How accurate is what they mention regarding the criterion for safety from minor shirk, namely that one should worship Allah as if no one from among Allah's creation on the earth of Allah is watching?
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The questioner : How accurate is what they mention regarding the criterion for safety from minor shirk, namely that one should worship Allah as if no one from among Allah's servants on the face of the earth of Allah is watching?
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : One worships Allah on the earth of Allah, and it is not as if no one from among Allah's creation is watching, in order to be safe from minor shirk when one goes out to worship Allah.
The Shaykh : Perhaps the ihsan (excellence in worship) they intend is that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then He sees you.
The questioner : In order to be safe from minor shirk, one should be conscious of this...
The Shaykh : No, rather, worship Allah even if all the people are with you. And if you are an imam in knowledge, worship Allah so that people see you and follow your example.
The questioner : They do not intend to hide from people, but rather to be conscious that no one from among the creation is seeing him, so that he purifies the worship for Allah.
The Shaykh : This is a mistake. How can one be conscious of that when people are beside him? But yes, he worships Him, saying, "I will worship Allah whether I have someone with me or not." Yes.
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : One worships Allah on the earth of Allah, and it is not as if no one from among Allah's creation is watching, in order to be safe from minor shirk when one goes out to worship Allah.
The Shaykh : Perhaps the ihsan (excellence in worship) they intend is that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you do not see Him, then He sees you.
The questioner : In order to be safe from minor shirk, one should be conscious of this...
The Shaykh : No, rather, worship Allah even if all the people are with you. And if you are an imam in knowledge, worship Allah so that people see you and follow your example.
The questioner : They do not intend to hide from people, but rather to be conscious that no one from among the creation is seeing him, so that he purifies the worship for Allah.
The Shaykh : This is a mistake. How can one be conscious of that when people are beside him? But yes, he worships Him, saying, "I will worship Allah whether I have someone with me or not." Yes.