Explanation of the words of Imam al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding what he quoted: "
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The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
When the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned the Chapter on Truthfulness and cited the verses and hadiths regarding it, he followed this with the Chapter on Being Mindful of Allah. Being mindful of Allah has two aspects: The first aspect is that you watch over Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and the second aspect is that Allah the Exalted is watching over you, as He said:.
As for your watching over Allah: It is that you know that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) knows everything you do in terms of words, actions, and beliefs, as Allah the Exalted said:: "He sees you when you stand [in prayer]." This means at night when a person stands in an empty place where no one can see him, so Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) sees him, even if he is in the greatest darkness and the deepest darkness, for Allah the Exalted sees him. [Ash-Shu'ara 26:219]: This means and your moving about among those who prostrate to Allah the Exalted at this hour. Your moving about among them means with them, for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) sees the person when he stands and when he prostrates. He mentioned standing and prostrating because standing in prayer is more noble than prostrating in terms of its mention, and prostrating is better than standing in terms of its form. How is standing better than prostrating in terms of its mention? Because the prescribed dhikr in standing is the recitation of the Qur'an, and the Qur'an is the best of speech. As for prostration, it is more noble than standing in terms of its form, because the person who prostrates is at his closest to his Lord (Mighty and Majestic), as it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sunan Abi Dawud 875Sahih (Al-Albani). For this reason, we are commanded to increase our du'a' in prostration.
Likewise, part of your watching over Allah is that you know that Allah hears whatever you say. Whatever you say, Allah the Exalted hears it. Allah the Exalted said:[Az-Zukhruf 43:80]. And with this, what you speak, whether it is good or evil, whether it is public or secret, is written against you, as Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said: [Qaf 50:18]. So watch over this, watch over this matter. Beware that a word comes out of your tongue for which you will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection. Always make your tongue speak the truth or remain silent, as the Prophet (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2500Sahih (Darussalam).
The third is that you watch over Allah the Exalted in your secret, in your heart. What is in your heart? Shirk (associating partners with Allah), riya' (showing off), deviations, hatred toward the believers, enmity, dislike, love for the disbelievers, and the like of things that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) does not approve of. Watch over your heart, check it constantly, for Allah says:[Qaf 50:16] before he speaks it. So watch over Allah in these three places: in your action, in your speech, in your secret in your heart, so that your being mindful of Allah is complete. For this reason, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about ihsan (excellence in worship), he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 50: "Worship Allah as if you see Him. If you do not see Him, then know that He sees you." The first is worship out of desire and hope that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and the second is worship out of fear and awe. For this reason he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 50. So it is necessary that a person watch over his Lord; this is one thing.
Second: Know that Allah the Exalted is watching over you. Whatever you say or do or conceal in your secret, Allah the Exalted is All-Aware of it. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned verses that indicate this. He began with the verse we mentioned, which is Allah's saying to His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):[Ash-Shu'ara 26:217-220]. And He said: [Ali 'Imran 3:5]. "Thing" is an indefinite noun in the context of negation. Where is the negation? . An indefinite noun in the context of negation, so it encompasses every thing. Every thing is not hidden from Allah on earth or in the sky. And Allah detailed this in His saying (Blessed and Exalted is He): [Al-An'am 6:59]. The scholars said: If He knows the falling leaves, how much more does He know the growing leaves that He causes to grow and creates? So He is more All-Aware of them (Mighty and Majestic). As for His saying: [Al-An'am 6:59]. "Seed" is an indefinite noun in the context of negation. [Al-An'am 6:59]. An indefinite noun in the context of negation confirmed by "min" (from). So it includes every seed, small or large. Let us suppose a small seed is buried in the darkness of the earth. The darkness of the earth has five types: Let us suppose a small seed is embedded in clay at the bottom of the sea. The first darkness is the clay in which it is submerged.
The second is the darkness of the water in the sea.
The third is the darkness of the night.
The fourth is the darkness of the accumulated clouds.
