The function of Heart and Quran
It is a question asked frequently that the heart functions only to pump blood in the body then why did the Holy Quran mention it as an organ of thought, contemplation and understanding. There are almost 22 verses in the Holy Quran regarding the heart as an organ of contemplation. Some of them are:
An Nahl 78, Al Haj 46, Al Hujrat 7, An Najm 11, Al Aaraf 179, At Taghabun 11, Qaf 37, Al Hashar 14, Al Isra 36, Al Baqara verse 7, Al Qasas 10, Al Anaam 110.
There are two words used in these verses which are classically translated as heart; قلب and فواد. In the coming discussion, we will see that these words also refer to the human intellect, the human soul, human perception and thinking.
Meaning of the word Qalb:
The word Qalb actually means "to topple over, to turn upside down, to roll over, to turn left and turn right, to rummage, to face in and face out" see Hans Wehr Dictionary 4th Edition page no. 917.
Because of the toppling movements by which Heart alternatively contracts and relax to pump the blood in the body, it is referred in Arabic as Qalb. Similarly, as our intellect turns the facts and figures all around to ponder over them it is also referred to as Qalb in Arabic. see Mufridat Imam Raghib Vol 2 page 307, and Lughat Ul Quran by GA Pervez page 1381. Some Scholars say that wherever the Holy Quran has used the word Heart it is meant to describe Human mind and intellect. see Mufridat Vol 2 page 307 and page 9. So after it is clear that this word refers to both intellect and heart, there remains no problem with the understanding of the verses where قلب is said to be a mean of thinking, comprehending and understanding.
Meaning of the word Fuad:
The word Qalb and Fuad both are synonyms. They have been alternately used in Quran and Hadith for describing Heart, intellect, and soul. However, some scholars slightly differentiate between the meaning of the words. The Qalb is intellect, comprehension and understanding while Fuad also includes desires, emotions, and feelings. See Lisan Ul Arab page 3714 and Lughat Ul Quran page 1380.
After understanding the meaning of the two words now let us have a translation of the verses containing these words:
1. Allah has set a seal on their UNDERSTANDING and their ears, and there is a veil on their eyes, they will incur a great penalty. Al Baqara 7
2. So, the INTELLECTS of those who do not believe in the Life to come might incline towards this attractive delusion. Al Anaam 113
3. Allah has brought you forth from the wombs of your mothers when you knew nothing and gave you hearing, and sight, and INTELLECT (thinking) so that you may give Thanks. A Nahl 78
You can see the meaning is clear.
A Question and its answer:
If by heart the Holy Quran means intellect, mind, understanding, comprehension etc. then what is the meaning of the verse of Al-Haj 46 which says:
"For indeed it is not the eyes that are blinded; it is rather the hearts in the chests that are rendered blind.''??
The answer to this question is that the word صدر used for chest here, also means '' the materialistic desires, the wishes, the wants, the cravings." So the verse is not saying that their physical hearts in their chests are blind rather it is saying that their intellects which are embedded in worldly desires are misleading them.
see Mufridat e Raghib volume 2 page 10
Second Question and its answer:
If it is so as you are describing here, then why did not the old Muslim scholars and hadith referred to these meanings? If you now after 1400 years have passed to the reveal of the Quran describe these meanings then this will not prove the Quran correct. Were old Muslims understanding it wrong and you understand it right?
The answer to this Question is quite simple. The question is based on the lack of knowledge of the questioner. The Muslim scholars since the revelation of the Holy Quran have been describing the word Heart in the Holy Quran as Human intellect and perception. Even the companions of the Holy Prophet SAW described the same meaning in their interpretations.
see Tafsir Ibn e Kaseer and Tafseer Jami Ul Ahkam Qurtubi Vol 17 page 23 under the Chapter 50 verse 37 where it is explicitly mentioned that the companions of the Holy Prophet SAW said that the heart refers to Intellect.
Now coming to scholars:
Ibn e Hisham said that قلب means Heart, intellect, summary and best part of a thing. see Lughat Ul Quran page 1381
Ibn e Ashoor said that this word widely refers to intellect and knowledge. see Tafseer At Tehreer wa At Tanveer Vol 7 page 232
Nizam Ud Din Nishapuri said wherever the Holy Quran refers to Heart it refers to human intellect and understanding and wherever the word chest is used it refers to all the attributes like desires, feelings emotions etc." see Tafseer Gharaib Ul Quran Vol 1 page 158
Nawab Sadiq Hassan Khan said heart refers to the soul in the Holy Quran. see Tafseer Fath Ul Bayan Vol 9 Page 110
Many more references can be made from the old and new Muslim Quranic Interpretations regarding the meaning of heart as intellect, soul, understanding, comprehension etc.
Why did not the Holy Quran directly use the words soul, mind, comprehension etc. to describe these things rather than using the word Heart?
The answer lies in the fact that the Holy Quran is the peak of eloquence. It has so many enigmatic grammatical and linguistic labyrinths that stunned the eloquent Arabs of that time too. One literary reason for doing so, in this case, maybe that ''All the impacts of thoughts, perception, feeling, thinking, emotions, and desires are firstly felt on the heart in the form of an altered heart beating. So by referring to the word heart, the Holy Quran is taking a metaphor and مجاز to describe thoughts, perception and feelings."
Is there at any place in the Quran or Hadith Circulation of blood is mentioned?
The answer is Yes. Quran and hadith, in a nutshell, describes the vitality of blood and its circulation. Heart and its actions.
In Surah An Nahl verse 78, if we translate af'ida as heart, then the Holy Quran is describing the heart as a vital organ. Similar is the case with other verses of embryological importance. We read in Sahih Bukhari Vol 1 page 34:
"In the Human body, there is a lump of muscles so important that if it is sound the whole body is sound and if it is diseased the Holy Body is diseased. And this lump of muscles is the heart."
The hadith is describing the heart is the vital organ for the body and is also suggesting that the heart has a connection with the whole of the body. The word قلب itself describes the pumping action of the heart. Now after getting that the heart is a vital organ with a relation with the whole body and having a pumping action let us see the other hadith again from Bukhari. We read in Sahih Al Bukhari Vol 3 Book 33 Hadith 251:
"Satan reaches everywhere in the body as THE BLOOD REACHES everywhere IN THE BODY"
Two major blood vessels are mentioned in the Holy Quran are Al Watin and Al Warid which are the Jugular Vein (Chapter 50 verse 16) and the Aorta (Surah Al Haaqqa verse 46).
Ibn e Nafees a Muslim scientist was the first to describe the heart and circulatory system scientifically.
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