode will be Hell. 

People with a polished spiritual heart welcome their death and feel pleasure of meeting with their Lord in the hereafter. Their graves are one of the orchards of Paradise; their souls are welcomed by angels in the heavens; their whole period in the grave may become enjoyable on the resurrection Day; they drink water from the pond of Kausar when there will be no other source of water; they will be under the shade of Allah’s Throne, when there will be no other shade and their final abode will be in the Paradise eternally.     

5. CLASSIFICATION OF SPIRITUAL DISEASES

Diseases have be classified into two main categories: physical diseases and spiritual diseases, or diseases of the body (physical diseases) and diseases of the spiritual heart (spiritual diseases). Religious scholars have divided diseases into two categories: shubuhat and shabawat. The first category is known as shubuhat  or obfuscation, which relates to impaired understanding, such as doubt and anxiety relating to Divine Providence. Heart is vulnerable to anxiety and agitation. The second category is known as shahawat, which means base desires of the lower soul – the desires which exceed their state, as when people live merely to satisfy these urges and are led by them. 

The spiritual diseases have also been classified into two categories: the diseases which cause pain in the body, especially in the heart. Some examples of painful diseases are extreme sadness and anger, hatred, envy, displeasure with divine decree, negative thoughts, displeasure with blame, etc. Anger is such a spiritual disease which causes undesirable changes in a person’s behaviour and attitude. The patient of this disease becomes restless, and the rate of his heartbeat increases. 

The second category of diseases that apparently do not cause any pain include superstitions, innovations, iniquity, love of the world, and fraud, etc. Some of the spiritual diseases include love for wealth, arrogance, jealousy, narcissism, pretense, stinginess, lying, backbiting, and negligence, etc. These diseases do not cause any pain and the patient feels no disturbance or discomfort. These diseases are very dangerous and deteriorate the human personality but apparently they do not cause any pain.  

Desired-based diseases are those in which instead of revealed knowledge, one follows one’s own desires in utterances and actions. If these diseases are properly established not only ruin the heart, but in severe cases may cause death of the heart as well. The major cause of these diseases is to deviate from Allah’s Commands and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and follow one’s own desires in utterances and in actions. These diseases may induce susceptibility against other diseases of the heart as a result of reduction of light of faith in the heart and the lower soul of that person becomes strong. Human desires are of diverse nature such as desire to develop relationships with opposite sex; desire of wealth, name, fame and status, etc. In this connection the Qur’an says: 

And do not approach unlawful sexual intercourse⁶⁹⁶. Indeed, it is ever an immorality and is evil as a way (17).

EN 696: Avoid all situations that might possibly lead to sexual intercourse (Saheeh International). 

And do not kill the soul (person) which Allah has forbidden, except by right⁶⁹⁷. And whoever is killed unjustly  – We have given his heir authority, but let him not exceed limits in (the matter of) taking life. Indeed, he has been  supported (by the law) (18).

EN 697: Through legal justice or during jihad (Saheeh International). 

O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you ascertain welcome and greet their inhabitants. That is best for you, perhaps you will be reminded (advised) (19).

Tell the believing men to reduce (some) of their vision and guard their private parts⁹³⁵ That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is (fully) Aware of what they do (20).

EN 935: From being seen and from unlawful acts (Saheeh International). 

And  tell the believing women to reduce (some) of their vision⁹³⁶ and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment⁹³⁷ except that which (necessarily) appears thereof⁹³⁸ and to wrap (a portion of) their head covers over their chests and not expose their adornment (beauty) except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband’s fathers, their sons, their husband’s sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess (slaves) or those male attendants having no physical desires⁹³⁹ or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed (21).

EN 936: Looking only at what is lawful and averting their eyes from what is unlawful (Saheeh International). 

EN 937: Both natural beauty, such as hair or body shape, and that with which a woman beautifies herself of clothing, jewellery, etc. (Saheeh International). 

EN 938: The outer garments or whatever might appear out of necessity, such as a part of the face or the hands (Saheeh International).  

EN 939: Referring to an abnormal condition in which a man is devoid of sexual feeling (Saheeh International).  

