Customer Reviews
Mohammad sadegh - By: Raghfar, 01 Sep 2008 
The Purification of the Heart is a must read for all.
The book begins by introducing the concept that our hearts are the light by which we can 'see' & therefore it is our hearts which we use to discern truth from falsehood & right from wrong. It follows that the more purified our hearts become the brighter the light & the more we are able to see the reality of this life, whilst the more diseased or impure our hearts become the more indiscernible truth & falsehood become until we are completely blind & have no sense towards good & evil. We are taught that the purification of the heart is achieved by trustin God, & doing good deeds for His pleasure, whilst the heart becomes more diseased as we disbelieve and/or disobey God (i.e. sin). Some noteworthy Ayahs of the Quran are:
As a day [i.e. Day of Judgment]in which neither wealth nor children shall be of any benefit [to anyone], except one who comes to God with a sound [or pure] heart. (Surah 26 Ayat 88-89)
Have they not travelledin the land, & have they hearts with which to feel & ears with which to hear? for indeed it is not the eyes that grow blind, but it is the hearts, which are within the bosoms, that grow blind. (Surah 22 Ayat 46)
That He (God) may make that which the Devil promises a temptation for thosein those whose hearts is a disease, & those whose hearts are hardened - LO! the evildoers arein open shism. (Surah 22 Ayat 53).
Following the Introduction the book proceeds to the main text which details the spiritual diseases of the heart that humans can suffer from & how to treat & cure them. This section is a based on a poem written by the scholar Imam al-Mawlud on this topic of purification of the heart, & Hamza Yusuf thoughtfully translates & explainsin detail this poem for all to understand. I found this section to also be very educational about many areas of Islam & life other than the immediate topic of self-purification.
The only thingin the text that I objected to was something written on page 108, where Hamza Yusuf tries to explain the events that followed the murder of Uthman the third ruler after the Prophet Mohammad (SAW). In his explanation of this Hamza Yusuf writes:
"Muslims, however, maintain a good opinion of Muawiya, contrary to the Shiites."
Although I don't believe Hamza Yusuf intended for this, the passage could perhaps be taken as been sectarian. As it could be seen that Hamza Yusuf calls Shiites to be separate from Muslims. Sectarianism itself is a disease of the heart & goes against the Quran & the Prophetic teachings. This passage should be clarified, & preferably the passage should read that "some Muslims have a good opinion of Muawiya, whilst other Muslims are sceptical of his intentions". the Use of labels of Sunni or Shiite is sectarian & are both innovations (as no one at the time of the Prophet used these labels).There are only Muslims & non-Muslims.
The book ends with three Appendices, which are added gifts to finish the book. The first is about techniques we can usein our quest of constant Remembrance of God, The second about the Holy month of Ramadan & its significancein self-purification, & the third a small extract of advise by a 15th century scholar about how we can achieve self-purification.
5 Stars!
Calm and soothing - By: A. Abdul Razak, 26 Aug 2008 
I was looking for a book on heart purification & bought this book after reading the reviews from Amazon. This is the first time I am reading this kind of book so i don't know what to expect. it turns out that I really like it & find it easy to understand. What I like about it is it specifically addresses each disease & the treatment for it. At the end of this book there is a lot of supplication from the Prophet & general tips on purifying the heart, which is simple & easy to follow. I would recommend this book for Muslims who are sincerein soul-searching.
Top-notch purification guide! - By: H. Saroya, 13 Mar 2007 An amazing book - & I say this having read it cover to coverin an incredibly short space of time (well, by my standards anyway). The book is essentially, a commentary on Imam al-Mawluds "Matharat al Ql-Qulub" or Purification of the heart. In well laid out chapters, it details the various diseases of the heart (from Anger & Envy to Boastfullness & Arrogance) outlining their detrimental affect on the condition of the heart whilst recomending treatments to help erradicate the most hardened of spiritual diseases.
The nature of the books content renders it applicable to pretty much everyone. It will serve as a timely reminder to those who are preoccupied with worldly matters that are a hindrance to spiritual & emotional development.
A must read for Muslims & Non-Muslims alike.
Brilliant! - By: Khalil Akbar, 19 Feb 2006 Many of us want to be better people. Many of us see our own short comings & we dont really know where to begin. This book highlights the many spiritual issues that are common amongst us all. Hamzah Yusuf, breaks these down & gives us a clear undertsanding of them. He also mentaions the cures.
A must for all those who want to better themselves as a person. THIS BOOK IS A MUST FOR ALL. REGARDLESS OF WHAT BELIEFE YOU COME FROM; HINDU, SIKH, ISLAM, JEWISH, ATHIEST, AGNOSTIC ETC, A BOOK FOR YOU ALL!
Absolutely magnificent - By: , 10 Jan 2005 Divided into 28 sections each dealing with a different disease of the heart (such as hatred, rancor, ostentation etc) Hamza Yusuf's translation of Imam al-Mawlud's Mathurat al-Qulub is magnificent.
The book combines Imam al-Mawlud's timeless beautifully terse explanations of spiritual diseases & their cures with Hamza Yusuf's wide ranging knowledge of Islamic tradition & how the modern world works to create something that is strikingly modern & relevant. The insights into the human condition & psychology are amazing.
A real eye-opener which cannot fail to make you examine your faults & make you a better person. The best self-help book you'll ever buy!