The fifth is the darkness of the descending rain. Five darkesses over this small seed, and Allah (Mighty and Majestic) knows it:[Al-An'am 6:59]: It is written, clear, apparent, and known to the Lord of the Worlds (Mighty and Majestic). So if this is the breadth of His knowledge, then the believer must watch over Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and fear Him in secret as he fears Him in public. Indeed, the successful one is the one who makes his fear of Allah in secret greater and stronger than his fear of Him in public, because the fear of Allah in secret is stronger in sincerity. You have no one with you, but the fear of Allah in public may lead to riya' (showing off) in your heart and showing off to people. So strive, my Muslim brother—I say this to myself and then to you—to watch over Allah (Mighty and Majestic), to perform His obedience in compliance with His command and avoidance of His prohibition, and we ask Allah for help in that. If Allah does not help us, we are forsaken, as He said: [Al-Fatihah 1:5]: Along with guidance. So if the servant is guided to worship and seeking help within the framework of the Shari'ah, then this is what Allah has bestowed upon him: [Al-Fatihah 1:5-6]: The worship must be on this straight path itself, otherwise it will be harm to the servant.
These are three matters that constitute the methodology of those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor. For this reason, he said:[Al-Fatihah 1:6-7]
The reader: He said (may Allah have mercy on him): The author quoted: "The Chapter on Being Mindful of Allah: Allah the Exalted said:[Ash-Shu'ara 26:218-219], and Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Hadid 57:4], and He said: [Ali 'Imran 3:5], and He said: [Al-Fajr 89:14], and He said: [Ghafir 40:19], and the verses in the chapter are numerous and known".
When the author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned the Chapter on Truthfulness and cited the verses and hadiths regarding it, he followed this with the Chapter on Being Mindful of Allah. Being mindful of Allah has two aspects: The first aspect is that you watch over Allah (Mighty and Majestic), and the second aspect is that Allah the Exalted is watching over you, as He said:
And Allah was a watcher over all things
وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ رَقِيباًAs for your watching over Allah: It is that you know that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) knows everything you do in terms of words, actions, and beliefs, as Allah the Exalted said:
And rely upon the All-Mighty, the Merciful. And your moving about among those who prostrate
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ * وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَAnd your movement among those who prostrate.
وتقلبك في الساجدينThe nearest a servant come to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself
أقرب ما يكون العبد من ربه وهو ساجدLikewise, part of your watching over Allah is that you know that Allah hears whatever you say. Whatever you say, Allah the Exalted hears it. Allah the Exalted said:
Or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private conversations? Yes, [We do], and Our messengers are with them recording.
أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّا لا نَسْمَعُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُمْ بَلَى وَرُسُلُنَا لَدَيْهِمْ يَكْتُبُونَMan does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record].
مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌAnd whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, then let him say what is good or remain silent.
من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليقل خيرا أو ليصمتThe third is that you watch over Allah the Exalted in your secret, in your heart. What is in your heart? Shirk (associating partners with Allah), riya' (showing off), deviations, hatred toward the believers, enmity, dislike, love for the disbelievers, and the like of things that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) does not approve of. Watch over your heart, check it constantly, for Allah says:
And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْأِنْسَانَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهTo 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.
أن تعبد الله كأنك تراه فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراكand if you cannot achieve this state of devotion then you must consider that He is looking at you
فإن لم تكن تراه فإنه يراكSecond: Know that Allah the Exalted is watching over you. Whatever you say or do or conceal in your secret, Allah the Exalted is All-Aware of it. The author (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned verses that indicate this. He began with the verse we mentioned, which is Allah's saying to His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):
(217) And rely upon the Exalted in Might, the Merciful, (218) Who sees you when you arise (219) And your movement among those who prostrate. (220) Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ * وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ * إنه هو السميع العليمIndeed, from Allah nothing is hidden in the earth nor in the heaven.
إن الله لا يخفى عليه شيء في الأرض ولا في السماءNothing is hidden from Him
لا يخفىAnd with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.
وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍAnd no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth
ولا حبة في ظلمات الأرضNot a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain
وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍThe second is the darkness of the water in the sea.
The third is the darkness of the night.
The fourth is the darkness of the accumulated clouds.
The fifth is the darkness of the descending rain. Five darkesses over this small seed, and Allah (Mighty and Majestic) knows it:
And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.
وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍIt is You we worship and You we ask for help.
إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين(5) It is You we worship and You we ask for help. (6) Guide us to the straight path -
إياك نعبد وإياك نستعين * اهدنا الصراط المستقيمThese are three matters that constitute the methodology of those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favor. For this reason, he said:
(6) Guide us to the straight path - (7) The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
اهدنا الصراط المستقيم * صراط الذين أنعمت عليهم * غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالينThe reader: He said (may Allah have mercy on him): The author quoted: "The Chapter on Being Mindful of Allah: Allah the Exalted said: