2.6 Al-Baqarah— Knowing the Human Heart: فؤاد (fu’ād) and قلب (qalb)

Read in Arabic: https://salamchinese.blogspot.com/2025/06/6.html

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته !

All praise and thanks are for Allah, the Most High and Magnificent. May countless blessings be upon our Seal of the Prophets, Muḥammad ﷺ, and may Allah be pleased with all the Companions.

Today we share a topic: Knowing the human heart.

Knowing the Heart Through the Qur’an and Sunnah

To know the heart perfectly, we must combine the Qur’an and the Sunnah. In the human scientific world—whether social sciences or natural sciences—knowledge of the human heart is typically approached through the material heart—our physical body.

To perfectly know the heart that Allah, the Most High, created for us, we must rely on His language—because we have a soul, and the Lord also created for us a heart. This heart remembers the Lord and worships the Lord, and it contains longing for the Lord and gratitude.

The Hadith: Four Types of Hearts

The Messenger ﷺ said:

“The heart is of four types:

one that is open and radiant, like a shining lamp;
one that is sealed in a covering;
one that is overturned;
and one that is mixed.

The open heart is the heart of the believer; the lamp is the light of faith. The sealed one is the heart of the disbeliever. The overturned one is the heart of a pure hypocrite—he believed and then denied. The mixed heart is the one in which faith and hypocrisy are interwoven: faith is like a plant nourished by clean water, and hypocrisy is like an ulcer nourished by pus and blood. Whichever dominates will control it.”

Two Qur’anic Descriptions of “Heart”: فؤاد and قلب

In the Qur’an, the heart is described in two ways: one is فؤاد (fu’ād), and the other is قلب (qalb). The meanings contained in these two terms are different.

For example, the Qur’an mentions فؤاد 16 times, while قلب is mentioned many times.

Examples of Usage: فؤاد vs قلب

We give an example: when فؤاد is mentioned, it can describe a believing person whose heart becomes empty—such as the mother of Mūsā (peace be upon him). When she placed her son Mūsā in a cradle and then he drifted away with the water, the next morning her heart became empty—here the word فؤاد is used.

And when Allah, the Most High, speaks of sealing a person’s heart, He uses the word قلب.

When Allah mentions that He created hearing, sight, and inner perception, فؤاد is placed at the end. And when “heart” is used together with “ears” and “eyes,” قلب is placed at the beginning. When we recite the Qur’an, we notice these details; within them is wisdom by which Allah guides us.

A Survey of قلب (qalb): How the Qur’an Describes the Heart

First, we list Arabic “heart” words formed from the letters ق، ل، ب (qalb). There are many descriptions that overlap, which I will omit; I will briefly mention those that are described differently.

In Al-Baqarah (The Cow), it mentions: a sick heart; a hardened heart; a heart veiled from gratitude; a heart containing the calf; a heart containing the Qur’an; similar hearts; hearts with dispute and division; hearts engaged in plotting; a tranquil heart; and a sinful heart.

In Āl ʿImrān (Family of ʿImrān), it mentions: deviant hearts; hearts that are bound together; hearts into which fear is cast; it also mentions that hearts can be trained and cultivated; it mentions broken, oppressive, harsh hearts; and it mentions the phenomenon of saying one thing while the heart holds another.

In Al-Mā’idah (The Table Spread), it mentions: some hearts can be washed; and hearts containing disbelief.

In Al-Anʿām (The Cattle), it mentions: hearts can be completely sealed.

In Al-Aʿrāf (The Heights), it mentions: hearts can think.

In Al-Anfāl (The Spoils of War), it mentions: hearts can be tied firm; it also mentions that Allah can intervene in people’s hearts and can bind hearts together.

In At-Tawbah (Repentance), it mentions: hearts in a state of refusal; hearts in a state of indignation; hearts in a state of doubt; it mentions hearts being exposed; hypocrisy in hearts; broken hearts; hearts containing the mosque they built; hypocrisy wandering within their hearts; and it mentions hearts can be changed.

In Yūnus, it mentions many times that hearts can be sealed.

In Ar-Raʿd (Thunder), it mentions: hearts become tranquil through remembrance of the Lord.

In Al-Ḥijr (Stone Valley), it mentions: the hearts of criminals; denying hearts.

In Al-Isrā’ (The Night Journey), it mentions: hearts being covered.

In Al-Kahf (The Cave), it mentions: hearts can be tied firm; and heedless hearts.

In Al-Anbiyā’ (The Prophets), it mentions: distracted hearts.