The  Holy Prophet said, “Neither a  man should meet a woman in isolation nor any woman travel alone but can travel with her mehram” (22).

In another tradition it has been said that when a woman travels with a man who is not mehram, in that case that person is not alone but Satan accompanies him in order to mislead (23).

In this connection guidelines are available in the Qur’an and in the traditions of the Holy Prophet. If his teachings are followed properly with the grace of Allah, one save oneself from such diseases. 

Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil.¹² And for them is a great punishment (24).

EN 12: A veil or covering preventing them from discerning guidance. This condition is a direct result of their arrogance and persistence in sin (Saheeh International). 

In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease;¹³ and for them is a painful punishment because they (habitually) used to lie (25).

EN 13: The ‘disease’ mentioned here includes doubt, hypocrisy, arrogance, and disbelief (Saheeh International). 

Sh. Abdul Rahman Al-Saadi writes in his ‘Tayseer Al-Kareem Al-Mannan Fi Tafseer Kalam’ on the commentary of verse 2:10 of the Qur’an here, disease means shahwat (desires), shubhaat (doubts) and  hypocrisy. This disease means having doubt about any Commandment of Allah, having doubt or insisting to discuss the well established and proven facts from the Qur’an and the Sunnah, etc. are the manifestations of such spiritual diseases in a person. 

In this connection the Holy Qur’an says: 

They are not but (mere) names you have named them – you and your forefathers – for which Allah has sent down no authority. They follow not except assumption and what (their) souls desire, and there has already come to them from their Lord guidance (26).

Doubt-based diseases are more dangerous than those based on desires, because such diseases lead to hypocrisy, innovations, polytheism, disbeliefs and subsequently result in displeasure of Allah and utter failure in this world and in the hereafter. 

6. CAUSES OF SPIRITUAL DISEASES

There are a number of causes of spiritual diseases in human beings which are evident from the Qur’an and the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The root cause of all spiritual diseases is the attack of Satan and his evil web on humans’ spiritual hearts. The heart is like a fort in which there are a number of doors. Depending upon the condition of the heart, from each door may come good things or bad things. Human senses are the gates of knowledge, and knowledge may be useful, useless or harmful. Thoughts may be good or bad; good thoughts are known as ilham (inspiration), and bad thoughts are called waswasa (whisperings of devils). One should avail the opportunity of inspiration, but in case of whispering of Satan, one should shut up the door completely and remember Allah Almighty, and worship Him, and come under His protection, then Satan will not be able to attack one’s heart.

Generally, the door of passion, hatred and greed remains open towards the heart. The devil of a true believer is weak and thin, but the devil of a person with a sick heart is robust, stout and powerful. However, in certain cases even true believers are caught by Iblis and his evil web. In this connection there is a wonderful story and this story was told by the Messenger of Allah to his Companions:  

There was a hermit among the children of Israel. Once Satan snared a woman and he generated in the minds of her family members that her cure is in the hands of the hermit. They took the woman to the hermit and requested him to keep her with him for treatment, but he was inclined to keep her. Being greatly requested, he was convinced kept the woman with him for treatment. Then Satan came to the hermit and gave him an evil suggestion. The hermit then cohabited with the woman who became pregnant as a result. Then Satan came to the hermit again and again and tried to convince him to kill the woman, and told him otherwise her family members would come and kill you. Satan told him that if they ask you about the woman, you can tell them that she had died. Then, the hermit killed the woman and buried her. Satan then came to the family members of the woman and told them that hermit killed her as the woman became pregnant owing to his cohabitation with her. When they came to the hermit for the woman, he told them that she had died. Then Satan came to the hermit and said to him: I will save you from them if you obey my command. Prostrate before me twice. When the hermit made prostration before Satan, he said: I am now free from you (27). 

The founder of evil web (Iblis) and all the members of the web use diverse tactics to mislead people from the Straight Path. Any deviation from this path  leads to  one, two or more spiritual diseases simultaneously. 

 But as for those in whose hearts is disease, it has (only) increased them in evil (in addition) to their veil. And they will have died while they are disbelievers. Do they not see they are tried every year once or twice but then they do not repent nor do they remember? And whenever a surah is revealed, they look at each other, (as if saying), “Does anyone see you?” And then they dismiss themselves. Allah has dismissed their hearts because they are a people who do not understand. (28).

