https://www.khutbah.info/fearing-allah-unseen/ If īmān (faith) and certainty fill one’s heart, then they will be watchful of Allāh and fear and venerate Him throughout their lives. And this will govern all their actions, whether many or few, big or small and major or minor. And it will take one to the highest level of religion which is the level of ihsān (excellence) and that it as described in the Hadith of Jibreel: To worship Allāh as if you see Him, for even though you do not see Him, He sees you. [Bukhārī 4777, Muslim 8e]
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
If īmān (faith) and certainty fill one’s heart, then they will be watchful of Allāh and fear and venerate Him throughout their lives. And this will govern all their actions, whether many or few, big or small and major or minor. And it will take one to the highest level of religion which is the level of ihsān (excellence) and that it as described in the Hadith of Jibreel:
أَنْ تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ
To worship Allāh as if you see Him, for even though you do not see Him, He sees you. [Bukhārī 4777, Muslim 8e]
And there are numerous verses in the Quran that instill fear, apprehension and watchfulness of Allāh Almighty in the heart of the believer. Because the believer believes in the unseen and knows that Allāh is ever watching them. And apprehension is anguish over something unpleasant in the future. Sometimes, it is due to one’s abundant transgressions and sometimes because of one’s knowledge of Allāh’s majesty and grandeur.
And whoever fears and is in awe of Allāh unseen has realized the complete īmān (faith) and complete consciousness of Allāh, and benefits from what Allāh has revealed of light and guidance. Allāh Almighty said:
وَلَقَدْ آتَيْنَا مُوسَى وَهَارُونَ الْفُرْقَانَ وَضِيَاءً وَذِكْرًا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ * الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ وَهُمْ مِنَ السَّاعَةِ مُشْفِقُونَ-الْأَنْبِيَاءِ 48-49
Al Anbiya (21) 48-49: (48) And We had already given Moses and Aaron the criterion and a light and a reminder for the righteous (49) Who fear their Lord unseen, while they are of the Hour apprehensive.
Hasan Al Basrī, may Allāh have mercy on him, said, īmān (faith) is the faith of the one who fears and is in awe of Allāh Almighty unseen. And he desires what Allāh, the Most High, desires, and leaves what incurs the wrath of Allāh, the Most High. Then Ḥasan recited:
إِنَّمَا يَخْشَى اللَّهَ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ الْعُلَمَاءُ-فَاطِرٍ 28
Fatir (35) 28: Only those fear Allāh, from among His servants, who have knowledge.
And those who fear Allāh Almighty unseen are conscious of the cautionary verses of the Quran and shun the places of wrath and torment. Allāh Almighty said:
إِنَّمَا تُنْذِرُ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ-فَاطِرٍ 18
Fatir (35) 18: You can only warn those who fear their Lord unseen and have established prayer.
And they are the ones promised victory and power over their adversaries. Allāh Almighty said:
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِرُسُلِهِمْ لَنُخْرِجَنَّكُمْ مِنْ أَرْضِنَا أَوْ لَتَعُودُنَّ فِي مِلَّتِنَا فَأَوْحَى إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ لَنُهْلِكَنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ * وَلَنُسْكِنَنَّكُمُ الْأَرْضَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامِي وَخَافَ وَعِيدِ-إِبْرَاهِيمَ 13-14
Ibrahim (14) 13-14: (13) And those who disbelieved said to their messengers, “We will surely drive you out of our land, or you must return to our religion.” So their Lord inspired to them, “We will surely destroy the wrongdoers. (14) And We will surely cause you to dwell in the land after them. That is for he who fears My position and fears My threat.”
And they are the ones given glad tidings of the forgiveness of Allāh Almighty and His reward. Allāh Almighty said:
إِنَّمَا تُنْذِرُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ الذِّكْرَ وَخَشِيَ الرَّحْمَنَ بِالْغَيْبِ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ يس: 11
Ya-Sin (36) 11: You can only warn one who follows the message and fears the Most Merciful unseen. So give him good tidings of forgiveness and noble reward.
And their reward is noble and great. Allāh Almighty said:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَيْبِ لَهُمْ مَغْفِرَةٌ وَأَجْرٌ كَبِيرٌ الْمُلْكِ 12
Al Mulk (67) 12: Indeed, those who fear their Lord unseen will have forgiveness and great reward.
And they are those who regularly turn to Allāh and those with hearts returning in repentance, and the Paradise will brought near for them. Allāh Almighty said:
وَأُزْلِفَتِ الْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ * هَذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ حَفِيظٍ * مَنْ خَشِيَ الرَّحْمَنَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَجَاءَ بِقَلْبٍ مُنِيبٍ-ق 31 – 33
Qaf (50) 31-33: (31) And Paradise will be brought near to the righteous, not far, (32) [It will be said], “This is what you were promised – for every returner [to Allāh] and keeper [of His covenant]. (33) Who feared the Most Merciful in the unseen and came with a heart returning [in repentance].