In Al-Ḥajj (The Pilgrimage), it mentions: hearts with reverence; hearts with fear; hearts that are blind; it also mentions hearts can think; and that hearts can contain love.

In Al-Mu’minūn (The Believers), it mentions: hearts containing confusion.

In An-Nūr (Light), it mentions: hearts can be turned over.

In Ash-Shuʿarā’ (The Poets), it mentions: a sound heart; it also mentions the Qur’an being sent down upon the heart; and the hearts of criminals.

In Al-Qaṣaṣ (The Stories), it mentions: hearts can be firmly bound.

In Al-Aḥzāb (The Confederates), it mentions: Allah did not create two hearts for a man; some hearts can be extremely determined to do one thing; it mentions eyes dazzled and hearts pounding; it mentions terror in the heart; and it mentions differing degrees of hearts—hearts that are more pure.

In Saba’, it mentions: a sound heart.

In Az-Zumar (The Groups), it mentions: soft hearts; and hearts full of aversion.

In Ghāfir (The Forgiver), it mentions: hearts rising to the throats.

In Muḥammad, it mentions: hearts having locks.

In Al-Fatḥ (Victory), it mentions: suspicion in hearts; and anger in hearts.

In Al-Ḥujurāt (The Chambers), it mentions: hearts being tested; and hearts adorned with true faith.

In Qāf, it mentions: a returning heart.

In Al-Ḥadīd (Iron), it mentions: humility in the heart; kindness; and mercy.

In Al-Ḥashr (The Exile), it mentions: scattered hearts.

In Aṣ-Ṣaff (The Ranks), it mentions: hearts swerving and deviating from the straight path.

In At-Taghābun (Mutual Loss and Gain), it mentions: hearts being guided.

In Al-Muṭaffifīn (Those Who Give Less), it mentions: hearts acquiring rust.

Three “Layers” of the Heart and Their Different Pulls

These are the passages—from Al-Baqarah up to Al-Muṭaffifīn—that mention قلب (qalb). Repeated ones were not listed.

Overall, they can be grouped into three:

A “flesh heart” that Allah created for us—connected to the physical attribute, including states like anger and indignation.
A heart-state connected to the soul—such as thinking and understanding. Allah says to travel the earth so that we may have a heart that thinks and a heart that understands.
A heart containing “selfhood,” arrogance—i.e., human nature (نفس), which also includes part of the heart that has kindness and mercy.

These three parts differ in what they incline toward, and therefore their demands are different. The bodily heart seeks bodily satisfaction and survival; when it dominates, the body inclines toward satisfying desires and pursuing material needs.

Then there is the soul-related heart. Allah, the Most High, says we should walk the earth so we have a heart that thinks and understands. This heart seeks spiritual satisfaction, including knowledge, and extensions of that—power, honor, fame, and so on.

And human selfhood, نفس (nafs), uses both the material and spiritual dimensions to manifest the self.

How These Inclinations Appear — and How Guidance Differs

These three dimensions of the heart can be divided and inclined:

A heart weighted toward the body shows animal-like traits.
A heart weighted toward the soul shows noble qualities; when elevated it resembles angelic intellect and rationality.
A heart weighted toward the نفس (nafs): if human qualities prevail, it shows good traits; if it inclines to evil—toward jinn-like traits—it shows evil traits.

All three can receive guidance, but what “receiving guidance” means differs:

The bodily aspect is governed by standards of ḥalāl and ḥarām; if guided, it pursues the lawful.
The soul-aspect seeks truth vs falsehood; if guided, it pursues eternal, absolute truth.
The نفس (nafs) has standards of good vs evil; if it follows satanic thinking or is deceived, it loses the standard.

There is only one standard for good and evil: it comes from the Owner of Sovereignty.

Thus, the pursuits of these three are different, and what they witness is also different:

For lawful vs unlawful, one must witness Him: pursuing the lawful bears witness that the Nurturing Lord is the One Creator.
If the spiritual part seeks truth, it will witness that the Lord is Holy and worthy of worship; He alone is worthy of worship—because humans must know and worship the Lord.
And the نفس (nafs) can choose evil or choose good; eternal good reward belongs to the Owner of Sovereignty, Lord of the Day of Recompense—He is One. Witnessing Him leads to eternal good reward.

These three “hearts” witness differently. These three hearts also change: sometimes weighted toward bodily satisfaction, sometimes toward the soul’s spiritual needs, sometimes the self (نفس) appears—so it is in a state of turning and instability.

How can these three hearts be combined into one complete, sound heart? A standard is needed:

witnessing the Oneness of the Nurturing Lord;
witnessing that He alone is Holy and worthy of worship, without partner;
witnessing that the Owner of Sovereignty, Lord of the Day of Recompense, has no partner.

