Knowing the purpose of heart is to know things, it's nothing weird should the 'real' desire of the heart is knowledge. This has been instilled upon each heart to no surprise.
Heart is equipped with conscience that know which is right and wrong, and conscience would consciously guide a person to making certain decision. A toddler who has accidentally touched a hot kettle, would know the kettle is hot and would be more careful should he sees any kettle, be it hot or not.
The nature of the heart is to accepts knowledge, understands matter and able to distinguish good and evil. Hence, a heart is filled with desire for knowledge, through thoughts and reflections.
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Yup, the heart is to think through things and reflects on the knowledge received. Having knowledge and thoughts without reflecting upon it will be under utilising the function of heart. On the other hand, having knowledge and thoughts that are not true, nor reliable, would also make the function of the heart invalid, even it is accompany with reflections. The conditions and the preparedness of the heart would be the factors for the heart to function well (or vice versa).
As much as the purpose of the heart is to know things, knowing alone won't be much help in building righteousness & correctness in one's heart. Heart should understand things. One should avoid to not only know things but don't understands it. In the Quran, Allah says:
أَفَلَمۡ يَسِيرُواْ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَتَكُونَ لَهُمۡ قُلُوبٞ يَعۡقِلُونَ بِهَآ أَوۡ ءَاذَانٞ يَسۡمَعُونَ بِهَاۖ فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعۡمَى ٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرُ وَلَٰكِن تَعۡمَى ٱلۡقُلُوبُ ٱلَّتِي فِي ٱلصُّدُورِ
Have they not traveled through the land so that their hearts might understand and their ears might listen? It is not the eyes that turn blind, but it is the hearts within the breasts that turn blind.[ Al-Hajj 22:46]
Should we fail to understand the knowledge received, we would have tendency to be negligence or even worse rejecting the real knowledge which might result for us being deviated.
The righteous and correct heart should be able to specify one's limitations, define it and have conscious what is require upon oneself. The heart is to confirm the knowledge it receives, as in the Quran:
إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَذِكۡرَىٰ لِمَن كَانَ لَهُۥ قَلۡبٌ أَوۡ أَلۡقَى ٱلسَّمۡعَ وَهُوَ شَهِيدٞ
Indeed, in that is a reminder for anyone who has a [mindful] heart or lends an attentive ear
[Qaaf 50:37]
Righteous hearts are those that have sufficient knowledge that match their statements with the righteous actions. Their internal and external are of the same. This is in sync with the Quran teachings:
يُؤۡتِي ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَمَن يُؤۡتَ ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ فَقَدۡ أُوتِيَ خَيۡرٗا كَثِيرٗاۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ
He gives wisdom to whom He wills; and whoever is given wisdom is surely given abundant good, but none will take heed except people of understanding. [Al-Baqarah 2:269]
As we are aware of the purpose of heart, it is our responsibility to ensure the heart functions as it should. Take time to think through and reflect. Has the knowledge we gain (and earn) bring wisdom to us, giving us greater good? Or has it been the other way round?
Disclaimer: A Book Review & Notes Sharing of "The Commentary on Ibn Taymiyyah's Essay on the Heart by Dr Bilal Philips"
