Renewal of the Heart and Soul

Phase 2 – Awakening the Heart: From Routine to Purpose

Doing Small Deeds with a Big Heart

Respected listeners, this morning my colleagues spoke about the power of sincerity (Ikhlāṣ) and how it acts as the cleansing agent for a renewed heart. We established that it is not just what we do, but why we do it that matters to Allah ﷻ.

Now, I want to build on that foundation by addressing a concern that often creeps into the hearts of many of us, especially in a month as charged as Ramadhan. We look around and see others doing so much. Some recite the entire Quran every few days. Some stand in prayer for hours. Some feed hundreds of people. And then we look at ourselves. We are tired after a long day of work or parenting. We can only manage a few pages of Quran. We can only give a small amount in charity. We feel our contributions are insignificant, small, and perhaps, not enough.

This thought is a trap from Shaytan. It is designed to discourage us and make us give up entirely. And the antidote to this poison is the beautiful, liberating truth of our faith: Allah does not look at the size of the deed; He looks at the size of the heart behind it.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى أَجْسَادِكُمْ وَلاَ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ

Verily Allah does not look to your bodies nor to your faces but He looks to your hearts. (Sahih Muslim).

Notice the order. He looks at the heart and then the deeds. The heart is the engine; the deed is the result. A small deed powered by a massive, sincere heart is, in the sight of Allah, greater than a massive deed powered by a hollow, heedless heart.

Think about the concept of renewal. A heart that feels its deeds are “too small” is often a heart that is still awake. It is a heart that yearns to connect. That yearning itself is a treasure. The task is to channel that yearning into consistent, heartfelt action, no matter how small.

Let me give you two powerful examples from the life of our Prophet ﷺ.

Once, a man passed by the Prophet ﷺ while he was sitting with his Companions. The Prophet ﷺ asked, “What do you say about this man?” They replied, “He is worthy of mention; if he proposes marriage, his proposal should be accepted; if he intercedes, his intercession should be accepted; and if he speaks, he should be listened to.” The Prophet ﷺ remained silent. Then, another man passed by, a poor, simple-looking Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ asked again, “What do you say about this man?” They replied, “He is not worthy of mention; if he proposes marriage, his proposal should not be accepted; if he intercedes, his intercession should not be accepted; if he speaks, he should not be listened to.” The Prophet ﷺ then said: “This one (the poor man) is better than an earthful of the other (the rich, influential man).” (Sahih al-Bukhari, in context).

Why? Because of the state of his heart. The world measures by quantity and status. Allah measures by quality and sincerity.

In another famous hadith, the Prophet ﷺ told us about a woman who was a sinner but who saw a dog dying of thirst. She lowered herself into a well, filled her shoe with water, and gave it to the dog to drink. For that single, small act of compassion — done with a pure heart — Allah forgave all her sins. Conversely, he ﷺ told us of a woman who was pious in her rituals but mistreated her cat, and she was punished.

This completely reorients our perspective. It means:

A smile you give to your spouse to brighten their day is an act of charity that can weigh heavily on your scales.

A kind word you say to your child when you are exhausted is a deed that can elevate you.

The handful of dates you give to the Masjid, given with a heart that wishes it could give more, can be more beloved to Allah than a large donation given out of habit.

The two extra rak’ahs of Tahajjud you pray when no one is watching, even if your recitation is short, can be the prayer that makes you a wali (friend) of Allah.

This is the renewal we seek! It is the renewal of the heart’s intention. It is the understanding that in the kingdom of Allah, there is no such thing as a “small” deed if it is done with a “big” heart. A big heart is not one full of wealth or energy, but one full of love for Allah, compassion for His creation, and a sincere desire to please Him.

So, as we move through these blessed days and nights, let us abandon the math of the world. Stop counting how little you have to give. Instead, focus on filling your heart with love for the One you are giving to. Give that small thing, say that small prayer, offer that small help — but give it with your whole heart.

Because a mountain of gold given without sincerity is just dust. But a single seed of good, planted by a sincere heart in the soil of faith, can grow into a tree that shades you on the Day of Judgment.

May Allah grant us all hearts that are vast in their love and sincerity, so that our every small deed becomes a mighty investment with Him. Ameen.