KHATARA AND TYPES

When a person is about to do something, first a khatara (idea, thought) comes to their heart, so that they intend to do that thing. This intention of theirs is called niyya(t). This person then orders their limbs to do that thing. The person’s ordering the limbs is called qasd or teshebbus (attempt). The limbs’ doing the work is called kesb. The heart’s work is called akhlâq (conduct, behaviour). There are six places whence the khatara comes to the heart: Khatara that comes from Allâhu ta’âlâ is called Wahy. The Wahy comes only to Prophets’ hearts. Khatara brought by angels is called ilhâm (inspiration). The ilhâm comes to Prophets’ ‘’alaihim-us-salawât-u-wa-t-teslîmât’ and sâlih (pious) Muslims’ hearts. Khatara given by sâlih Muslims is called nasîhat (counsel, advice). The Wahy, the ilhâm, and the nasîhat are always good and useful. Khatara coming from the devil is called vasvasa (doubt, misgiving); khatara that comes from one’s own nafs^[1] is called hewâ (carnal passion, sensual fancy); and khatara imbued by evil company is called ighfâl (seduction, deception). Nasîhat (counsel, advice) is given to anybody. The vasvasa and the hewâ come to disbelievers’ and fâsiq^[2] Muslims’ hearts. Both of them are evil and harmful. Things that Allâhu ta’âlâ likes and approves of are called good things, and those which He dislikes are called fenâ (bad, evil) things. Because Allâhu ta’âlâ is very compassionate, He has declared good and bad things in the Qur’ân al-kerîm. He has commanded to do the good things and prohibited the evils. His commandments and prohibitions are called, collectively, the Ahkâm-i-islâmiyya. If a heart follows the counsel provided by good company and reason and thereby adapts itself to the Ahkâm-i-islâmiyya, it will become pure and full of nûr. It will attain happiness and peace both in this world and in the Hereafter. A heart that disobeys the Ahkâm-i-islâmiyye by following the nafs and the devil, which in turn is the result of believing the misguiding oral and written statements made by evil people and zindiqs, will become dark and rotten. A pure heart full of nûr will relish obeying the Ahkâm-i-islâmiyya. A heart that has become dark will enjoy following evil company, the nafs, and the devil. Allâhu ta’âlâ, being very compassionate, creates a pure heart for each and every newly-born baby all the world over. Afterwards, parents and evil company make their hearts dark like their own hearts.                                                                                                                        

[1] Malignant force innate in man’s nature.
[2] Sinful, disobedient Muslims.