The ranks of watchfulness

Ayat related to this rank:

"And there is no sin on you if you make a hint of betrothal or conceal it in yourself, Allah knows that you will remember them, but do not make a promise of contract with them in secret except that you speak an honourable saying according to the Islamic law (e.g. you can say to her, "If one finds a wife like you, he will be happy"). And do not consummate the marriage until the term prescribed is fulfilled. And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him. And know that Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing."

[Al-Baqarah, 235]

"And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him."

 You should know for sure that Allah knows everything, and when you know that, you will avoid disobeying Him, which is the secret of having a successful relationship with Allah the Almighty.

 Consider the following Noble Ayah about Allah's Watchfulness in which Allah the Almighty says:

"It is not lawful for you (to marry other) women after this, nor to change them for other wives even though their beauty attracts you, except those (captives or slaves) whom your right hand possesses. And Allah is Ever a Watcher over all things."

[Al-Ahzab, 52]

 Undoubtedly, when man feels that someone is observing him, he will go to extremes in disciplining himself, and he will go extremely far in observing his own words and actions. This is related to the human limited observation i.e. and although he can write whatever you say, or he can record all your actions, nevertheless, he cannot know whatever you hide in you, and he cannot know whatever you hold in your mind, so it is just limited human observation, then how will it be when the One Who watches you is Allah, the One, the Judge, Who knows the secret and what is more hidden, Who sees you, Who knows your secret and what you make public, Who knows what you hide and what you announce, and Who knows what you conceal and what you reveal. "And Allah is Ever a Watcher over all things." Which means not only over you but also over your opponents and all other creatures.

 Consider the following 3rd Ayah which is related to Allah's Watchfulness:

"He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then Istawa (rose over) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be. And Allah is the All-Seer of what you do."

[Al Hadid, 4]

 Which is the general company; i.e. Allah the Almighty is with each creature (by His Knowledge); whether he is a believer or a disbeliever.

 Consider the 4th Ayah in which Allah the Almighty says:

"Knows he not that Allah does see (what he does)?"

[Al-Alaq, 14]

 What is the meaning of this Ayah:

 Consider this 5th Ayah in which Allah the Almighty says:

"So wait patiently (O Muhammad PBUH) for the Decision of your Lord, for verily, you are under Our Eyes, and glorify the Praises of your Lord when you get up from sleep."

[At-Tur, 48]

 Being (figuratively) under the Eye of Allah means that Allah sees and protects you, exactly like when you say that this son is under the eye of his mother, it means that she surrounds him with her care and attention, in other words she knows where he is and what he does, and she really cares about him.

 Consider the last Noble Ayah related to this subject:

"Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal."

[Ghafir, 19]

 Actually, no one on the surface of the earth can reveal the fraud of the eye except Allah the Almighty, it is only He Who knows that. To illustrate this, the doctor, according to the teachings of Islam, is allowed to look at a female patient’s body, but his look should be restricted only to the place of the illness, but if he looks at another place, no one can know that except Allah the Almighty.
 "Allah knows the fraud of the eyes" For example, consider that you sit alone in your house, then your neighbor's window opens and a woman stands in front of it, no one is fully acquainted with this sin; i.e. that you have not lowered your gaze, except Allah the Almighty. So, Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal.
Allah the Almighty says"

"And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so fear Him."

[Al-Baqarah, 235]

"And Allah is Ever a Watcher over all things."

[Al-Ahzab, 52]

"And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be."

[Al-Hadid, 4]

"Knows he not that Allah does see (what he does)?"

[Al-Alaq, 14]

"You are under Our Eyes"

[At-Tur, 48]

"Allah knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal."

[Ghafir, 19]

Noble hadiths related to this rank:

 Let's mention some Noble Ahadith which are related to watchfulness. Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

((While the Prophet PBUH was sitting among his companions, Gabriel came to him (in a human form) and asked him about the true faith (Iman) the Prophet replied: "It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His inspired Books, His messengers, the Last Day, and in destiny, its good and evil.", He asked him about Islam, the Prophet PBUH replied: "Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and to perform the prayer, give zakat, fast in Ramadan, and perform Hajj (the pilgrimage to the House) if you can find a way.", then he asked him about the perfection of faith (ihsan), the Prophet PBUH answered: "It is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you see Him not, He nevertheless sees you."