With these three dimensions of oneness, the heart is bound into one heart—complete, sound, guided, and illuminated by the light of true faith.

The Mark of a Whole Heart: Tranquility Through Remembrance

The sign of such a whole heart is that one’s human nature shows a tranquil soul-state. Otherwise, without this complete heart, the Creator made us to be His signs and manifestations; to become His signs perfectly is to know Him, worship Him, not associate partners with Him, and witness Him. Without these, we cannot become His perfect signs.

Then our hearts will show fear, sorrow, animal-like hatred, harshness, and spiritual imbalance and deviation—various suspicions, and the arrogant traits of نفس (nafs): jealousy, hatred, resentment, and revenge.

But with a sound heart, with the light of true faith—a heart that can become Allah’s perfect sign—it must be a heart that becomes calm and peaceful through remembrance of the Lord. Remembrance of the Lord reaches toward seeking His pleasure and seeking His love, so the heart will contain “love.”

This love has two forms:

Love that arises because one remembers Him, attains His pleasure, and loves Him—then faces His creation to pursue everything needed in material and spiritual life and self-fulfillment. The sign of remembrance in such a heart is a trait moving from love to remembrance, from remembrance to worship.
A heart whose love is directed only to created things; the Creator is absent from the heart. This heart is not grateful and contains no gratitude. It does not love the Lord, yet it is filled with created things and develops love toward them. Regarding such hearts, Allah says: after they are resurrected, their hearts are empty. This can be learned from verse 43 of Sūrah Ibrāhīm.

Qur’anic Evidence: أفئدة (af’idah) and فؤاد (fu’ād)

When speaking of the three turning hearts being united by love, Allah uses the word فؤاد (fu’ād)—the singular of “heart” in this usage; its plural is أفئدة (af’idah).

This love also has two forms:

When love is for the Creator—the Holy One worthy of worship—seeking His love and thus loving Him, then when facing creation as needed, the أفئدة are grateful hearts.
But when that love is directed at creation alone, with no Creator in the heart, then it is not a heart of praise or gratitude.

Such hearts—filled with creation—Allah says: after resurrection, their hearts are empty.

Sūrah Ibrāhīm 14:43 {مُهْطِعِينَ مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ لاَ يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاء}[إبراهيم:43]

“rushing forth, heads raised, never blinking, hearts void.” (14:43)

The “Slanderer” and Hearts Reached by Fire

It also mentions the slanderers: they think their wealth can make them immortal. Allah says: never—rather they will be thrown into the crushing Fire. That Fire rises up to their hearts—this refers to أفئدة (af’idah).

The Prophet’s فؤاد (fu’ād) Being Strengthened

As for the heart that has attained the Lord’s love—loving for His sake—such as the heart (فؤاد) of our Prophet ﷺ, in Sūrah Hūd (11:120) the Lord tells us:

Sūrah Hūd 11:120

{وَكُـلاًّ نَّقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنبَاء الرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَجَاءكَ فِي هَـذِهِ الْحَقُّ وَمَوْعِظَةٌ وَذِكْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِين}[هود:120]

“And We relate to you ˹O Prophet˺ the stories of the messengers to reassure your heart. And there has come to you in this ˹sûrah˺ the truth, a warning ˹to the disbelievers˺, and a reminder to the believers.” (11:120)

It says that the stories of the messengers are told to you to strengthen your heart—using فؤاد—strengthening the heart of Muḥammad ﷺ.

And in Sūrah Al-Furqān (25:32), Allah says:

Sūrah Al-Furqān 25:32 {وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً كَذَلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلاً}[الفرقان:32]

“They protested, “O Noah! You have argued with us far too much, so bring upon us what you threaten us with, if what you say is true.” (25:32)

This shows that for the one who loves the Lord, Allah strengthens His servant’s heart by His guidance—and the word used is فؤاد.

“Allah Loves / Allah Does Not Love” — and the 16 Mentions

In the Qur’an, the phrases إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ (inna llāha lā yuḥibbu — “Indeed Allah does not love…”) and إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ (inna llāha yuḥibbu — “Indeed Allah loves…”) are mentioned 16 times.

And when فؤاد is described in this way—when the heart becomes one complete heart as a single “heart”—it is also mentioned 16 times. This is not accidental. It reminds us that Allah has prepared for us a destination—Paradise, Hell, and Al-Aʿrāf (the Heights). If a person’s heart remembers the Lord and worships Him:

when thinking of Hell, he fears his Lord;
when thinking of Paradise, he does good seeking reward;
when remembering the Heights, he asks the Lord to guide him so he is not heedless, because the Heights are a situation where good and evil are equal.

So the heart is mentioned 16 times—these also require integrated reflection. Especially since Allah mentions those servants He is pleased with and those He is not pleased with 16 times each—this is not accidental. He is guiding this heart.

Once we worship Him, draw near through obligations, seek His pleasure through extra acts, and gain His love, our hearts become grateful and will not be empty on Resurrection, but rather become firm—firm upon His religion, Islam.

We all know الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيم (aṣ-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm) the Straight Path: when crossing the bridge, there is reckoning. If on that Day our hearts are made firm—if that فؤاد / أفئدة is firm—then we can cross smoothly. This too requires integrated contemplation.

Summary: قلوب (qulūb) and أفئدة (af’idah)

Now we summarize:

When we speak of قلوب (qulūb)—“hearts” in the general plural—our hearts have multiple parts that can turn: inclining toward the soul, toward the body, toward the self (نفس, nafs). There are differing weights.

But we ask the Lord to have mercy on us with a heart that seeks His pleasure—so that these three weights, deviations, and turning states can be combined into one complete heart, worshipping Him, remembering Him, seeking His pleasure.

So when referring to the whole heart, it is also called أفئدة (af’idah). However we understand these two words, it is important. More important is to understand the wisdom in Allah’s Book and His guidance for us. We ask the Lord to grant us a sound heart.

The 16 Verses Mentioning أفئدة (af’idah) — For Reference

Al-Anʿām 6:110

{وَنُقَلِّبُ أَفْئِدَتَهُمْ وَأَبْصَارَهُمْ كَمَا لَمْ يُؤْمِنُواْ بِهِ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَنَذَرُهُمْ فِي طُغْيَانِهِمْ يَعْمَهُون}[الأنعام:110]

“We turn their hearts and eyes away ˹from the truth˺ as they refused to believe at first, leaving them to wander blindly in their defiance.” (6:110)

Al-Anʿām 6:113

{وَلِتَصْغَى إِلَيْهِ أَفْئِدَةُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالآخِرَةِ وَلِيَرْضَوْهُ وَلِيَقْتَرِفُواْ مَا هُم مُّقْتَرِفُون}[الأنعام:113]

“so that the hearts of those who disbelieve in the Hereafter may be receptive to it, be pleased with it, and be persistent in their evil pursuits.” (6:113)

Hūd 11:120

(Already cited above; repeated here as in the original list.) {وَكُـلاًّ نَّقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنبَاء الرُّسُلِ مَا نُثَبِّتُ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَجَاءكَ فِي هَـذِهِ الْحَقُّ وَمَوْعِظَةٌ وَذِكْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِين}[هود:120] “And We relate to you ˹O Prophet˺ the stories of the messengers to reassure your heart. And there has come to you in this ˹sûrah˺ the truth, a warning ˹to the disbelievers˺, and a reminder to the believers.” (11:120)

Ibrāhīm 14:37

Arabic: {رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ الصَّلاَةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُون}[إبراهيم:37] “Our Lord! I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley, near Your Sacred House, our Lord, so that they may establish prayer. So make the hearts of ˹believing˺ people incline towards them and provide them with fruits, so perhaps they will be thankful.” (14:37)

Ibrāhīm 14:43

(Already cited above; repeated here as in the original list.) {مُهْطِعِينَ مُقْنِعِي رُءُوسِهِمْ لاَ يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ هَوَاء}[إبراهيم:43] “rushing forth, heads raised, never blinking, hearts void.” (14:43)

An-Naḥl 16:78

Arabic: {وَاللّهُ أَخْرَجَكُم مِّن بُطُونِ أُمَّهَاتِكُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ شَيْئًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْسَّمْعَ وَالأَبْصَارَ وَالأَفْئِدَةَ لَعَلَّهُـمْ تَشْكُرُون}[النحل:78]

“And Allah brought you out of the wombs of your mothers while you knew nothing, and gave you hearing, sight, and intellect so perhaps you would be thankful.” (16:78)

Al-Isrā’ 17:36

{وَلاَ تَقْفُ مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ إِنَّ السَّمْعَ وَالْبَصَرَ وَالْفُؤَادَ كُلُّ أُولـئِكَ كَانَ عَنْهُ مَسْؤُولا}[الإسراء:36] “Do not follow what you have no ˹sure˺ knowledge of. Indeed, all will be called to account for ˹their˺ hearing, sight, and intellect.” (17:36)

