Al-Haakim reported in al-Mustadrak, and al-Tabaraani reported in al-Muíjam, that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ìFaith wears out in
the heart of any one of you just as clothes wear out, so ask Allaah to renew the faith in
your hearts.î (Reported by al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak, 1/4; see also al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 1585. Al-Haythami said in Majmaí al-Zawaaíid, 1/52, ìIt was reported by al-Tabaraani in al-Kabeer and
its isnaad is saheeh.î) What he meant is that faith wears out in the heart just as clothes wear
out and become old. The heart of the believer is sometimes overwhelmed by clouds of
sin, and so it goes dark. This is the picture drawn for us by the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in the saheeh hadeeth: ìThere is no heart
that is not covered by a cloud like the cloud covering the moon when it is shining, and so
it suddenly goes dark, but when it (the cloud) goes away, it shines again.î (Reported by
Abu Naíeem in al-Hilyah, 2/196; al-Silsilat al-Saheehah, 2268). Sometimes the moon is
covered by clouds, which conceal its light, but after a little while they go away, and the
light of the moon comes back to light up the sky. In the same way, the heart of the
believer is sometimes covered with dark clouds of sin, so its light is veiled, and the
person finds himself lost in darkness, but when he strives to increase his eemaan and
seeks the help of Allaah, that cloud goes away, and the light comes back to shine in his
heart as before.

Ways to Purify Your Heart in Islam

In Islam, purifying the heart (Tazkiyah al-Qalb) is essential for spiritual growth and closeness to Allah ﷻ. Here are some ways to cleanse and soften the heart:

1. Sincere Repentance (Tawbah)

• Regularly seek forgiveness (Istighfar) and repent for sins.
• Dua for a pure heart:
  “O Turner of hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion.”
  (اللهم يا مقلب القلوب ثبت قلبي على دينك) (Tirmidhi 2140)

2. Recite & Reflect on the Quran

• The Quran is a healing for the heart:
  “Indeed, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest.” (Quran 13:28)
• Recite Surah Al-Fatiha, Surah Al-Ikhlas, and Surah Al-Baqarah regularly.
• Ponder the meanings and apply them in life.

3. Increase Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah)

• The Prophet ﷺ said:
  “The example of one who remembers his Lord and the one who does not is like the living and the dead.” (Bukhari 6407)
• Best dhikr for heart purification:
  • SubhanAllah wa bihamdihi, SubhanAllah Al-Azeem (100x daily)
  • La ilaha illa Allah – renews faith.
  • Astaghfirullah – cleanses sins.

4. Perform Sincere Acts of Worship

• Pray on time with khushu’ (deep focus).
• Perform extra prayers (Tahajjud, Duha, Sunnah prayers).
• Give Sadaqah (charity)—it softens the heart.

5. Avoid Sins & Guard the Senses

• Protect your eyes, ears, tongue, and thoughts from haram.
• Avoid backbiting (Gheebah) and envy (Hasad).
• The Prophet ﷺ said:
  “There is a piece of flesh in the body, if it is sound, the whole body is sound. If it is corrupt, the whole body is corrupt. It is the heart.” (Bukhari & Muslim)

6. Have Good Company

• Surround yourself with righteous people who remind you of Allah.
• Attend Islamic gatherings and seek knowledge.
• The Prophet ﷺ said:
  “A person is upon the religion of his close friend.” (Abu Dawood 4833)

7. Make Du’a for a Pure Heart

Some powerful supplications:

• “O Allah, purify my heart from hypocrisy, my deeds from showing off, my tongue from lying, and my eyes from treachery.”
• “Ya Allah, grant me a heart that is soft, humble, and sincere.”

8. Trust in Allah & Let Go of Grudges

• Forgive others for the sake of Allah.
• The Prophet ﷺ said:
  “Do you want your heart to be soft? Feed the poor and pat the head of the orphan.” (Ahmad 7576)