The Holy Qur’an explains reasons for spiritual diseases in different contexts in various verses. There are a number of reasons, such as feeling of superiority over others (11:25-28); apostasy (5:51-54); mocking those who are inviting towards the path of truth (2:10-14, 74:30-31); abstinence from the authority of Allah (24:48-50); lying,  accusations, and not protecting the dignity of believers. Traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also mention a number of causes of spiritual diseases, such as excessive or over eating; eating forbidden food; too much sleeping; and excessive laughing.  

The five senses collect almost all information from the environment in a number of ways and supply it to the spiritual heart. Generally, the senses are known as the gates of knowledge and the head is the shrine of the senses. There are five senses and five types of stimuli, in this way each stimulus is connected with one sense organ to react to it: vision reacts to visible things, hearing reacts to audible things, smell reacts to to the various smells, taste glands react to the various tastes, and touch reacts to tactile stimuli. 

In addition to senses and stimuli, Allah (swt) with His great wisdom has created certain aids to help in the process of sensing. The sense of sight is assisted by light rays; the sense of hearing is assisted by the air which carries sounds and deliver it to the ear; the sense of smell is assisted by the soft breeze; the sense of taste is assisted by the saliva; the sense of touch is assisted by a certain power conferred on it by Allah, through which it perceives the touched things.

Everything that becomes known to human beings passes through five senses, except intuitive knowledge and Divine inspiration, and in each sense there is purity and impurity; for, just as they open to knowledge, reason, and soul, so they are open to imagination and passion, being organs which partake of piety and sin and of felicity and misery. Four of the senses (hearing, sight, taste, smell) have a particular locus, but the fifth, namely the touch, is spread over the whole body.   

Guarding the eyes from lustful looks, and the ear from listening to evil talk about anyone in one’s absence, and the tongue from vain or foul word, and body from following after worldly things and disobedience to Allah. Imprison your tongue and your senses. To imprison the senses is complete self-mortification, because all kinds of knowledge are acquired through the five senses (29).

He further writes: the means of acquiring knowledge are five. Allah has created for the heart these five avenues, and has made every kind of knowledge depend on one of them. Out of the five senses, hearing is superior to other senses. Allah has sent Apostles with true evidence, but belief in His Apostles does not become obligatory until the obligatoriness of knowing Allah is ascertained by means of hearing. It is hearing, then, that makes religion obligatory; and for this reason it can be concluded that hearing is superior to sight in the domain of religious obligation. Moreover, all religious ordinances are based on hearing and could not be established without it; and all the Prophets on their appearance first spoke in order that those who heard them might believe, then in the second place they showed miracles which also were corroborated by hearing (30).

The eyes work as a guide, guard, and pilot for the human personality. Both eyes contain different layers, a pupil, eyelid and eyelashes. The lens of the eye is transparent therefore reflects light-rays that pass through it, focusing them to one point (the Retina), whatever the distance of the object may be. Eyes are capable of engulfing the whole horizon from east to west and can see various celestial bodies in one glance. Eyes receive various colours, see things of various sizes and shapes, therefore these work as guides to move, guide to select things. Eyes contain a saline liquid which protects them from various harmful small creatures, especially insects. 

The appropriate use of eyes such as acquisition of knowledge, recitation of the Qur’an, reading of the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad, earning livelihood, seeing and pondering over Allah’s signs in the universe, are some of the appropriate uses of eyes, and there is great reward for such types of uses. Lot of information is available both in the Revealed knowledge and acquired knowledge, but here we are mainly concerned with the disadvantages and sins due misuse of the eyes. 

The one who cannot control one’s eyes cannot save his organ. Take care of your eyes as it sows the seed of sexual passion in your heart and that is sufficient for creating danger. Eye sight is a poisonous arrow out of the arrows of Satan. Two eyes commit fornication by sight, which may lead to fornication practically by sexual organ. Casting of look out of passion is prohibited (31).

