Allah (s.w.t.) is Present; Allah (s.w.t.) is Watching

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

The following is adapted from a swuhbah from Shaykh Muhammad Nazhim Adil al-Haqqani (q.s.) on the 12^th April 2010. 

Shaykh Nazhim (q.s.) said no one knows what Allah (s.w.t.) Knows.  No one can understand what happens to a servant each time he recites the Basmallah for Allah (s.w.t.) does not Create or Bestow the same gifts twice.  Each recitation brings new and different Grants from Allah’s (s.w.t.) endless Oceans.  No servant can fully imagine or understand what it is that Allah (s.w.t.) will Bestow upon him for each recitation.  Shaykh Nazhim (q.s.) recited the prayer of Yunus (a.s.): 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاء

... لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ إِنِّى ڪُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٨٧) 

… “There is no god but You: Glory to You: I was indeed wrong!” (Surah al-Anbiya’:87) 

How many times have we ever recited this dzikr of repentance?  Are we humble enough to accept that we are oppressors to our own souls, that we are zhalimin?  Many people would hesitate to call themselves cruel, but in reality, we all are.  We are people who oppress ourselves.  What is the definition of a zhalim?  Everyone who obeys his ego is a zhalim.  When we follow our desires, instead of the Holy Commandments of the Qur’an, we are written as one of the zhalimin, oppressors to ourselves.  Why Yunus (a.s.) admitted to being zhalim, is told in the Qur’an.  If we treat the Qur’an like a mere story book, we would never realise that every story and every verse, from start to end, contains countless lessons. 

The best teacher for this ummah is Muhammad (s.a.w.).  One of his titles is Mu`allim an-Naas ul-Khayr, the Teacher of Goodness to Mankind.  The Seal of Prophets (s.a.w.) is a teacher to all of us, including other prophets and their followers.  Through the tongue of Rasulullah (s.a.w.), Allah (s.w.t.) Teaches us the Qur’an and He will Question us on Judgement Day as to what we had learnt from the Book.  How much we benefit from the teachings of the Holy Book depends on how much effort we make to learn and understand it.  Each time we obey one more verses of the Qur’an, we are opening new doors of elevation that no one prior to us had ever received. 

Allah (s.w.t.) Says, in the Qur’an: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنعَام

وَلِڪُلٍّ۬ دَرَجَـٰتٌ۬ مِّمَّا عَمِلُواْ‌ۚ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعۡمَلُونَ (١٣٢) 

To all are degrees (or ranks) according to their deeds: for your Lord is not unmindful of anything that they do. (Surah al-An’am:132) 

For every creature, there is its status of honour.  The Arabic word used is “kullin”, which means everyone is included; not one creature is omitted.  And this verse shows that every creature has a position of honour.  Not one person has been bestowed a lowly rank.  Allah (s.w.t.) Offers every person a chance to climb in ranks of honour; no one is deprived of an honourable station.  He has Bestowed us the Qur’an to recite, to understand and to obey.  To attain one’s station, one must fulfill one's responsibilities.  Every creature must obey the Divine Commands.  Every person has a different rank, so we practise the Qur’an according to our abilities. 

While Allah (s.w.t.) Commands all Mankind to fulfill His Divine Commands, He Assigns to us according to our inherent weakness and limited capacity.  Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ البَقَرَة

لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفۡسًا إِلَّا وُسۡعَهَا‌ۚ ... (٢٨٦) 

On no soul does Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear ... (Surah al-Baqarah:286) 

As such, we are given responsibilities, in line with our ranks.  Allah (s.w.t.) never loads on an ant, what an elephant can bear.  Therefore, because each person has different abilities and capacities.  No two are identical in these aspects.  Each soul has its own unique appearance and identity and it is only burdened with what it has been designed to withstand. 

Every soul carries a heavy burden on earth.  Every one of us has a heavy responsibility in life - some more than others.  Each one of us is working towards our respective goals.  Because of the burdens we carry, and because we are striving to fulfill our heavy responsibilities, Allah (s.w.t.) Accepts from us what we do and rewards us but the greatest honours are for those who do their best for their Creator.  That is why we must recite: 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴنبیَاء

... لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنتَ سُبۡحَـٰنَكَ إِنِّى ڪُنتُ مِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ (٨٧) 

… “There is no god but You: Glory to Thee: I was indeed wrong!” (Surah al-Anbiya’:87) 

No one on the Day of Resurrection can stand before Allah (s.w.t.) without saying this.  Each one of us must accept that we are on the level of the zhalimin, self-oppressors, because in everything that we do, even our good deeds, something from our egos is mixed with it, making it unclean.  Only the prophets and their real representatives are pure.  The rest of us are oppressors to ourselves.  We have followed our desires and contaminated our souls. 

One big saint of the Golden Chain, Khwaja ‘Abd al-Khaliq ibn ‘Abd al-Jamil al-Ghujdawani (q.s.) said to his students, that for the past 37 years, he never stepped in anything unclean.  He never allowed anything into his heart that was not acceptable in the Divine Presence.  He was always aware of his impending meeting with his Lord.  He was always aware that he was being Observed by Allah (s.w.t.).  To achieve that state of purity, we must always be with our Lord.  We must never think we are alone.  We must know that our Creator is with us.  Those people who have arrived at purity through the Seal of Prophet's (s.a.w.) teachings always remember: Allah (s.w.t.) is Present, Allah (s.w.t.) is Watching me, Allah (s.w.t.) is with us.  That is the way to purity.  We must be aware where our eyes look, be careful what our tongues speak and observe what our hearts are occupied with.  He Looks at our hearts: 

سُوۡرَةُ المؤمن / غَافر

يَعۡلَمُ خَآٮِٕنَةَ ٱلۡأَعۡيُنِ وَمَا تُخۡفِى ٱلصُّدُورُ (١٩) 

(Allah) Knows of (the tricks) that deceive with the eyes, and all that hearts (of men) conceal. (Surah Ghafir:19) 

Islam brings Divine Guidance to remove the filth of this unclean worldly life and bring us to the pure existence of a perfected servant of Allah (s.w.t.).  Unfortunately, not many people understand this message of Islam.  We must always remember Allah (s.w.t.) is Present, Allah (s.w.t.) is Watching me, Allah (s.w.t.) is with us. before we act.  It will make us too ashamed to step into any forbidden deed.  It will help us keep on the path of purity and perfection.