Mental health is often discussed in terms of the brain, productivity, and mindset. Yet, in many traditions, especially Islam, the heart holds a deeper role. It is seen not just as a metaphor but as the seat of consciousness, emotion, and divine connection. When the heart is burdened by hatred, envy, ego, or misplaced reliance, it becomes diseased. These hidden illnesses quietly shape the way we live, leaving us restless, anxious, or disconnected.
In this episode of How to Create a Magnetic & Strong Personality, Eram Saeed explores the sacred science of spiritual purification. She weaves together classical Islamic teachings with insights from psychology and modern science. Drawing from Imam al-Mawlūd’s Matharat al-Qulub (Purification of the Heart), as well as the commentary of Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, she highlights how to identify and heal the diseases of the heart. Her approach blends ancient wisdom with contemporary understanding, offering both clarity and depth.
When we purify the heart, its effects reach every part of life. Purifying the heart restores balance, strength, and peace in a world often filled with distraction and noise. It also creates space for deeper connection and inner calm. Listeners will gain timeless spiritual insights and practical guidance. They will also hear scientific perspectives that reveal a path toward resilience, clarity, and a magnetic presence rooted in love and humility.
Scientifically, the heart is more than just a pumping organ. It shapes our inner life, influences our emotional state, and communicates directly with the brain. Beyond the physical, we all recognize the heart as a source of compassion, love, and spiritual depth.
In the Islamic tradition, Eram Saeed explains that the heart is regarded as the seat of consciousness and divine connection. A diseased heart, weighed down by ego, hatred, envy, or misplaced reliance, disrupts not only our emotions but also our mental clarity and physical health. These inner illnesses quietly shape the way we live, often without us even realizing their impact.
Eram draws from her ongoing course on purification of the heart, which combines Islamic scholarship with modern psychological insights. She emphasizes that the heart must remain healthy to create balance and peace in life.
Her references to Imam al-Mawlūd’s Matharat al-Qulub and Sheikh Hamza Yusuf’s commentary provide historical grounding. On the other hand, her commentary connects these lessons to modern struggles with anxiety and depression. The blend of classical wisdom and personal teaching makes the subject accessible and deeply relevant to contemporary audiences.
The Qur’an teaches that on the Day of Judgment, wealth and children will not matter. Only a sound heart will bring true success. The heart functions as more than a physical organ; it is a vessel for faith, love, and spiritual consciousness.
Ancient traditions such as Chinese medicine also recognized its significance. On the other hand, modern science now confirms the heart’s intelligence, showing how it communicates with the brain and affects our emotions. These insights remind us that our well-being is inseparable from the condition of our hearts.
Eram Saeed explains how spiritual diseases such as doubt, arrogance, and envy damage the heart’s natural state. These afflictions arise from misplaced attachments and base desires, leading to agitation, anxiety, and disconnection from God.
By turning back to remembrance, practicing gratitude, and engaging in conscious self-purification, the heart regains its balance. This restoration not only improves emotional and spiritual health but also radiates outward, strengthening relationships and bringing peace to the wider community.
True spiritual health cannot be separated from emotional well-being. Eram emphasizes that strength and magnetism come from humility, congruence, and alignment with divine principles. She explains that purification of the heart is the foundation of this strength. Unlike the superficial portrayals of power in the media, real strength is rooted in a heart anchored in truth and grounded in trust in God.
Congruency means living in alignment, where actions and words match. The Qur’an describes believers as having hearts full of light, in contrast to those whose hearts are diseased or spiritually dead. Eram highlights how congruence fosters stability and authenticity, making individuals less vulnerable to external pressures. She also notes that living in alignment builds resilience, allowing us to meet life’s challenges without losing our inner balance.
Fear and worry often arise from feeling uncertain about provision, success, or the future. Eram explains that this anxiety reflects a lack of trust in God, which weakens the heart. Through personal stories, she shows how tawakkul offers relief from fear and restores peace. Developing this trust transforms struggles into opportunities for growth, as it anchors the heart in certainty rather than doubt.
