Not Glass — A Place of Faith

By Mufti Mohammed Kafeel Ahmed

People commonly say that the heart is like glass — once it breaks, it can never return to its original form. However, the incident of Abu Bakr al-Ṣiddīq (رضی اللہ عنہ) teaches us that no matter how much pain someone causes, a believer should forgive and cleanse the heart completely.
The incident is as follows: Among those who were influenced by the slander against Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah (رضی اللہ عنہا) was Abu Bakr’s cousin, Mistah, even though Abu Bakr used to financially support him. Due to the propaganda of the hypocrites, he too became affected. When the verses affirming the innocence of Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah were revealed, Abu Bakr (رضی اللہ عنہ) swore that he would no longer spend on Mistah. At that moment, Allah revealed the verse in Surah An-Nur:
وَلَا یَأۡتَلِ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلۡفَضۡلِ مِنكُمۡ وَٱلسَّعَةِ أَن یُؤۡتُوۤا۟ أُو۟لِی ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَـٰكِینَ وَٱلۡمُهَـٰجِرِینَ فِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِۖ وَلۡیَعۡفُوا۟ وَلۡیَصۡفَحُوۤا۟ۗ أَلَا تُحِبُّونَ أَن یَغۡفِرَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِیمٌ
Translation:
Let not those among you who have virtue and wealth swear not to give to their relatives, the needy, and those who migrated in the way of Allah. Rather, they should forgive and overlook. Do you not love that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Most-Forgiving, Most-Merciful.
After this verse was revealed, Abu Bakr (رضی اللہ عنہ) immediately said: “I want Allah to forgive me.” And he resumed supporting Mistah just as he used to before.
Today’s self-centred society teaches: “Treat people exactly how they treat you.” But Islam teaches the opposite:
صل من قطعك واعف عمن ظلمك
“Join ties with the one who cuts you off, and forgive the one who wrongs you.”
Reflect deeply — what if Allah treated us the same way we treat others?
What if He forgives us, but does not fully erase the effects of our sins?
Forgiveness is only complete when the heart becomes completely clean again — and to fully forgive, the heart must be fully restored.
The real need is that we follow Islamic teachings rather than societal norms. Continue striving to keep your heart pure, because in the purification of the heart lies goodness for both our worldly life and our Hereafter.