And every one of them will have two gardens, just as the Most Merciful described in Surah Ar-Rahman:
وَلِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ جَنَّتَانِ-الرَّحْمَنِ 46
Ar Rahman (55) 46: But for he who has feared the position of his Lord are two gardens
Until the Almighty said:
هَلْ جَزَاءُ الْإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الْإِحْسَانُ-الرَّحْمَنِ 60
Ar Rahman (55) 60: Is the reward for good [anything] but good?
And their sign is that they put the pleasure of Allāh Almighty over their desires. And they do not transgress His prohibitions while they are alone. Allāh Almighty said:
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَى * فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَى-النَّازِعَاتِ 40-41
An Naziat (79) 40-41: (40) But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination, (41) Then indeed, Paradise will be [his] refuge.
For their belief in the unseen drives them to be watchful of Allāh Almighty and fear Him in private. Otherwise, most people are ashamed of committing sins in front of people. But rather the matter is leaving sins while all one is alone. Wuhaib bin Al Ward said, “be careful to not consider Allāh the least significant of those looking at you.”
And reflect on the authentic supplication of the Prophet ﷺ:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ خَشْيَتَكَ فِي الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ
O Allāh, I ask You to grant me fear of You in private and in public. [Sunan an-Nasa’i 1305, Grade: Ṣaḥīḥ]
Ibn Rajeb, may Allāh Almighty have mercy on him, said, “The fear of Allāh Almighty unseen and while seen means that the person fears Allāh secretly and publicly and outwardly and inwardly. For most people believe that they fear Allāh – the Most High – in public and while seen. But the matter is fearing Allāh Almighty unseen away from the people’s eyes. And Allāh Almighty has praised those who fear Him unseen”.
And whoever fears Allāh unseen has protected themselves from fault, and has distanced themselves from the circumstances of humiliation, and has preserved their value with Allāh Almighty and with the people. Sulaymān At Taymi, may Allāh have mercy on him, said, “Indeed, a man sins while alone and it becomes a source of humiliation for him”. And some of the wise said, “be more ashamed from yourself than you are of others”. And some of the cultured said, “whoever does something secretly that they are ashamed to do in the open does not value themselves”.
And indeed they have diminished the value of themselves. Because they did what mandates the displeasure of Allāh Almighty upon them. And if Allāh Almighty is displeased with someone, then the people are also displeased with them. And their value drops from the hearts of the people. And only Allāh Almighty owns the hearts. And that is indicated in the Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, may Allāh be pleased with him, who said that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ إِذَا أَحَبَّ عَبْدًا دَعَا جِبْرِيلَ فَقَالَ: إِنِّي أُحِبُّ فُلَانًا فَأَحِبَّهُ، قَالَ: فَيُحِبُّهُ جِبْرِيلُ، ثُمَّ يُنَادِي فِي السَّمَاءِ فَيَقُولُ: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ فُلَانًا فَأَحِبُّوهُ، فَيُحِبُّهُ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ، قَالَ: ثُمَّ يُوضَعُ لَهُ الْقَبُولُ فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَإِذَا أَبْغَضَ عَبْدًا دَعَا جِبْرِيلَ فَيَقُولُ: إِنِّي أُبْغِضُ فُلَانًا فَأَبْغِضْهُ، قَالَ: فَيُبْغِضُهُ جِبْرِيلُ، ثُمَّ يُنَادِي فِي أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبْغِضُ فُلَانًا فَأَبْغِضُوهُ، قَالَ: فَيُبْغِضُونَهُ، ثُمَّ تُوضَعُ لَهُ الْبَغْضَاءُ فِي الْأَرْضِ-رَوَاهُ الشَّيْخَانِ
If Allāh loves a servant [of His] He calls Gabriel (peace be upon him) and says: I love so-and-so, therefore love him. He (the Prophet ﷺ) said: So Gabriel loves him. Then he (Gabriel) calls out in heaven, saying: Allāh loves so-and-so, therefore love him. Then the inhabitants of heaven love him. He (the Prophet ﷺ) said: Then acceptance of him is established on earth. And if Allāh hates a servant [of His], He calls Gabriel and says: I hate so-and-so, therefore hate him. So Gabriel hates him. Then Gabriel calls out to the inhabitants of heaven: Allāh hates so-and-so, therefore hate him. He (the Prophet ﷺ) said: So they hate him, and then hatred of him is established on earth. [Bukhari 7485, Muslim 2637a]
Abu Ad-Dardaa, may Allāh be pleased with him, said, “a person should be wary that the hearts of the believers hate him without him sensing”. So Al Fuḍail bin Eyād asked Dawood bin Mehrān,” Do you know what this is ?” He replied: “no”, he (Fuḍail) replied, “a person disobeys Allāh while alone, so Allāh places hatred of him in the hearts of the believers without him sensing.”