Modern life is filled with distractions that pull us away from the heart’s true calling. Status, wealth, and unhealthy relationships can easily become “false gods” that drain our energy and leave us unfulfilled. Eram emphasizes that these attachments are not sources of strength but traps that weaken the heart. Recognizing them is the first step to liberation. To make this practical, Eram outlines key ways to detach and realign:
The heart acts as both a vessel of knowledge and a guide to conscience. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described it as sensitive to the deeds of the body, recording and reflecting our choices. Modern science now confirms this reality, showing that the heart contains its own neurons and communicates with the brain, influencing thought, intention, and emotion.
When the heart is sound, it guides clarity, wisdom, and moral strength. When diseased, it clouds judgment, fosters destructive behavior, and distances us from truth. Eram reminds us that to understand consciousness, we must look first to the state of the heart. This perspective reframes how we approach self-improvement—not as a matter of intellect alone, but as a journey of healing and nurturing the heart.
Our actions do not disappear into the air. Instead, they leave lasting marks on the heart. Good deeds strengthen it, while wrongdoing poisons it. Over time, repeated choices either soften the heart with light or harden it with darkness, shaping the person we become.
Every human being begins life in a pure state, known as fitra. As life unfolds, heedlessness, fear, and sin pull us away from that natural clarity. Eram stresses that prayer, remembrance, and self-reflection help us protect this original state. By doing so, the heart remains connected to God and less vulnerable to agitation and despair.
The Prophet ﷺ taught that actions are judged by intentions, and these intentions come from the heart. Eram explains that oppression, injustice, and corruption in the world often begin with diseased hearts filled with greed and arrogance. Purifying one’s own heart is therefore essential before expecting justice from others. True reform starts within.
Eram reflects on how societal ills mirror the state of individual hearts. When people ignore their own wrongs, cycles of oppression continue unchecked. She emphasizes that meaningful change requires asking difficult questions: Am I an oppressor in my own life? Do my actions harm others? By confronting these truths, the heart clears space for divine assistance and creates conditions for genuine social transformation.
Purification of the heart is not only a personal goal but also the foundation of a just and peaceful society. A heart free from envy, hatred, and ego radiates light, attracts love, and inspires resilience in those around it. When the heart is restored, it strengthens not just the individual but the entire community.
Eram closes with the reminder that purification is not a one-time act but a lifelong practice. Gratitude, remembrance, and reliance on God are daily disciplines that keep the heart alive and clear. The journey to a sound heart transforms the self, nurtures peace, and creates a strength rooted in humility and love.
Long before the world recognized the transformative power of gratitude, Eram Saeed was living its stark opposite. Burdened by financial struggles, legal battles, and single parenthood, she found herself on the brink of despair. Despite hitting multiple dead ends—from a series of lawsuits to crushing anxiety—Eram kept searching for a lifeline.
Her moment came when she discovered practicing gratitude. With only a phone alarm and a simple journal, Eram began to record and reflect on small blessings throughout her day. Within weeks, she experienced a dramatic shift: stress and worry receded, replaced by a newfound sense of hope. This inner transformation fueled change—from improved health and relationships to the launch of her teachings around the “Four T’s” (Tawheed, the Tashakkur, Taqwa, and Tavakkal).
Today, Eram stands as a testament to the idea that the path to lasting happiness and success begins inside. By teaching others to embrace gratitude and shift from perceived lack to abundance, she’s helped countless individuals break free from limiting beliefs and step into a meaningful life.
“Strength is what you have inside. Inner strength, right? And even if you have no power in the world, if you don't have status or stature, it doesn't matter. You still have strength.”
“We must understand that in order to lead a balanced, peaceful life, the heart must be at peace and the heart must be without disease. Now, there are certain diseases with which the human condition is always going to have… we will always have some degree of it in our lives, and our purpose is to reduce that as much as we can.”
“Hate is the absence of love and only through love can hatred be removed from the heart.”
“Forgiveness is not about the other person. Forgiveness is taking the poison out of your own heart.”
“The heart is an organ designed to be in a state of calm, which is achieved with the remembrance of God.”
True strength does not come from power, status, or outward control. It comes from the heart. Eram Saeed explains that a heart weighed down by ego, envy, or hatred cannot bring peace or dignity. Islam teaches that the heart is the seat of consciousness and the center of faith. Through purification of the heart, balance, clarity, and resilience are restored.
Real empowerment begins with the heart. Faith and self-worth are not opposites but parts of the same truth. Eram Saeed teaches that purification of the heart brings dignity, balance, and inner strength. In this space, love guides the self so that every action is aligned with God.
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