The sense of hearing in human beings consists of two ears. The outer ear is made hollow, similar to a shell, so that it may collect sound, and then convey it to the outer ear canal. It has convolutions, grooves and windings that enable it to catch incoming air and sound, and funnel it to the outer ear canal after softening it. The air carries sound and delivers it to the ear, which receives and processes it, conveying it to the hearing faculty and after processing sends it to the brain.  A semi-liquid substance (ear wax) work as repellent  for  insects and other small creatures in order to save the inner ear from them.  Ears receive different voices, and those voices may of recitation of the Qur’an, or voices of songs. Proper use of ears may lead prove helpful to maintain the health of the spiritual heart or even may improve its health. On the other hand their misuse may result into the sickness of the heart.

Nose is mounted on the face, which gives it a nice shape and size. It consists of two nostrils in order to  divide it into two chambers. It also inhales air for breathing; it is the receiver of waste material which comes from the brain and is collected and drained out. In short, the nose is a pipe and conduit that receives waste material and the channel for the ascending air. The barrier in the middle protects the inhaled air from being contaminated by the impurity that descends from the head. As the liquid flows down, it occupies one of the nostrils in most cases, leaving the other for breathing; if it flows through both nostrils, the liquid will be on one side, leaving enough space for the inhaled air. There is great wisdom of dividing the nose into two chambers. The nose has the power to perceive and distinguish different types of smells. Air carries the scent, and then delivers it to the smelling faculty, it spreads in the nasal cavities, where it comes in contact with the cilia, and it is processed and interpreted through a complicated process and   the nose becomes able to  perceive and distinguish the smells. This quality of nose proves helpful for saving one from negative effects of bad smell on one’s health.

Tongue works as an interpreter of the heart in the human personality. Imam Gazzali has discussed the role of tongue in detail. According to him there are four kinds of talks. One kind of talk is always beneficial; one kind of talk is always harmful; one type of talk is mixed with harm and benefit; and the last type of talk is useless – it has got no benefit or harm. As to the talk which is always harmful, is essentially necessary to remain silent therefrom. As to the talk which is mixed with harm and benefit, it is necessary to talk which is beneficial and remain silent where the talk is harmful. Talk which has got no benefit or harm is useless. One should refrain from it. The power of the tongue is unlimited; its sins are heinous; its virtues are great. Infidelity and faith do not find expression except through tongue. Tongue can express the Creator and the creations; it explains what intellect brings in mind, whether truth or untruth. 

Dangers of tongue are falsehood, show, useless talk, unnecessary talk, excessive talk, to make ornamentation in talks, obscene talks, bad talks, song and poetries, laugh and jokes, quarrels, disputes, rebukes, scolding, harsh words, curse, false speaking, backbiting, self-praise, ridicules, to disclose secret talks, false promises, cheating, slandering, verbal hypocrisy, false praise, and unnecessary questions such as questions of an ordinary men about Allah. We will explain the meanings of these terms and their harms while describing spiritual diseases in subsequent articles.     

The dangers and harms of the tongue are many, therefore one should fear from its dangers. The Holy Prophet gave guarantee of Paradise to that person who can save one’s tongue from misuse. Various major sins of a person accrue from one’s tongue. The one who talks excessively commits blunders, and the one who blunders much commits many sins, and sins may lead one to Hell as a final abode. Silence gives two benefits to a person – safety of religion and knowing of friends (32).

Hasan Basari said: Once many people were talking in the assembly of Muawiyah, but saint Abu Bakr remained silent. On the question he replied, ‘If I tell a lie, I fear Allah. If I tell the truth, I fear you’ therefore I did not speak. 

The dangers and harms of the tongue are many and rescue from them is very difficult therefore the best way to save oneself from its harms is to remain silent. There are various virtues of remaining silent. Silencer is one of the means to get salvation and saving oneself from a number of spiritual diseases.         

Tongue is a great asset in human personality. It works as an agent of the spiritual heart, but through intellect. When one saves his tongue from misuse his sins and weaknesses remain hidden, but when one does not control it properly then his secrets are exposed. Allah’s zikr is better than remaining silent; remaining silent is better than useless talk, and much better than misuse of tongue in any way or any manner. One should not talk except for good. A safe person is the one who remains silent; and avoids useless talk, or unnecessary talk. There is a wise saying – there are ten portions of divine service, nine of which are in silence, and the remaining one in loneliness.  

Abu Hurairah reported that the Holy Prophet said, “The son of Adam has been destined for his share of fornication, which he will inevitably acquire. The eyes fornicate by looking, the ears fornicate by listening, the tongue fornicates by speaking, the hands fornicates by hitting or touching, the feet fornicate by stepping. The heart loves and wishes. The genitals prove or disprove that” (33).

The Holy Prophet said, “Do not follow one glance at a woman with another” (34).

In the above tradition the Holy Prophet (pbuh) mentioned examples of fornication by senses and other parts of the body. The eyes fornicate i.e. when a man looks at a woman, even if not lustfully, who is not from his Mahrams, this is one kind of fornication. In other words the fornication of the eye is the lustful look. The ears fornicate by listening to and enjoying the voice of a woman or listening to songs or talks. The hands fornicate by touching or by lustful embrace or grip. The feet fornicate by going to a place of immorality, or following a woman that one unlawfully desires; or walk to the place where one intends to commit fornication. The heart fornicates by being inclined to women. The genitals prove that when they commit real fornication. If they do not fornicate, then this will be disapproval of other organs’ fornication. From this, men should learn to be cautious not to get attached to women. They should not listen to their voice, see them, touch them, pursue them, and think about them lustfully. Likewise, women should also save themselves from such lustful interactions.

Although different types of fornication are mentioned in the same tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, but there is difference in the intensity seriousness of the sin. Committing intercourse is a major sin, and other types of fornications  are minor sins. Committing minor sins repeatedly will be transformed into major sins, therefore it is necessary to repent if one commits such sin.

Tell the believing men to reduce (some) of their vision and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Indeed, Allah is (fully) Aware of what they do. And tell the believing women to reduce (some) of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which (necessarily) appears thereof and to wrap (a portion of) their head covers over their chests and not expose their adornment (beauty) except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, their brothers’ sons, their sisters’ sons, their women, that which their right hands possess (slaves), or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed (35).

8. SPIRITUALITY: A COMPONENT OF DISEASE MANAGEMENT

The spiritual heart is the conductor of the symphony of soul (spirit)-mind-body response. When threat is perceived consciously or unconsciously, it has been suggested that the prefrontal cortex becomes inactivated so that the autonomic system takes over. The heart then sends out signals to the digestive tract, the limbic, and endocrine system sets off the impulses that inevitably dictate an approach or avoid response and; constructs a system wide sequence that determines the acute and chronic consequences of each event. It is here that the heart ‘chooses’ the outcome. Specifically, the autonomic nervous system spurs action tendencies related to emotions not limited to fear, but including positive emotions such as compassion, gratitude and love. A spiritual heart will always choose the path of love and safety and this manifests in qualitative reports of spiritual experience that map onto optimal heart rhythms. The stressed, fearful heart will perpetuate the flight or freeze pattern until the body’s response to fear is shifted through intentional and often effortful re-syncing of the soul, mind and body. 

The spiritual heart can aid recovery from collective stresses. Person-to-person, the heart has been shown to provide the strongest emission of electromagnetic energy from the body and that energy can be experienced as shared and loving with or without human touch. Electromagnetic energy produced by the heart is the mechanism for energy healing. It is not only that energy is available for exchange, but that adopting a spiritually attuned attitude of loving and caring may maximize therapeutic potential as these subtle shifts are noted by the receiver. Human energy produced by cardiovascular systems engage directly with the earth’s magnetic field. Energetic synchronization with nature is happening all the time outside of our consciousness. It can be concluded that neurovisceral phenomena manifested in the body, transmitted by the heart, experienced as spiritual awakening and associated with longevity and health can be cultivated, fostered and shared collectively suggest a direct pathway to renewal and recovery from both physical, psychological and environmental pathology (36).

