Pathology of the Heart in the Qur’ān: A Metaphysico-psychological Explanation

Abstract

According to the Qur’ān, heart is the faculty by means of which an individual grasps the truth of ultimate moral and metaphysical verities. These functions can be disturbed-a condition which the Qur’ān refers to as diseases of the heart-due to a number of reasons. This article examines the nature and aetiology of the "diseases of heart" in the light of the Qur’ān. Human tendencies towards placidity, complacency and self-satisfaction, and the more dangerous capacity of self-deceptions, lead to the destruction of the inner vision and spiritual vigour, and to a "diseased" heart.