" O Allah, make us fear You as if we really see You"

 The question to be asked here is: if you feel from time to time that Allah is watching you, are you considered to be in the station of watchfulness? The answer is: No, because this feeling should be continuous; you should feel that Allah is watching you in all your affairs, movements, stillness, activities, when you are alone, when you are in public, when you are serious, in your work, at your home, in the street, and when you travel abroad, etc… so when you continuously feel that Allah knows everything, that He is always acquainted with all your affairs, and that Allah is watching you, then you are in the highest and most important station, which is the station of watchfulness.

 Watchfulness is one of the results of knowing that Allah the Almighty is watching you. Consider the example of a man who entered a shop, and he knew for sure that there were devices, machines, and cameras which were placed in many corners of the store, and he read a shop sign on which was written: The hall is monitored by cameras., If he read that sign, would he try to steal anything in any corner of that store? Impossible, because he knows for sure that he is watched.

((Two rak'ahs performed by a pious man are better than a thousand rak'ahs of the one who mixes righteous deeds with bad ones)).

Scholars' sayings about watchfulness

 Let's mention some scholars' sayings about the station or rank or status of watchfulness, as it was mentioned in Madarij As-Salikin (the stations of seekers). A scholar said: 'Whoever does not let bad thoughts flow through his mind out of fear of Allah's Watchfulness, Allah will preserve his limbs from committing sins.'
 Sometimes man may let bad thoughts which do not please Allah flow through his mind, like committing a sin, so he may imagine himself committing a sin and being far away from Allah. Actually, when he lets these thoughts flow through his mind, in most cases they will turn into actions.

 I can tell you explicitly that Allah the Almighty never calls you to account but for your deeds, however, if you let bad thoughts flow through your mind, you may fall into error and these thoughts may turn into actions. Furthermore, those who committed major sins did not aim to commit them at first, but in the beginning it was only a bad thought, then an illicit look, a talk, a smile, an appointment, a meeting then a major sin. So first it was only a bad thought.
 Therefore, out of prevention and piety, do not let bad thoughts flow through your mind, even though you will not be held accountable for them, but lest you cannot resist them, then they turn into actions.
 So, whoever does not let bad thoughts flow through his mind out of the fearing of Allah's Watchfulness, Allah will preserve his limbs from committing sins.

 Consider this following nice saying: 'Whoever leaves Shubuhat (what is suspected and doubtful), then he definitely avoids the clear sins ' Which means when someone avoids the Shubuhat (the suspected and doubtful) out of piety, then he definitely avoids clear sins, and whoever falls in Shubuhat, then he definitely falls in clear sins' which means whoever dares to commit a sin which most people consider as Shubuha, next time he will dare to commit a clear sin.

 Al-Junaid (an Islamic scholar) said: Whoever is really in the station of watchfulness will fear nothing except missing one moment of being close to Allah.
Which means if you are in the station of watchfulness, if you feel that Allah is always with you, that He is well acquainted with you, and that He knows your secret and confidential talk, you will fear wasting one moment of your life.

 Dhu-Noun (an Islamic scholar) said: the sign of watchfulness is to prefer what Allah has sent (the verdicts of the Noble Qur'an), to honor what Allah has honored, and to despise what Allah has despised.
 Which means you should watch yourself, your values, and your standards, are they in accordance with the Noble Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet PBUH? You may sometimes magnify a thing which Allah the Almighty despises, which means that your values conflict with the teachings of Islam and with Allah's Orders. For example, if a man gets out of his home wearing pyjamas for example, it will considered an uncivilized behavior, while when his wife gets out dressing immodestly, it will be considered as a civilized behavior ! in this case we have honored what Allah despises, and we have despised what Allah honors. Hence, you should be sure that your standards, values and standpoints go along with the teachings of Islam which are derived from the Noble Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet PBUH. The Prophet PBUH said:

"Blessed are those who content themselves with Sunnah and is not enticed by Bid'a (innovation)"

 Ibrahim Al-Khawas said: the reality of watchfulness is to be devoted to Allah; secretly and openly, from inside and out. It was also said: that the best thing you should abide by while you are on your way to get closer to Allah is accounting, watchfulness and performing deeds according to the Islamic law.
 So, you should watch yourself, and after that there is accounting, like when you are supervising students during the exam, if a student cheats you will give him zero mark. So man should watch himself, call himself to account, then act according to the teachings of Islam.

"By the dawn; * By the ten nights (i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Hijjah), * And by the even and the odd (of all the creations of Allah). * And by the night when it departs. * There is indeed in them (the above oaths) sufficient proofs for men of understanding (and that, they should avoid all kinds of sins and disbeliefs, etc.)! * Did you (O Muhammad (PBUH)) not see (thought) how your Lord dealt with 'Ad (people)? * Who were very tall like lofty pillars, * The like of which were not created in the land? * And (with) Thamud (people), who cut (hewed) out rocks in the valley (to make dwellings)? * And (with) Fir'aun (Pharaoh), who had pegs (who used to torture men by binding them to pegs)? * Who did transgress beyond bounds in the lands (in the disobedience of Allah). * And made therein much mischief. * So your Lord poured on them different kinds of severe torment. * Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful (over them)."

[Al-Fajr, 1-14]

 The meaning of the following Ayah is very accurate; the meaning of 'Allah is ever watchful over them' is not restricted to punish you for your bad deeds, but it also means that He watches you and He will punish you. While it is an easy task to only catch people while committing mistakes like selling objects at a higher price, etc… Allah the Almighty says: "Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful (over them)."
 And the following Noble Ayah is related to the meaning of the Watchful:

" Did you (O Muhammad (PBUH)) not see (thought) how your Lord dealt with 'Ad (people)?"

 One of the nicest descriptions of this station is that you can get the feeling of Allah's Watchfulness when you try to get closer to Him all the time, and your situation will be changed from stunning glorification to productive proximity to stimulating happiness. For example, if one of your friends who holds a high school degree comes to visit you, then after that a university professor comes to visit you, watch yourself, you will receive the university professor warmly, you will look at him, and speak with him attentively, you will forget about the other guest, why does that happen? Because the other guest distracts you from the first one.
 Likewise, if something in your work, in your job, in your office, in your store, in your factory, or in your house, etc…distracts you from feeling that Allah is watching you, then this is a highly dangerous situation.

 One of the signs of the sincerity of watchfulness is that no matter how great a thing seems to you, it does not distract you from the Greatness of Allah the Almighty Who watches you.
Therefore, the people of Allah; the people of proximity, the true believers, never forget about the Greatness of Allah, and the proof is that their glorification to Allah the Almighty never lets anything else distract their attention from Allah.
 In this situation, the believer's heart is filled with glorification to Allah the Almighty to the extent that he never glorifies anything else, like when you enter a room and find a newspaper on the table, you get totally engaged in reading it, and even if there is something valuable on the table and another person in the room you will pay no attention to anything else.
 Sometimes you may meet an important man, you sit in front of him politely, you give him all your attention, you never play with a rosary or read a newspaper in front of him because you consider him a great person who tackles a key issue, so although he is a creature who is great according to the social standard, you sit before him politely, you give him your full attention
So, one of the signs of the station of watchfulness is not to turn away from glorifying Allah the Almighty to glorifying anything else. Also, another sign is to try to get closer to Allah (through acts of worship), and to keep on doing so, while your heart is filled with the remembering of Allah and glorifying Him, and you are so absorbed in His Greatness that you forget about anything else. These are some of the signs of watchfulness, and the great glorification is the best.