The uncertainty of life events and crisis of illness create spiritual needs. Life events are unique events that generate spiritual responses and provide opportunities for spiritual care. The reaction of human beings to disease is ‘bio-psycho-social-spiritual.’ Basically spiritual care involves understanding the spiritual beliefs of all concerned clients. Spiritual approach for disease management is recognized as an essential component of holistic care and is described as body, mind, and soul care. It is imperative to monitor the effect of this approach on spiritual beliefs and lifestyles and response to the disease. Spiritual vacuum creates destructive excitement, unhealthy lifestyle, and high risk behaviour and sin. The goal of spiritual care is achieving the Sound Heart (37).

Religious beliefs and spirituality are deemed beneficial to the maintenance of physical and psychological health, a reality which revives the idea of integration of the body and the psyche. All divine religions, particularly Islam, place special emphasis on the non-material aspects of life and draw attention to the spiritual life of mankind. Due to this capacity, Islam, as well as other monotheistic religions, play a key role in helping people cope with disease. Religion is an important factor in preventing many diseases and the promotion of health. 

Spirituality encompasses a series of meanings that underline aspiration, compatibility, vision, beliefs, and the meaningfulness of conditions. It is an inextricable element of human life and an important factor that enables humans to overcome numerous challenges. Traditionally, health represents human biological identity based on modern medical science and the principle of definition of health. Spirituality is considered one of the natural capacities of humans that has positive effects on individuals’ health. Most of the studies conducted on this aspect have confirmed the positive impact of religious beliefs and other spiritual approaches on health and the course of recovery from acute and chronic diseases. (38).

Spirituality is an important component of overall strategy for the management of physical diseases. It is an essential part of the existential domain measured in quality-of-life scores. The technological advances of the past century tended to change the focus of medicine from a caring service oriented model to a technological, cure-oriented model. Spiritual or compassionate care involves serving the whole person – the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. Such service is inherently a spiritual activity. Helping, fixing and serving represent three different ways of seeing life. When you help, you see life as weak; when you fix, you see life as broken; and when you serve, you see life as whole. Fixing and helping may be the work of ego, and service is the work of the Soul (spiritual heart). 

Man is not destroyed by suffering; but is destroyed by suffering without meaning. Cure may not be possible for many illnesses, but there is always room for healing. Healing can be experienced as acceptance of illness and peace with one’s life. Spiritual beliefs can help patients cope with disease and face death (39).

Spirituality is recognized as a factor that contributes to health. The concept of spirituality is found in all cultures and societies (40).

The Soul (the spiritual heart) and the unseen universe has been neglected from the scientific standpoint and this important dimension of human existence in the medical sciences has been neglected. Spirituality seems to be important for reducing mortality, coping with disease and recovery of disease. For many patients, pastoral care and other spiritual services are an integral part of health care and daily life. 

Studies carried out on the effect of spirituality on health by physicians, psychologists, and intellectuals on morality, coping and recovery revealed that spirituality is of great importance. It has been observed that regular spiritual exercises or practices increase the longevity of life; and improve stress control. Patients who practise spirituality cope with illness in a better way, and  feel less pain.

Studies have revealed that about 93% of patients in a study said that with the help of spiritual belief they were able to cope with a serious disease like cancer; about 50%  became more spiritual after the diagnosis of the disease.

It has been observed that people with sustained and regular spiritual training live longer lives. The people who are spiritual may use their beliefs to cope with disease, and pain and stressful situations. Patients with spiritual vision have a more positive perspective on life and report a better quality of life and well being. Other evidence has shown that spirituality plays an important role in quality of health, especially among the elderly and those afflicted with non-communicable diseases. 

9. INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF PHYSICAL DISEASES

Integrated management of spiritual diseases will be discussed in the last one or two articles. Here we intend to touch some important aspects of integrated management of physical diseases. In humans, disease is often used more broadly to refer to any condition that causes pain, dysfunction, distress, social problems, or death to the person affected. There are four major types of diseases: infectious diseases, deficiency diseases, hereditary diseases, and physiological diseases. Disease may be acute or chronic. An acute disease is one of short-term nature; a chronic disease is one that persists over a long time. A congenital disease is one that is present at birth. A genetic disease is caused by one or more genetic mutations. An iatrogenic disease is one that is caused by medical intervention, whether as a side effect of a treatment or as an inadvertent outcome. A primary disease is an illness that is due to a root cause of sickness. A secondary disease is a complication of a prior, causal. For example, a primary viral infection that weakens the immune system could lead to a secondary bacterial infection. Likewise, a primary burn that creates an open wound could provide an entry point for bacteria, and lead to a secondary bacterial infection. Diseases are of diverse nature, it is therefore necessary to apply an integrated approach for management of diseases. 

Cleanliness is one of the most important component of management of both physical diseases and spiritual diseases, because cleanliness is also of two types: physical cleanliness and spiritual cleanliness. In some cases it becomes difficult to draw line between them, because these are interrelated. It is generally belied that revealed religion is founded on cleanliness. For example, the most important act in religion is prayer and cleanliness of body, dress, and praying place is key to prayer. Cleanliness is one half of belief.

There are four stages of purity. The first stage is the purification of the external organs from excrements and filths. The second stage is the purification of bodily organs from sins and faults. The third stage is the is the purification of the of the heart from evil traits and evil vices. The fourth stage is the purification of inner-self from everything except Allah. Lowest stage of the cleanliness is like the outer husk of a gain or like skull in relation to brain.

Every item of cleanliness is half of action, because the objective of the actions is the glorification and greatness of Allah. In reality, Allah’s knowledge is not attained unless the heart is purified of every thing except Allah. Purify the bodily limbs from the prohibited things is the first half and to strength it with religious acts is second half. These are the stages of belief and every stage has got its rank. Generally, no body will attain a higher stage unless one first goes through the lower one. On can attain real purity of heart after he purifies it from the blameworthy vices and adorn it with the praiseworthy qualities. One cannot purify the heart till one purifies one’s organs prohibited things and makes it firm with religious acts. The one who is blind to these stages of purity will not be able to understand the afore-mentioned stages (41).

The importance of cleanliness for the management of physical diseases is well evident and almost every person is aware of it. For example, in the near past, for the management of corona virus disease, the most important recommendations were, washing of hands and face with water again and again, and use of sanitizer and using of mask. This is also true for all infectious diseases. Even for other diseases, the cleanliness is of paramount importance in one way or the other.

 Spirituality is becoming a focus of increasing inquiry in medicine. Currently, the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) has a comprehensive strategic plan for the years 2021-2025, that delineates a commitment to research programmes on ‘the whole person and on the integration of complementary and conventional care,‘ although the plan omits the spiritual dimension of healthcare (42). 

Important advances have been made by studies of the neuroscience. Spirituality is a way of being in the world in which a person feels a sense of connectedness to self, others, and Higher Power, a sense of meaning in life, and the transcendence beyond self, everyday living, and suffering. Spirituality is a transcendent space of being, which is non-physical and non-mental, wherein dwells a higher power, God, or universal energy with which a person seeks to enter  or bask in a relationship temporarily, periodically, or permanently. It is within the context of this transcendent space that the experience or symptoms of spiritual pain may be manifested in the clinical setting. Keeping the heart healthy and sound is an important principle. If due to certain mistakes the heart becomes sick it is a very important to treat it as soon as possible in order to avoid its further deterioration.  This concept is different from the concept of spirituality in Islam.  

It is generally believed that the presence of three factors – susceptible hosts, virulent pathogens and favourable environmental conditions for the pathogen are necessary to cause disease in most of the organisms. If any of these factors is missing there is less likelihood of the occurrence of disease in an organism. These principles are also applicable for causing physical diseases in human beings. The body of human beings is affected by a number of physical diseases caused by diverse factors such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, nematodes, etc. Sometimes one is healthy and other times it becomes sick. Generally, one becomes sick due to certain mistakes, negligence and carelessness, but we wish to remain healthy, and hate diseases. Generally, when a person gets sick one will have to take certain precautions – taking prescribed medicines at recommended times and doses; eating recommended diet only, and refraining from eating things of one’s choice without the permission of the physician. The patient should remain conscious and careful and strictly follow the advice of the physician. 

The heart is prone to various spiritual diseases which are more dangerous than physical diseases due to a number of factors. In the case of the majority of spiritual diseases, people are ignorant – they are unaware about the spiritual diseases and do not know their prevalence, the extent and severity of the disease; there are many medical doctors and hospitals for the treatment of physical diseases, but there is an acute shortage of specialists who can treat spiritual diseases. Moreover, the pathogens of physical diseases do not possess faculty of reason, intellect, consciousness, freewill, and those can be killed or eliminated with the use of antibiotics and pesticides. All the members of the evil web do possess all these qualities. Moreover, the members of the evil web work under the leadership of Iblis, who has a very long experience of misleading human beings starting from Prophet Adam, and next led astray his son Qabil who killed his brother Habil without any just cause. The Satan continued his struggle and has been able to mislead majority of the descendants of the Prophet Adam throughout human history. The main cause of spiritual diseases in human beings is the evil web. When Iblis himself or any member of the evil web, especially jinn satans mislead human beings through the tool of waswasa , they usually remain ignorant of their attacks and unintentionally or intentionally obey them, but think they were on the right path. Moreover, the lower soul of all those people is at the stage of nafs-e- Ammara, which is a member of the evil web or under the influence of the evil web. Human heart is the most favourite target  of the evil web. It is therefore imperative to give more emphasis to save the heart from spiritual diseases at any cost. 

In Islam, there are a number of principles in the management of spiritual diseases of human beings. Religious scholars suggest two types of disease management techniques: theoretical and practical techniques. The theoretical techniques focus on  understanding the disease itself. The practical techniques are used to restore the heart to its natural purity. 

Abu Hurairah reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “Allah does not see your body and wealth but your hearts and deeds” (43).

In the previous article we have discussed in detail the importance of the heart in human personality, it is therefore imperative to care for the heart and save it from every type of disease for the proper functioning of the kingdom of human personality. It is necessary to make efforts to keep the heart safe from black dots and spots, rust and hardness by increasing the level of Faith by engaging the heart in the remembrance of Allah and doing righteous deeds, and save it from the temptations of Satan and its evil web.

O children of Adan, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness – that is best That is from the signs of Allah that perhaps they will remember (44).

The above verse reveals that Allah has bestowed human beings with two types of dresses: material dress which is for covering of necessary body parts and for beautification of the human body and covering its some physical defects. The second type of dress is taqwa which beautifies the heart and protects from the machinations of Satan. The absence of both types of dresses reduce the level of resistance and induce susceptibility in human beings against Satan and his evil web. However, the absence of a second type of dress is more dangerous than the first one. 

And Allah knows what is in your hearts. And ever is Allah Knowing and Forbearing (45).

Allah knows very well what is hidden in the hearts. Moreover, the condition of the heart is manifested in the overall working of the human personality. It means when the heart is healthy, soft and transparent, all the body organs, senses and limbs will perform those functions for which they have been created. Any disease in the heart may lead to misuse of tongue, brain, ears, hands, feet and other organs of the body. Their misuse disturbs the whole system of the kingdom of human personality. 

O children of Adam, let not Satan tempt you as he removed your parents from Paradise, stripping them of their clothing to show them their private parts. Indeed, he sees you, he and his tribe, from where you do not see them. Indeed, We have made the devils allies to those who do not believe (46).

We conclude the this article by emphasizing on the integrated management of diseases which consists of various components. We will discuss in detail all the components of spiritual diseases in the last one or two articles. May Allah save us from all physical and spiritual diseases and bestow us healthy and polished hearts.

Important note: First of all we intend to thank all those readers who have given very valuable suggestions of diverse nature which will be helpful for us to make improvements. We especially appreciate all those readers who gave inspiring and encouraging comments.    

Some of the readers asked certain questions. In this regard we request to wait for a short span of time till we complete our article with regard to the ‘men-evil web’ . Hopefully, we will complete all the articles on this topic within two to three months. We do hope that most of your questions will be covered in the coming articles. At the end Insha Allah we will try to answer all those questions which will remain unanswered. 

We encourage you, O dear readers, to continue to ask questions and give us valuable suggestions for further improvements. May Allah forgive our mistakes, transform our weaknesses to strengths and give us courage to move forward in our journey of life to achieve true success, and bear those hardships with patience which come on the way in the turbulent journey, and be thankful to Allah (swt) for His innumerable bounties which He bestowed on us.