Shaykh Hammad Mustafa al-Madani al-Qadri recently held a discourse for the MMG youth of Sheffield.

The lecture delved into the profound topic of ‘The Flight of the Heart to Higher Kingdoms,’ portraying the heart as a spiritual vessel longing for the divine presence of Allah and the realms of heaven. It further encompassed the metaphorical journey of the heart’s elevation, drawing inspiration from revered figures like Sayyida Maryam from the Holy Qur’an, whose unwavering devotion since youth exemplified divine acceptance.

Emphasising the necessity of a guiding figure, or shaykh, the discourse highlighted the imperative role of spiritual mentors in navigating this intricate path. The heart’s purification process emerged as a crucial element, requiring the shedding of desires and thoughts hindering proximity to Allah while illuminating through remembrance and profound love for the Divine.

The teachings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) illuminated the heart’s pivotal significance in moral and spiritual fortitude, categorising four types of sins that corrupt it. The transcendence beyond these sins becomes the gateway for the heart’s ascent to celestial domains.

The lecture delineated the spectrum of hearts: those ensnared by worldly desires, others bound by the allure of paradise, and the rare dimensionless heart, transcending earthly attachments, solely seeking Allah.

The narrative further unraveled through the transformative journeys of revered spiritual personalities like Sayyid Nizamuddin Awliya’ al-Dihlawi and his disciple Amir Khusrau, alongside the inspiring metamorphosis of Imam Bishr b. al-Harith. These accounts epitomised the spiritual odyssey towards true ascent, marked by taqwa, achieved when the heart draws intimately close to Allah.