 Actually, the hypocrite feels that his sin is as light as a fly, and after he commits a sin, he feels that nothing has happened at all, as well as those who disdain the Islamic values. So, he never lowers his gaze when he sees something Haram, he justifies that to himself, and it is too easy for him to commit a sin. On the other hand, the higher your level is in the Sight of Allah is, the heavier you will find the sin is, to the extent that you will find it as heavy as a mountain on your chest. So, the smaller you consider the sin is, the lower your rank is in the Sight of Allah, and the greater you consider the sin is, the higher your rank is in the Sight of Allah, hence is it a very critical matter.
 How could a man who has committed a sin sleep comfortably without worries, while the man who has spoken a word, and it was recorded against him will have a sleepless night? Do you feel that Allah is so Great to the extent that if you turn away from Him, or if you commit a sin, you feel as if you fell from heaven to earth? Actually, this is the situation of the true believer.

 I hope that you do not find the following idea unrealistic: when you feel that Allah is watching you, when you feel that He is with you By His Knowledge and when you feel that you remain upright upon His Straight Path, you will feel your heart overwhelmed with great happiness and pleasure which you do not find anywhere else.
 You can ask the people who were engaged in the pleasures of this world, who ate best foods, in the most luxurious places with breathtaking scenery, who ate indescribable food, who covered themselves in glory, who have not known Allah before and who have not yet felt the pleasure of being close to Allah, but after they repent to Allah, they feel that all those pleasures which they had experienced do not equal one moment of being close to Allah the Almighty.

 Allah reveals His Name the Beautiful on some of His Acts; for example, look at the face of an innocent child, you find it the most beautiful face on the surface of the earth, it is full of purity, innocence, and subjectivity, while some people have such unpleasant faces. When a volcano erupted, 80 thousand people became under the rubble, and it became a city of ghosts, in this event, you feel the Name of Allah the Compeller is revealed on it.
 In spring, you hear the birds tweeting in the forest, you feel the Name of Allah the Beautiful is revealed in it. So, Allah the Almighty has many Beautiful Names, and He reveals some of His Names on His Acts, for example you feel the Name of Allah the Subtly Kind is revealed in this incident when someone tells you that a bulllet passed over his head, his hair was burned, nevertheless he was not harmed. As it was said: Everything has a reality, and man will never reach the reality of faith until he believes that what had afflicted him would not have missed him, and what has missed him would not have afflicted him (because everything happens according to Allah's Will).

 Once, a man told me that his car stopped at the top of a deep valley, he had very little experience in driving a car, the steering wheel was set towards the valley, and before he ignited the engine, he slackened the brake, so the car went towards the bottom of the valley, he, his wife and his children were not affected except with bruises, and some light fractures, but whoever saw their car thought that all the people inside it were dead, so the Name of Allah, the Subtly Kind is clearly revealed in this incident.

"Then He shall leave it as a level smooth plain"

[Taha, 106]

Some of the results of watchfulness

 A tourist visited one of the Muslim countries, he was surprised when he read the death dates of the deceased on the grave-slab, all of them were young, for example one of them was 7 years old, the other was 5, the other was 17, etc… it was a strange thing! While people normally die at the age of 80, 65, 40, etc… then he was told that in that village, they record man's birth date as the day he repents to Allah, so the one who repents to Allah when he is 45, his life starts at that age, then if he dies at 55 then he is 10 years old, which means when you repent to Allah, you will be consumed by deep grief for the years you've spent in ignorance and in committing sins; how did you spend these years in sins?.

 Dear brother, I would like to give you a very precise piece of information, if one of you met one of his old friends (who are heedless of Allah), and talked with him for an hour, you would feel that he is oppressed, lost, astray, miserable, deadly scared, afraid of everything, and he will feel that he is wronged. On the other hand, when you talk with a true believer, you will find that he has high morale, he feels that the Creator of the universe loves him, he feels that he is under the Protection and the Care of Allah and that Allah will never let him down. So you should keep away from that heedless friend who always feels that he is in desperate need of periodic checkup for his body for fear of cancer, who is always scared although he does not have it, so even if he has lived 80 years without having cancer, he would have suffered thinking of it for 80 years, because when you are extremely afraid of having something like an illness for example, it is as if you really have it.