And Ibn Sammāk wrote advice to one of his brothers and part of what he said: I advise you with the consciousness of Allāh Almighty, who is with you while you are alone and your overseer in the open, so keep Allāh Almighty in your mind at all times, in your night and your day. And your love of Allāh Almighty is in accordance to your nearness to Him and how much you appreciate Him. Know that you are under His Eye and that you do not leave His authority to someone else’s authority, and not from His dominion to someone else’s dominion. So magnify your appraisal of Him, and increase your awe of Him.
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
A person must have fear and apprehension. For if one is honored by the fear of Allāh Almighty unseen and the witnessed, and being watchful of Him in secret and in public, then Allāh Almighty honors him, raises his status, elevates his position, and admits him to Paradise. And if one is too proud to fear Allāh Almighty, then Allāh Almighty humiliates him and lowers his status and empowers those whom he fears over him. And in many verses, Allāh Almighty has prohibited fearing other than Him because it is a cause or result of not fearing Him the Almighty:
الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ-الْمَائِدَةِ 3
Al Maedah (5) 3: This day those who disbelieve have despaired of [defeating] your religion; so fear them not, but fear Me.
And in another verse:
أَتَخْشَوْنَهُمْ فَاللَّهُ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تَخْشَوْهُ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ-التَّوْبَةِ 13
At Tawbah (9) 13: Do you fear them? But Allāh has more right that you should fear Him, if you are [truly] believers.
And Allāh Almighty informed about the hypocrites saying:
إِذَا فَرِيقٌ مِنْهُمْ يَخْشَوْنَ النَّاسَ كَخَشْيَةِ اللَّهِ أَوْ أَشَدَّ خَشْيَةً-النِّسَاءِ 77
An Nisa (4) 77: At once a party of them feared men as they fear Allāh or with [even] greater fear.
And fearing Allāh Almighty is high station through which iḥsān, which is the highest level of religion, is realized. It is difficult on many of those who incline to misdeeds away from the eyes of people. Bishr bin Al Hārith said, “the most difficult of deeds are three, generosity in scarceness, piety in solitude, and the word of truth to someone that one fears or expects benefit“.
And what helps someone in fearing Allāh unseen is strength in īmān (faith) in the promise and warning of Allāh Almighty and reflecting on the severity of His seizure, retribution and strength of His overpowering. And that mandates for one to leave disobeying Him. As Ḥasan said, “son of Adam, do you have the power to wage war against Allāh Almighty, for the one who has disobeyed Him has waged war against Allāh”. And some scholars said that I am astonished by the weak that disobey the strong.
And what helps someone in fearing Allāh unseen is knowledge that Allāh Almighty is witnessing and monitoring their hearts and actions and that Allāh is with them wherever they are as the Quran indicated. Allāh Almighty said:
يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ-النِّسَاءِ 108
An Nisa (4) 108: They conceal [their evil intentions and deeds] from the people, but they cannot conceal [them] from Allāh, and He is with them [in His knowledge].
And Allāh Almighty said:
وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ-الْحَدِيدِ 4
Al Hadid (57) 4: And He is with you wherever you are. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
So this necessitates decency before Him the Almighty in secret and in public.
And what helps someone in fearing Allāh unseen is knowledge that laziness in performing the obligatory and lethargy in performing acts of obedience and deficiency in sweetness of īmān (faith) are due to sins done secretly. And if one leaves the sins, one will find that the sweetness of leaving greatly exceeds the enjoyment of the sin, with what one experiences of sweetness of īmān (faith) and energy and delight in worshipping.
And what helps someone in fearing Allāh unseen is knowledge that death can overtake them, without notice, while they are sinning and they will conclude with their misdeed. And whoever dies upon something, will be resurrected upon it. And one should remember that any lust that lures a person vanishes quickly while its sin and bad effects remains. Rather the entire worldly life with its lusts and adornments will pass and that it is the enjoyment of delusion. Allāh Almighty said:
فَمَنْ زُحْزِحَ عَنِ النَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ الْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ-آلِ عِمْرَانَ 185
Al Imran (3) 185: So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.
We ask Allāh Almighty to grant us fear of Him unseen. And we seek refuge from Him, Glory be to Him, from that which mandates His wrath and punishment. Indeed Allāh is All Hearing, Answering.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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