Basic Taleemat - The four actions

Protecting the Heart and mind (thoughts)

Along with guarding the gaze, protecting the heart is also necessary. Some people guard their gaze, but they do not protect their hearts. They do not cast lustful glances but they do not protect the heart from fantasizing about beautiful women or men. They derive haram pleasure by fantasizing or imagining. We should realize that this is also haram. Allah mentions, "He knows the treacheries of the eyes, and that which you conceal in your hearts." (Surah Al-Mu'min) Allah knows of the haram pleasure that a person derives in their heart. If the sins of the past come to mind on their own, these in it of themselves are not wrong. It is wrong and sinful to bring these thoughts to mind on one's own accord. If an evil thought comes to mind, one will not be held accountable for this. However, when an evil thought comes to mind, then to entertain that thought (by thinking further about it) is haram, or to deliberately think of previous sins and derive pleasure from it, or to plan to commit a sin in the future. These aspects will invite the displeasure of Allah. Another severe harm of thinking of these evil thoughts is that the desire to commit sins increases. The result of this is that a person might physically become involved in sin.

May Allah protect us and save us from all these haram acts. By the barakah of being protected from these sins, Insha Allah, it will become easy to abstain from all sins.