 Actually, when people of this worldly life (who are only interested in the pleasures of this life), turn away from Allah, they will have great worries, such as fearing malicious diseases, they fear the scary census in America that one in every 6 people dies of heart disease, that one third of deaths is caused by heart disease, and all women there are afraid of breast cancer, so they make periodic checkups because they are quite terrified. Also, they fear brain diseases such as Sudden Exploded Head Syndrome (SEHS), which causes coma, then man will die. If you read about all diseases, you will not be able to sleep at night !. They are also afraid of the diseases of the stomach, the intestines, the heart, the artery, the brain, and the nerve diseases, or one of them fears to be hit by a car which may leave him paralyzed.. So, when man is heedless of Allah, he will find life so scary. On the other hand, the believer is at peace of mind; when he travels he says: O Allah, You are my companion in my travels and the One Who looks after my family [while I am gone]. Sometimes a child may get burnt, and therefore becomes a source of misery for his whole family all his life. Also, you may fear deformation, but your wife may give birth to a deformed baby. Thus, when you greatly fear a disease you may have it, while if you really put your trust in Allah, Allah will reassure you. Allah the Almighty says:

"For verily, you are under Our Eyes"

[At-Tur, 48]

 I want to tell you something: the destruction of the whole universe is less important in the Sight of Allah than to let down His believing servant, to make him go astray, or not to grant him success while the believer does his best in worship, Allah the Almighty does not do that.

 Dear brother, I want to tell something even if you find it a little harsh; whoever does not feel this pleasure while performing acts of worship, he should doubt the soundness of his faith and righteous deeds; i.e. if his prayers and recitation of the Noble Qur'an are meaningless; if he has never shed tears, if his heart has never fluttered, or if his skin has never quivered out of the fear of Allah, if he has never felt that Allah will never let him down, if all his acts of worship are meaningless, and if he does not feel delighted while performing them, then he should suspect the soundness of his faith and righteous deeds, because faith has sweetness, and whoever does not find it should revise himself. Allah the Almighty says:

"On the Day when the hypocrites men and women will say to the believers: "Wait for us! Let us get something from your light!" It will be said: "Go back to your rear! Then seek a light!" So a wall will be put up between them, with a gate therein. Inside it will be mercy, and outside it will be torment."

[Al-Hadid, 13]

 What to do if the believer does not feel the taste of faith?

 Do you want me to give you a proof that faith has a taste? Al-Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib reported that the Prophet PBUH said:

((One has felt the taste of faith if one is pleased with Allah as his Lord, with Islam as his religion, and with Muhammad as a Messenger))

[Muslim and at-Tirmidhi]

 The phrase 'has felt the taste of faith' indicates that faith has a taste. For example, is the taste of an expensive piece of chocolate like that of a radish?

((One has tasted the taste of faith if one is pleased with Allah as his Lord, with Islam as his religion, and with Muhammad as a Messenger))

[Muslim, At-Tirmidhi]

 If you do not find the taste of faith, you should revise your accounts; you should ask yourself: where is the fault? What sin did you commit? Is there any Shirk (is your heart related to other that Allah)? Is your heart attached to the pleasures of this life? do you neglect Allah's Orders? So you should watch yourself, and if you do not feel the taste of being close to Allah, if you do not feel love for Allah, and if you do not feel dignity and happiness, you should revise your accounts.

 In another Hadith, Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet PBUH said:

((There are three characteristics that if one possesses then, he has tasted the sweetness of Faith; that Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anyone other than them, that he loves a person and he only loves him for the sake of Allah, and that he hates to return to disbelief just as he hated to be thrown into the Fire)).

"That Allah and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anyone other than them,"

[Al-Bukhari, Muslim, At--Tirmidhi, and An-Nasai]

"You (Alone) we worship, and you (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)."