Al-Mu’minūn 23:78 {وَهُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالأَبْصَارَ وَالأَفْئِدَةَ قَلِيلاً مَّا تَشْكُرُون}[المؤمنون:78] “He is the One Who created for you hearing, sight, and intellect. ˹Yet˺ you hardly give any thanks.” (23:78)

Al-Furqān 25:32

(Already cited above; repeated here as in the original list.) {وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْلاَ نُزِّلَ عَلَيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ جُمْلَةً وَاحِدَةً كَذَلِكَ لِنُثَبِّتَ بِهِ فُؤَادَكَ وَرَتَّلْنَاهُ تَرْتِيلاً}[الفرقان:32] “The disbelievers say, “If only the Quran had been sent down to him all at once!” ˹We have sent it˺ as such ˹in stages˺ so We may reassure your heart with it. And We have revealed it at a deliberate pace.” (25:32)

Al-Qaṣaṣ 28:10

{وَأَصْبَحَ فُؤَادُ أُمِّ مُوسَى فَارِغًا إِن كَادَتْ لَتُبْدِي بِهِ لَوْلاَ أَن رَّبَطْنَا عَلَى قَلْبِهَا لِتَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِين}[القصص:10] “And the heart of Moses’ mother ached so much that she almost gave away his identity, had We not reassured her heart in order for her to have faith ˹in Allah’s promise˺.” (28:10)

As-Sajdah 32:9 {ثُمَّ سَوَّاهُ وَنَفَخَ فِيهِ مِن رُّوحِهِ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالأَبْصَارَ وَالأَفْئِدَةَ قَلِيلاً مَّا تَشْكُرُون}[السجدة:9] “then He fashioned them and had a spirit of His Own ˹creation˺ breathed into them. And He gave you hearing, sight, and intellect. ˹Yet˺ you hardly give any thanks.” (32:9)

Al-Aḥqāf 46:26 (mentions أفئدة twice)

Arabic: {وَلَقَدْ مَكَّنَّاهُمْ فِيمَا إِن مَّكَّنَّاكُمْ فِيهِ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُمْ سَمْعًا وَأَبْصَارًا وَأَفْئِدَةً فَمَا أَغْنَى عَنْهُمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَلاَ أَبْصَارُهُمْ وَلاَ أَفْئِدَتُهُم مِّن شَيْءٍ إِذْ كَانُوا يَجْحَدُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِؤُون}[الأحقاف:26]

“Indeed, We had established them1 in a way We have not established you ˹Meccans˺. And We gave them hearing, sight, and intellect. But neither their hearing, sight, nor intellect were of any benefit to them whatsoever, since they persisted in denying Allah’s signs. And ˹so˺ they were overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule..” (46:26)

An-Najm 53:11

{مَا كَذَبَ الْفُؤَادُ مَا رَأَى}[النجم:11] “The ˹Prophet’s˺ heart did not doubt what he saw.” (53:11)

Al-Mulk 67:23

Arabic: {قُلْ هُوَ الَّذِي أَنشَأَكُمْ وَجَعَلَ لَكُمُ السَّمْعَ وَالأَبْصَارَ وَالأَفْئِدَةَ قَلِيلاً مَّا تَشْكُرُون}[الملك:23] “Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “He is the One Who brought you into being and gave you hearing, sight, and intellect. ˹Yet˺ you hardly give any thanks.”” (67:23)

Al-Humazah 104:7

{الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الأَفْئِدَة}[الهمزة:7] “which rages over the hearts.” (104:7)

Closing Admonition, Duʿā’, and Conclusion

These 16 verses all mention أفئدة. We ask the Lord to guide us and support us to remember Him constantly, and even to repent frequently—because our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ said:

“When a believer commits a sin, a black spot appears on his heart. When he repents, completely reforms, and seeks Allah’s forgiveness, his heart is polished clean. But if he continues sinning, the black spots increase until they cover his whole heart.”

So we should frequently seek forgiveness, repent, and preserve a pure heart through remembrance, seeking forgiveness, and repentance.

Finally, we end our topic with a supplication of our Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ:

“O Turner of hearts! Keep our hearts firm upon Your religion.” آمِين! (āmīn)

That is all for today. If there are slips of the tongue or unclear explanations, I ask Allah, the Most High and Magnificent, to forgive; dear readers, please excuse me. Thank you everyone for sharing.

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته !

Qur’an translation source: The Clear Qur’an — Dr. Mustafa Khattab.Í

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Salam Tang Jun Academia