Observance to Allah
Are you among those who keep observance to Alla (Fear him)
All praise be to Allah Almighty, the Oft Giver, in Whose hands
are the treasures of things; and peace and blessings of Allah be
upon the best of Prophets and upon his family and pious
companions.
My Muslim brother, Allah has
created people and He knows what they conceal and what they reveal,
and knows their conditions wherever they are.
{Whatever you (O Muhammad SAW)
may be doing, and whatever portion you may be reciting from the
Quran, - and whatever deed you (mankind) may be doing (good or
evil), We are Witness thereof, when you are doing it. And nothing
is hidden from your Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom (or
small ant) on the earth or in the heaven. Not what is less than
that or what is greater than that but is (written) in a Clear
Record.} [Surat Yûnus 10:61]
Transliteration:
Wama takoonu fee shanin wama
tatloo minhu min quranin wala taAAmaloona min AAamalin illa kunna
AAalaykum shuhoodan ith tufeedoona feehi wama yaAAzubu AAan rabbika
min mithqali tharratin fee alardi wala fee alssamai wala asghara
min thalika wala akbara illa fee kitabin mubeenun
{They may hide (their crimes)
from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allah, for He is with
them (by His Knowledge), when they plot by night in words that He
does not approve, And Allah ever encompasses what they do.} [Surat
An-Nisâ' 4:108]
Transliteration:
Yastakhfoona mina alnnasi wala
yastakhfoona mina Allahi wahuwa maAAahum ith yubayyitoona ma la
yarda mina alqawli wakana Allahu bima yaAAmaloona
muheetan
{Have you not seen that Allah
knows whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth?
There is no Najwa (secret counsel) of three, but He is their fourth
(with His Knowledge, while He Himself is over the Throne, over the
seventh heaven), nor of five but He is their sixth (with His
Knowledge), not of less than that or more, but He is with them
(with His Knowledge) wheresoever they may be; and afterwards on the
Day of Resurrection, He will inform them of what they did. Verily,
Allah is the All-Knower of everything.} [Surat Al-Mujaadila 58:7]
Transliteration:
Alam tara anna Allaha yaAAlamu
ma fee alssamawati wama fee alardi ma yakoonu min najwa thalathatin
illa huwa rabiAAuhum wala khamsatin illa huwa sadisuhum wala adna
min thalika wala akthara illa huwa maAAahum ayna ma kanoo thumma
yunabbiohum bima AAamiloo yawma alqiyamati inna Allaha bikulli
shayin AAaleemun
My Muslim brother, to feel
that you keep observance to Allah is one of the great meanings of
faith, by which a servant is promoted to the rank of Al-Ihsân (i.e.
to be patient in performing your duties to Allâh, totally for
Allâh's sake and in accordance with the Sunnah (legal ways) of the
Prophet (peace be upon him in a perfect manner).
Observance is that essential
part of righteous deeds, at which the righteous believers and those
who know Allah halt meditating and commending.
It is the adornments of deeds,
and the maximum truth in words and actions.
Do you know
what does observance to Allah mean?
Ibn
al-Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Keep observance to Allah Almighty."
When a man asked him about its interpretation, he said: "Be always
as if you are seeing Allah Glorified and Exalted."
Ibrahim
al-Khawâs, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Observance means to devote all that
you conceal and reveal to Allah Almighty."
Ibn Al-Qayyim,
may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Observance means that a slave of
Allah is always aware and certain that Allah the True Almighty is
ever knowing his inward and outward."
It is said: "Observance means
that heart should regard Allah the True in every step or
idea."
O Muslim brother! This is
observance as defined by the knowing scholars. Its meaning is
understandable by the heart, but few are the hearts that understand
it and act accordingly.
To remember the divine
observance is an indication of success. If a servant is guided to
it, then this is a sign of his prosperity and
happiness.
The knowing has divided
observance into various ranks, the following is the division of
Al-Hâfiz ibn Rajab - may Allah
have mercy on him - who divided observance into two
ranks.
Ibn Rajab, may
Allah have mercy on him, said: the
first one is the rank of sincerity in which a slave of Allah
brings to his mind that Allah is viewing him, and that He is close
to him. If the slave of Allah remembers this in his actions, and
works accordingly, in this case he is considered faithful to Allah,
because remembering this in his work prevents him from paying
attention to other than Allah and His will in his actions. The second rank is that of seeing
(witnessing) Allah; that is the slave of Allah is to act as if he
sees Allah by his heart. It is that the heart is illuminated by
faith and the slave of Allah gains knowledge through his endowed
insight, so that the unseen is just like the seen. And this is the
truth about Al-Ihsân, to which it is referred in the Hadith of
Jibrîl (Gabriel), peace be upon him. The people of this place vary
according to the power of their insight."
O Muslim Brother, have you
questioned yourself one day wondering: where is it from the
observance of Allah Almighty? A little are those who face
themselves with this question and hold themselves accountable in
their retreat!
The majority has forgotten
about reckoning and gave themselves what they wish without being
hard on holding them accountable.
What do you think if you were
told: You are under the observance of the Governor, what would be
your condition?
