Khurram Murad - A Righteous Heart: The Axis of One’s Deeds

Examining the depths of our personality and character, this essay analyses the extremely important role played by the "heart" in guiding one's intellect, comprehension, emotions, wisdom, perception, thought, responsibility deeds and actions towards righteousness as expounded through the teachings of our noble Prophet Muammad ( ) .

Khurram Jah Murad (1932-1996) wrote an essay in Urdu titled Dil ki zindag: a`ml k madr before his death, but it was not available in the public domain until it was published posthumously in 2005. The contents were accessible only to the Urdu speaking audience. Therefore, we took it upon ourselves to bring the wisdom of these deep thoughts to a much wider readership through this translation along with explanation of various terms and concepts he used.

The essay is centered on the Arabic word qalb or dil in Urdu. The closest literal translation of the word in English is heart. Khurram Murad has very beautifully brought out the different meanings, connotations and implications of qalb as understood through the Qurn and adth . Through his analysis of a very famous adth of our noble Prophet ( ) on all (lawful), arm (forbidden) and doubtful matters, he has demonstrated in an eloquent manner that the seat of one's personality, faith, intellect, emotions and wisdom is enshrined within us by having a sound heart.

Allah ( subnahu wa ta`l) created man in the "best of molds and He then debased him to be the "lowest of the low" except for those who believe and do good deeds . The essence of this faith and deeds is enshrined in this very same qalb which is the epicenter of one's faith. This is the inner conscience of man combined with a realization that indeed Allah is all-encompassing and is a part of every moment of our lives. It is this sense of realization, a distinction between the lawful and the unlawful, and an acceptance of His Presence at every juncture of one's life that elevates man to become the best of His creation.

One of the key elements of our demise today is this move away from the center of our conscience which lies in the qalb . As we race solely towards worldly benefits, we Muslims at large have forsaken the essential principles of ethics and human values that emanate from this inner self. The core of the Qurnic values have been forgotten from our lives. While our tongues seem to ritualistically repeat the holy words liturgically, our actions are no longer dictated by the qalb . The fira (instincts and laws of nature endowed to us by Allah) with which we were born is lost in the maze of worldly glitter.

Reading Khurram Murad's analysis of the concept of qalb in Qurn and adth , it is quite apparent that the English word heart is thoroughly inadequate to explain the various meanings of qalb that are essential for the development of the human personality. Therefore, we have chosen to retain the Arabic word qalb throughout the translation so that its meanings are not diluted at any point.

Many other Arabic and Urdu words in the text have also been retained in order to display the richness and depth of the meaning, and to familiarize the reader with the technical terms in Muslim thought and terminology. For ease of the reader, we have added a glossary of terms at the end of this translation. We have however preferred to use the term religion for dn for the sake of simplicity, although dn encompasses all aspects of life.

The title of the original essay in Urdu is Dil ki zindag: a`ml k madr . A literal translation can be confusing and would probably read as Life of the Heart: The Orbit of Deeds, which does not convey the intent or the meaning of the message that the author is trying to convey. Therefore, we have taken the liberty to translate the title as A Righteous Heart: The Axis of Ones Deeds which is closer in meaning to the context and conveys the essence of this essay in the English idiom, and to give a clearer understanding to the reader on what to expect in the text. The heart or qalb is the epicenter of all of mans goodness or misdeeds. It is the fulcrum of the essence of man, regulating his inner conscience and the goodness of his personality to bring out the best in him. Such a man is righteous, and so is his qalb .

I am hopeful that the reader will be able to fathom the depths of meaning of qalb and how it becomes the source of a righteous life. On the contrary, a man whose conscience betrays him would destroy the real nature of his qalb his inner self which can lead him astray and on to a path of self-destruction.

It was quite a challenge for me to translate this book. Khurram Murad's expression in Urdu in many cases cannot be translated literally. Therefore, I have had to take several liberties in using equivalent and similar English language expressions and idiom to convey the meanings and intent of the original work. At times, a purely literal translation could have led us to understand the exact opposite of the real text and its intent. I have also taken the liberty to add a few sentences within the text and through footnotes to expound on some of the meanings and the background of these terms and concepts.

This translation would not have been possible had my sister-in-law Fatima Abdur Rahman not initiated this work. She did the first initial translation. Her work must be acknowledged, and full credit must be given to her. In addition, the encouragement I got from her husband Syed Waliullah Husaini and daughter Batool was a great source of support in completing this translation.

I am also thankful to Dr. Hasan Suhaib Murad (son of Khurram Murad), Chairman, ILM Trust, Lahore for his permission to translate and publish this book.

Lastly, it would be out of place if I were not to acknowledge the lifetime contribution of Khurram Jah Murad. He was an intellectual, a scholar of great repute, an orator and a preacher. He spent his entire life to spread knowledge about Islam and to promote true scholarship. Along with Prof. Khurshid Ahmad, he was one of the founders of the Islamic Foundation, UK, and he remained its Director General to the end of his life. The Foundation has made a tremendous contribution towards research, education and publication of works in the field of Islamic Studies. Khurram Murad left an indelible mark on this institution and on Islamic scholarship in the West. This short work demonstrates the depth of his thought and contribution.

Kazi Zulkader Siddiqui

February 2018

A Righteous Heart:

The Axis of Ones Deeds

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