The eye of the heart, though closed in fallen man, is able to take in a glimmering of light and this is faith. But anyway of living causes a covering like rust to accumulate over the heart so that it cannot sense the Divine origin of Allah's message.
Interpretation
This quote expresses the idea that true faith allows one to perceive divine truths, even if one's inner vision is obscured by life's challenges.
Martin Lings suggests that while humans may have a natural inclination towards faith, their experiences and challenges can obscure this inner vision, much like rust covering over a precious surface. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining an open heart to truly recognize and connect with the divine essence of messages from God, despite the closed state of our hearts due to worldly distractions.
In practice
A speaker at a spiritual retreat may use this quote to encourage participants to open their hearts to faith.
Why should we tolerate a diet of weak poisons, a home in insipid surroundings, a circle of acquaintances who are not quite our enemies, the noise of motors with just enough relief to prevent insanity? Who would want to live in a world which is just not quite fatal?
Since nature does not endow all men with equal beauty or equal intelligence, and the faculty of volition leads men to make different choices, the egalitarians propose to abolish the "unfairness" of nature and of volition, and to establish universal equality in fact - in defiance of facts. It is not equality before the law that they seek, but inequality: the establishment of an inverted social pyramid, with a new aristocracy on top - the aristocracy of non-value.
Whatever you accept completely will take you to peace, including the acceptance that you cannot accept, that you are in resistance.
The believers in miracles accept them (rightly or wrongly) because they have evidence for them. The disbelievers in miracles deny them (rightly or wrongly) because they have a doctrine against them.
Do you feel loved by God because you believe he makes much of you, or because you believe he frees you and empowers you to enjoy making much of him?
You've seen what you've seen; you've felt what you've felt. Ideology is for people who don't trust their own experiences and perceptions of the world.
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