Asking the Muslim about the state of his heart and his faith
Question

                Is it permissible to ask the Muslims – when meeting with them – about the state of their faith or their hearts? One of them said to me that this is a matter of the unseen and that it is not appropriate to ask about it.
Praise be to Allah.
    What is 
    prescribed for the Muslim is to encourage those he meets to adhere to the 
    truth in word and deed, and to be patient in doing that and calling people 
    to it, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “By Al-Asr 
    (the time).

    Verily! Man 
    is in loss,

     Except 
    those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and 
    recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all 
    kinds of good deeds (Al-Maroof )which Allah has ordained, and abstain from 
    all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar )which Allah has forbidden), and 
    recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries 
    which one may encounter in Allah’s Cause during preaching His religion of 
    Islamic Monotheism or Jihad, etc.).”

    [al-‘Asr 
    103:1-3].

    It was 
    narrated that Abu Madeenah ad-Daarimi, who was a Companion, said: When two 
    men among the Companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be 
    upon him) met, they would not separate until one of them recited to the 
    other, “By Al-Asr (the time).Verily! Man is in loss,” then one of 
    them would say salaam to the other.

    Narrated by 
    at-Tabaraani in al-Awsat, 5124; al-Bayhaqi in Shu‘ab al-Eemaan, 
    8693. al-Haythami said in al-Majma‘, 10/233: Its men are the men of
    as-Saheeh. 

    Bilaal ibn 
    Sa‘d (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

    A brother of 
    yours who reminds you of Allah every time he meets you is better for you 
    than a brother who puts a dinar in your hand every time he meets you.

    End quote from
    Hilyat al-Awliya’, 5/225 

    With regard to 
    asking about the state of someone’s heart or the level of his faith, there 
    is the fear that this may lead one to self praise or it may cause the one 
    who is asking the question to show off in front of people, as if he has a 
    believing heart and fears Allah all the time. Or it may imply that the one 
    who is asked is falling short in his duty towards Allah, may He be exalted, 
    or it may make the one who is asked to try to say good things about himself 
    to avoid embarrassment, and other negative consequences. Perhaps it is 
    because of that we did not find such questions mentioned in reports about 
    the ways and sayings of the early generations; we do not know that they used 
    to ask about such matters. 

    With regard to 
    the well-known hadeeth from al-Haarith ibn Maalik al-Ansaari, which says 
    that he passed by the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be 
    upon him), who said to him: “How are you this morning, O Haarith?” And he 
    said: I am a true believer this morning, and the Prophet (blessings and 
    peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Watch what you say, for everything has a 
    reality, so what is the reality of your faith?” He said: I have lost 
    interest in this world, and I spend my night in prayer because of that, and 
    I spend my day thirsty (i.e., fasting), and it is as if I can see the throne 
    of my Lord, and it is as if I can see the people of Paradise visiting one 
    another in it, and it is as if I can see the people of Hell screaming in it. 
    The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Haarith, you 
    have realised, so remain steadfast”, three times… This hadeeth was narrated 
    by at-Tabaraani in al-Mu‘jam al-Kabeer, 3/266; it is a da‘eef (weak) 
    hadeeth and is not saheeh (sound). 

    Al-‘Aqeeli 
    (may Allah have mercy on him) said: This hadeeth does not have an isnaad 
    that can be proven.

    End quote from
    ad-Du‘afa’ al-Kabeer, 4/455 

    Ibn Taymiyah 
    (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

    It has an 
    isnaad, but this isnaad is da‘eef and cannot be proven.

    End quote from
    al-Istiqaamah, 1/194 

    Based on that, 
    we should refrain from asking such questions that may lead to some negative 
    consequences; the Muslim should only ask how his brother is in general 
    terms. 

    So he should 
    say to him: How are you? or, How are you this morning? And so on. 

    Something like 
    that has been narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be 
    upon him). 

    It was 
    narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: An old woman 
    came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was 
    in my house and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon 
    him) said to her: Who are you? She said: I am Jaththaamah al-Muzaniyyah. He 
    said: Rather you are Hassaanah al-Muzaniyyah; how have you been since we 
    last saw you? She said: We are well, may my father and mother be sacrificed 
    for you, O Messenger of Allah. When she left I said: O Messenger of Allah, 
    all of this welcome for this old woman? He said: She used to visit us at the 
    time of Khadeejah, and loyalty is part of faith.” 

    Narrated by 
    al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak, 1/62; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in 
    as-Silsilah as-Saheehah, no. 216 

    And Allah knows best.