How to gain a heart illumined with noor of iman?

Al-Faqeeh Aboo Layth as-Samarqandee Rahmatullah'alayh says, "Allah Ta'alaa bestows four honours upon a person who restricts his worldly hopes: (i) He grants him the power to exert in devotions. (ii) grants him relief from worries, (iii) makes him content with small provisions and (iv) illumines his heart.

Scholars say that four things illumine a man's heart (with noor) (i) an empty stomach, (ii) associating with the pious, (iii) remorse over past sins and (iv) restricting worldly hopes. And Allah punishes him who entertains high hopes about distant future with four types of afflictions: (a) makes him neglect the acts of devotion. (b) increases his worry about worldly things, (c) makes him ever greedy and anxious for increase in wealth. (d) divests his heart of mercy and compassion. Scholars further say that four things breed hard-heartedness. (a) eating too much; (b) bad company; (c) forgetfulness of one's own sins; and (d) high hopes about the distant future.

Renunciation of the world

Imam Ghazali Rahmatullahi'alayh sayas, "There are three distinguishing characteristics of someone who has truly turned away from worldliness, which one should try to develop within oneself:

1. He does not take pleasure in what he possesses in the world, nor grieves over being deprived of the things he does not possess. Or better still, he grieves over having worldly things in his possession and feels happy when he is bereft of such things. This signifies the renunciation of wealth.

2. In his sight, the one who praises him and the one who berates him are alike. This signifies the renunciation of status and worldly renown.

3. He is possessed of a true love for Allah ta'alaa, enjoys intimacy with Him, and is capable of experiencing a peculiar bliss and sweetness in acts of devotion. This signifies the love of the company of men/women and a true love for communion with Allah.

The benefits of renouncing this world is, according to a verse (Syura: 20) in the Quran, Allah says:
"Whoever desires the harvest of the world Hereafter, We grant increase in his harvest: and whoever desires the harvest of this world we give him the fruit thereof but there is no portion for him in the Hereafter".


A hadith of this meaning says, "The heart of a Muslim whose object is the life Hereafter does not care for the worldly pleasures, yet the world is brought to his feet. On the other hand, whoever goes after the world, he is overpowered by miseries and calamities, yet he cannot receive more than his allotted portion."