God has not placed two hearts inside any man…He said:The one who has directed himself to God, Mighty and Majestic is He, and is intent upon (qaṣdan) [Him], [does not] avert his gaze (iltifāt) [from Him]. For whoever pays attention to anything other than God is not truly intent upon his Lord. Indeed God, Exalted is He, says, God has not placed two hearts inside any man…It has been said:[That is, he does not have] one heart (qalb) with which he approaches God, and another heart with which he manages the affairs of this world. [On the other hand], the intellect (ʿaql) does have two natures (ṭabʿān): a nature which is orientated towards this world, and a nature which is orientated towards the Hereafter. The nature which is orientated to the Hereafter is in coalition (mūʾtalif) with the spiritual self (nafs al-rūḥ), whereas [the intellect’s] worldly-orientated nature is in coalition with the lustful self (nafs shahwāniyya). It was due to this that the Prophet [prayed], ‘Do not leave me to my self for the blinking of an eye.’ For truly the servant, ⸢as long as he is occupied with God, will be veiled from himself, and⸣ as long as he is occupied with himself will be veiled from God, Mighty and Majestic is He.His words, Exalted is He:
[prayed], ‘Do not leave me to my self for the blinking of an eye.’ For truly the servant, ⸢as long as he is occupied with God, will be veiled from himself, and⸣ as long as he is occupied with himself will be veiled from God, Mighty and Majestic is He.His words, Exalted is He: