Qalb

For the programming language, see Qalb (programming language).
A visual rendition of the Islamic model of the soul showing the position of "'qalb" relative to other concepts based on a consensus of 18 surveyed academic and religious experts.[1]

In Islamic philosophy, the qalb (Arabic: قلب) or heart is the center of the human personality. The Quran mentions "qalb" 132 times and its root meaning suggests that the heart is always in a state of motion and transformation. According to the Quran and the traditions of Muhammad (SAW), the heart plays a central role in human existence, serving as the source of good and evil, right and wrong. In Islam, God is more concerned with the motives of one's heart than their actions. The heart is also a medium for God's revelations to human beings, and is associated with virtues such as knowledge, faith, purity, piety, love, and repentance. Without purification, however, the heart can become plagued with negative attributes such as sickness, sinfulness, evil, and hate.

Theologically, the heart is regarded as the barzakh or isthmus between this world and the next, and between the visible and invisible worlds, the human realm, and the realm of the Spirit.

  1. ^ Rothman & Coyle 2018, p. 1733, 1735, 1742.