There is no doubt that you
will take precautions for yourself, and will keep away from any
action that may be a reason for holding you
accountable.
Nevertheless, many people know
well that they are observed by He Who knows the secret and that
which is yet more hidden… Blessed and Exalted… However, they do not
pay attention to this observance.
This ignorance is the case
with many of those who do not feel the observance of Allah
Almighty.
Because of the greatness of
the rank of observance, Allah Almighty sent His trustworthy Angle
Gabriel, peace be upon him, to His Prophet, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, to remind him of the honorable state of that
rank. In the long Hadith of Gabriel, peace be upon him, when he
asked the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, about
several issues, among them is this one: "O Messenger of Allah,
"What is Al-Ihsan?" he replied: "To worship Allah as if you see
Him, and if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must
consider that He is looking at you." [Reported by
Muslim]
Al-Hafiz ibn
Rajab said: "This
Hadith indicates that the slave worships Allah in this manner, by
evoking His nearness and that he is before His hands as if he were
seeing him, which leads one to fear, piety, respect and
veneration."
O Muslim brother: That who
watches Allah in his actions and words, is one of the people of
al-Ihsan, they are those whom Allah Almighty has said about them:
{For those who have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise)
and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the
Countenance of Allah) Neither darkness nor dust nor any humiliating
disgrace shall cover their faces. They are the dwellers of
Paradise, they will abide therein forever.} [Surat Yûnus:
26]
Transliteration:
Lillatheena ahsanoo alhusna
waziyadatun wala yarhaqu wujoohahum qatarun wala thillatun olaika
ashabu aljannati hum feeha khalidoona
Al-Hafiz Ibn
Rajab said: "It is
proven in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet, peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him, explained 'and even more' by seeing the face of
Allah Almighty in Paradise, which is appropriate to make it the
reward of the people of Al-Ihsan. Because Al-Ihsan means that the
believer worships his Lord in this world on the basis of His
presence and observation, as if he views Him by his heart in his
worship, the reward of this is to see Allah by his own eyes in the
Hereafter. "
O you, who are
engaged in sinful activities in your solitude, know that you are
observed by the One from Him there is not a secret of you will be
hidden.
You who are
engaged in sinful deeds in your solitude, have you forgotten the
observance of the King of kings.
How many people are those who
when they are alone they forget this Divine observance, and are
tempted by the forbearance of Allah Almighty, they fall over sins
and commit the prohibited.
Some of the knowing said:
"Fear Allah and do not make Him the least of those who can see
you."
Some of them said: "Fear Allah
as much as due to His ability over you, and be ashamed of Him as
much as due to His closeness to you."
Abu Suleiman
Ad-Darani, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "He is a loser that one who shows
his most righteous deeds to people while in his solitude he fights
with his shameful deeds the One who is closer to him than his
jugular vein."
O you, who are
unaware of the watch of the King of kings!
You are in the
possession of the One who is aware of your entire affair and
nothing can hide you from Him.
It behooves that who has
learned that he is observed by Allah Almighty to be really cautious
and thoroughly ashamed of Him.
Ibn Aj-Jawzi,
may Allah have mercy on him, said: "Al-Haq (the True) Glorified and
exalted, is much nearer to His servant than the jugular vein.
However, He treats His slave as if He is invisible to, and remote
from him. He commanded his slave to direct his intention, and raise
his hands in supplication to Him. The ignorant hearts feel only His
remoteness, therefore they fell committing in sins. Would they have
realized that He is present and overseeing them, they would have
abstained from committing sins. On the other hand, because they
know His nearness, the observant feels His observance which
prevents them from being lenient in performing deeds."
Muslim
brother: The disease of
many of the disobedient is their negligence of the observance of
Allah Almighty. They forget that he sees them.
Ibn
As-Sammak wonders about
a man who has sound common sense and knows that Allah is watching
him, and then if he is alone with the prohibited he commits
them.
There is
neither fear nor shame of Allah to prevent him.
This is the
case with many of the fools who did not feel the greatness of Allah
Almighty and His observance.
Sammak the
preacher wrote to a brother of him: "I advise you to fear Allah, Whom
you entrust your secrets to Him, and Who observes you when you are
in public. Remember Allah in all your conditions day and night;
fear Allah as much as due His nearness to you and his ability over
you. And know that he watches you, and you cannot go out of His
power to the power of any other one, nor could you go outside of
His reign to any other reign. So your cautiousness and fear of Him
should be great."
O you, who
committed sins when eyes were slumbering, know that there is an
Eye, which never slumbers.
And you, who
committed sins when night enshroud, learn that you are under the
observation of the One who is aware of everything!
While 'Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased
with him, was travelling to Mecca, he stopped for rest in a
place on the way. He saw a shepherd coming down a mountain. He said
to him: "O Shepherd, sell me a sheep of this flock?
He said: "I am a
slave".
'Umar said: "Tell your master
that the wolf has eaten it."
The Shepherd said: "then where
is Allah?"
'Umar wept. In the next day he
bought this slave from his master and manumitted him.
He said to him: "this word had
emancipated you in this world and I hope that it will emancipate
you in the Hereafter!"
