The Heart and Its States – Spiritual Cardiology Treatise by Ibn al-Qayyim [French]

The Heart and Its States – A Treatise on Spiritual Cardiology

Ibn al-Qayyim

• Understanding heart diseases with The Heart and Its States – A Treatise on Spiritual Cardiology

The Heart and Its States – A Treatise on Spiritual Cardiology presents a deep study of the inner life of the believer. From the very opening pages, Ibn al-Qayyim explains how Allah illuminates the hearts of His servants through the knowledge of His attributes, His generosity and His perfection. In this way, the reader discovers that the heart is not a mere symbol, but the living centre of faith, consciousness and nearness to Allah. The book shows how the spiritual health of the heart shapes the soundness of actions, the quality of worship and the ability to receive the light of Revelation.

Because it deals with the diseases of the heart, Ibn al-Qayyim begins by distinguishing between the living heart, the diseased heart and the dead heart. He then describes the factors that strengthen or weaken this inner life: firmness of faith, sound knowledge and perseverance in obedience, but also ignorance, doubt, following desires and neglecting the remembrance of Allah. Moreover, he relies on many Qur’anic passages to show how the Qur’an speaks of the hardened heart, the hesitant heart or the hypocritical heart, and how these states appear in speech, choices and behaviour.

• Causes of heart diseases in The Heart and Its States – A Treatise on Spiritual Cardiology

The book identifies the most common causes of heart diseases: complacency in speech, harmful company, imitation of hypocrites, deliberate exposure to temptation and abandoning the remembrance of Allah. These attitudes, often treated lightly, gradually leave marks on the soul until the heart loses its ability to clearly distinguish truth from falsehood. Thus, the reader is encouraged to reread his daily life in this light: what words he listens to, which images he allows in, and which priorities truly guide his choices.

In describing these mechanisms, The Heart and Its States – A Treatise on Spiritual Cardiology does not remain at the level of abstract diagnosis. It highlights concrete signs of a diseased heart: loss of taste for worship, indifference to reminders, inner agitation, and excessive attachment to fleeting pleasures or people’s opinion. However, Ibn al-Qayyim reminds the reader that even an affected heart can return to life through repentance, beneficial knowledge and exposure to the causes of mercy.

• The plots of Shaytan and the defence of the heart

A central part of the book is devoted to the plots of Shaytan. Ibn al-Qayyim shows how the devil exploits every weakness of the heart to inject his suggestions: he magnifies desires, beautifies sins, feeds illusions and nurtures doubtful interpretations of the signs of Allah. Thus, a person may believe he is acting for good while, in reality, drifting away from the straight path. The author analyses the mechanisms of this illusion: habit of sin, excessive self-confidence, forgetfulness of the Day of Judgement and disregard for the warnings of the Qur’an.

In this context, Ibn al-Qayyim closely links heart diseases to satanic attacks. When the heart is weak, it becomes fertile ground for confusion, blindness and rejection of evident truths. By contrast, when faith is firm and constantly nourished by dhikr, the plots of Shaytan lose much of their impact. The reader learns to recognise recurring patterns of temptation and to build a lasting inner protection.

• Spiritual remedies in The Heart and Its States – A Treatise on Spiritual Cardiology

To treat heart diseases, Ibn al-Qayyim returns to the foundations of Islamic creed. He insists on strengthening Tawhid, purifying intentions, placing complete trust in Allah and regularly cleansing the soul through repentance, dhikr and reflection on the Qur’an. Furthermore, he explains that healing cannot be reduced to a few isolated practices: it requires a complete repositioning of the heart towards Allah, this world and the Hereafter. Consequently, this treatise guides the reader through a gradual process of inner reform, where each step in obedience brings more peace and light to the heart.

In this way, The Heart and Its States – A Treatise on Spiritual Cardiology becomes a guide for anyone who wishes to understand the stages of spiritual illness and healing. By following its directions, the believer learns to monitor his inner state, correct his intentions and cling to the causes that attract the mercy of Allah. Heart diseases are not presented as a fatal condition, but as a trial from which one can emerge with a stronger, humbler heart, closer to his Lord.

• A key work of Ibn al-Qayyim and a gateway to the complete treatise

This book is an ideal entry point to discover the depth of Ibn al-Qayyim’s thought and his unique way of linking revealed texts to the realities of the heart. For readers wishing to go further, it can be completed by the work The Ruses of Satan – Ibn al-Qayyim (Complete French Edition), which offers the full French translation of his famous treatise on the traps and deceptions of Shaytan. Together, these two books provide a coherent overview of the theory and practice of heart purification and help the reader progress with clarity on the path of inner reform.