Ever wonder why we link our emotions to the heart rather than the brain?
Phrases like “My heart says it’s going to rain” or “I love you from the core of my heart” are so common. Why is it that the organ we know primarily as a blood pump is so deeply associated with our emotions? Interestingly, even the last Holy book refers to the heart as an organ that thinks!
Dr. Munawar Aziz
Why doesn’t a lover say, “I love you with my liver, spleen, or gallbladder”?
The only other body part we occasionally refer to in such contexts is the gut, as in, “I have a gut feeling this isn’t right.” This might make sense scientifically, as serotonin—the hormone linked to feelings of depression and happiness—is produced not only in the brain but also in the intestines.
You may have heard of couples where, when one partner dies, the other often doesn’t survive much longer (assuming they were deeply in love). Similarly, receiving the news of a loved one’s death or hearing bad news can sometimes trigger a heart attack or cause someone to faint.
Listen to Urdu songs, especially the old ones, and you’ll notice the frequent mention of the heart. I can recall only one Pakistani Urdu song that refers to the liver in addition to the heart:
Interestingly, a “new” discovery in 1991 revealed that the heart actually plays a role in emotions. they found a neural network in heart, heart has 40000 sensory neuritis like neurons in brain, they think, feel, sense and remember independently of brain, as it contains neuritis that convey emotions through chemical messengers.
The importance of the heart is further evidenced by the fact that it is mentioned 132 times in the Quran, often to highlight its central role in human existence.
So, the next time someone says,
take them seriously.
- Dr. Munawar Aziz
Abbottabad, Pakistan.
aziz.munawar@gmail.com
Well said Sir
Beautiful and sensitive article about the heart , a unique organ in many ways , that science is still researching and making new discoveries about . It is indeed amazing how our Creator has made us , how complex is a living human being – and yet how fragile .
Many mysteries yet to be solved