O Muslim
Brother: If you
meditate about this story you will find that observance to Allah
almighty bears ripe fruits; such as the fear of Allah,
truthfulness, faithfulness and honesty.
All of these sublime qualities
can be found in those who are mindful of observation.
And they are rare qualities,
as dear as the paucity of such attribute (the
observance).
Imam
Ash-Shafi'I, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "The best and rarest three things
are generosity out of scarcity, piety in private, and the right
word addressed to one who is a source of hope and
fear."
Muslim
brother: Observance to
Allah is the greatest act of obedience and the noblest attribute,
which characterize the believers.
Ibn 'Ata', may
Allah have mercy on him, said: "The best acts of worship is the
observance to Al-Haq at all times, "That who keeps observance to
Allah throughout all his solitudes means that he is glorifying
Allah, fearing from Him, sincere in his dealings with, and close to
his Lord Glorified and Exalted."
So, always remember that you
are observed from Allah, the King of kings, who knows the secret
and the most concealed, so fear him wherever you are and wherever
you go.
Abu Dhar, may Allah be pleased
with him, narrated that: The Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, has said to me: "Fear Allah
wherever you are, follow the evil deed with a good deed, so that it
would erase it and treat people with good morals". [Narrated by
At-Tirmidhi and declared Hasan (good) by Al-Albani]
The observant to Allah
Almighty will gain the fruits of observation, the top of which in
this worldly life is to attain the degree of Al-Ihsan; and in the
Hereafter is to enter Paradise.
Observance to
Allah Almighty is a sign of the perfection of faith:
Al-Hafiz Ibn
Rajab said: "Generally
speaking, the fear of Allah in private is a sign of the perfection
of faith, and has a great effect, as Allah implants praise to this
person in the hearts of the believers"
Observance to
Allah is the adornment of hearts:
Sahl Ibn
Abdullah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "no heart has been adorned with
something better and more honorable than the knowledge of the slave
of Allah that Allah witnesses him wherever he is."
Observance to
Allah Almighty is an aid to lower the gaze:
Aj-Junayd, may
Allah have mercy on him, was asked: "what can help me for lowering the
gaze? He replied: "By knowing that the gaze of the Looker (Allah)
to you is preceding your gaze to whomever being looked
at."
Observance to
Allah is a cause to win the protection of the shade of Allah, on
the Day of Resurrection
The Prophet, peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him, has said: "Allah will give shade,
to seven, on the Day of Resurrection when there will be no shade
but His", and he mentioned of them: "a man whom a beautiful woman
of high rank seduces (for illicit relation), but he (rejects this
offer by saying): 'I fear Allah.'" [Agreed upon]
Dhul-Nûn, may
Allah have mercy on him, was asked: how could a slave of Allah win
Paradise? He said: "by five deeds: integrity without swerving,
diligence without oversight, keeping observance to Allah in private
and in public, waiting and preparedness for death, and to hold
yourself accountable before you are being held
accountable."
O Muslim
brother, keep
observance to Allah in your words and actions and in all what you
have resolved to carry out. If Allah is satisfied with it go ahead
in executing it, and desist carrying it out if Allah is not
satisfied with, as the worthiest to keep observing His overseeing
you is Allah Almighty.
If you, one
day, become alone, do not say
I am lonely,
rather say I have an observer.
Do not think
that Allah oversights you for one hour,
nor those
things you hide from Him are unseen.
Do not you see
that today is the fastest to depart,
And that
tomorrow is approaching fast to its expectant?
Mohamed Ibn
Ali At-Tirmidhi said: "Make your observance to that Who
does not lose sight of you, make your thanks to that Who does not
cut off His blessings from you, and make your obedience to that
Whom you cannot dispense with and you're your subjugation to Him
you cannot depart from his kingdom and power.
O Muslim
brother, he who keeps
observance to Allah Almighty in his entire affairs, Allah places
his love in people's hearts and vice versa he who does not fear
Allah Almighty, hearts would hate him.
Abu Ad-Darda',
may Allah be pleased with him, said: "every one of you should beware
that the hearts of the believers curse him while he is not aware,
he commits acts of disobedience of Allah in private, so Allah
places his hate in the hearts of the believers."
O
Muslim! Make your
solitudes as an opportunity to perform acts of worship, invoke your
Lord, and remember His due merits. Remember that the righteous love
the company of their Lord, exalted His remembrance. Therefore, no
moment they spend much happier than the moments they pass in their
solitudes confiding their supplications to their Creator and
Divinity Almighty.
Habib Abu
Mohamed had secluded in his house, saying: "whoever is not delighted with You,
let him be deprived of delightedness, and whoever is not pleased
with Your companion, let him feel no pleasure."
O
Muslim! Therefore, keep
observance to Allah in your private and public, your words and
actions. Remember that Allah is always nearer to you than jugular
vein.
And permanently hold yourself
accountable; remembering the One from Him there is nothing
hidden.
All praise be to Allah, and
peace and blessings of Allah be upon His Prophet, Muhammad, his
family and companions.
From the
Series of Reckoning by Azhari Ahmed Mahmoud
Translated by Wathakker Website
en.wathakker.net
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