"When a person decides to renovate his house, he begins by removing the old furniture, stripping the old wallpaper and removing the worn-out carpets, etc.

When there is no more that can be done by himself, he will call an expert in that field (i.e. a competent builder) and seek his guidance and advice. This expert will probably visit the house before making a professional assessment.

Finally, whatever the builder advises, the owner accepts, usually without any question, for he trusts the builder's expertise. If the owner follows the advice of the professional, he will find that his house will be renovated and redecorated precisely, quickly and easily.

Likewise, when we wish to decorate our hearts with the love of Allāh ta'ala and other spiritual qualities, we need to first remove the unwanted items from our hearts by repenting and ceasing all those sins which we are able to abstain from. Thereafter, we must consult an expert in this field about the condition of our spiritual house.

Additionally, we must further make frequent visits to him so that he may assess our spiritual condition entirely. And finally, we must carry out all the instructions which he gives to us.

Inshā'allāh, if we do this then our hearts will become decorated with praiseworthy qualities and the love of Allāh ta'ala."

Courtesy of In Shaykh's Company: a blog maintained by the students of Shaykh Muhammad Saleem Dhorat hafizahullah www.shaykh.org