يعلم خائنة الاعين وما تخفي الصدور

يَعْلَمُ خَآئِنَةَ ٱلْأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِى ٱلصُّدُورُ

As a security guard, right now I am inside a small outdoor security booth, which is near the entrance of a large car workshop, and it is positioned over here so that I can see what's going on and who is entering and exiting the place.


Right now the gates are closed and I don't really have any work to do for the next 2 hours (aside from just staying alert). So, now I am using this peaceful time to just write a reflection that came to my mind (hehe), and it's connected to the security role that I have.


So sometimes, when it's busy, cars will come and go, and then I go in and out of the booth to write down the car details and then enter them into a computer system as well. There's a standing desk inside the booth, so I stand and do the work (which feels more comfortable to me than being in a sitting position).


In the busy times, when workers walk past the booth, sometimes they look at me and then they say 'Hi' or 'Bye' to me as they are walking by, and then I say the same. But they don't do it all the time, especially when I am standing and facing the computer and looking a little busy. But I am still aware who is coming in and going out through the main gate.


As I am standing and working, I might notice someone coming or going through the corner of my eyes, and then I turn my neck a little bit to just look at them. When they see me in a standing and a busy-looking position, usually they tend to keep walking without saying anything because they know that my attention is more towards the work that I am doing, which is normal and fine.


But other times, when it's not busy anymore, I take a seat and relax a little bit. And when the people who are walking past me see me in that position, that I am sitting calmly and healthily, shoulders down, hands on my knees, facing towards them, and just being more present and aware, their behavior overall becomes a little more gracious, compassionate, and kinder.


For example, they will smile more, they seem to like me more, they will put up their hands as a gesture of greeting or to say goodbye to me, they will nod their heads a little bit (as if I'm doing a good job or something by just sitting), and so on. These nice and positive behaviors don't occur as frequently when they see me standing and looking distracted by other things and not giving them full attention.


In other words, to put it simply, the level of awareness and attention that they perceive in me has an effect on their behavior as they are walking by.


So, I thought about this observation and then I reflected on this as an analogy of something, which is the following:


Allah is the only one who is All-Seeing, All-Aware, and All-Knowing. His Vision and His Knowledge extends over all things. 'And neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him.' (2:255)


If we can truly internalize and always be conscious of that fact, then similarly this should have a positive effect on our behavior and our acts of worship as well, because we know that Allah is always watching us. He is never distracted by anything nor does He get tired.


Remembrance of this should automatically motivate us to do more good; it should help us to be in our prayers with more humility, stillness, and tranquility; it should prevent us from doing things that are sinful or prohibited; it should help us to regulate our thoughts and feelings as well, because Allah also knows what is happening inside of us.


As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said in a hadith, 'Ihsan is to worship Allah as if you can see Him, for although you cannot see Him, He truly sees you' (Sahih Al-Bukhari).


#AllahisWatching

Jazakallahu khair, this reflection made me ponder and made me smile :) May Allah (swt) increase you in Ihsaan and wisdom always. Ameen

‏ يقول الله جل جلاله في سورة الانفال الاية ٢٤
يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنُوا استَجيبوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسولِ إِذا دَعاكُم لما يُحييكُم وَاعلَموا أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَحولُ بَينَ المَرءِ وَقَلبِهِ وَأَنَّهُ إِلَيهِ تُحشَرونَ

English (Saheeh):
(24) O you who have believed, respond to Allāh and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that Allāh intervenes between a man and his heart and that to Him you will be gathered.
[Al-anfãl 24]
ويقول سبحانه في سورة غافر الاية ١٩ 
يَعلَمُ خائِنَةَ الأَعيُنِ وَما تُخفِي الصُّدور

English (Saheeh):
(19) He knows that which deceives the eyes and what the breasts conceal.
 [Ghāfir: 19]

These two verses carry a profound impact on the heart. What you consider to be something hidden from everyone, a secret between you and yourself, is in reality not just between you and yourself, but between you and Allah. What you conceal within your heart, thinking that no one will ever know, you must reckon with the fact that Allah is indeed fully aware of it, He knows it and sees it, and you will be held accountable for it ..
‏Deeds originate from the heart, and being cognizant of Allah's oversight and awareness is the first step towards building true God-consciousness and piety
‏Most calamities and evils arise from a lack of awareness of Allah's constant supervision over us. We tend to think that we are forgotten, when in reality we are fully exposed before the All-Knowing, All-Wise
Be aware

Assalaamu Alaikum,

Thank you for sharing your reflection on these powerful verses from Surah Al-Anfal and Surah Ghafir. Your reflection on the concept of Allah's knowledge of our hidden thoughts and intentions is remarkable. It serves as a reminder of the importance of being conscious of Allah's constant presence and oversight in our lives.

Your emphasis on the connection between our hearts and our deeds, as well as the significance of recognizing Allah's awareness in fostering true piety, is truly insightful.

Keep up the good work in reflecting on the Quran and sharing your thoughts. Jazak Allah Khair for your contribution to the community.

Chapter 40 : Ghafir, Verse: 19
Allah ˹even˺ knows the sly glances of the eyes and whatever the hearts conceal. (19)

One quick and effective way to internalise lessons from this ayah on daily basis is an activity that I started to do yesterday and I am hoping to turn it into a consistent habit insha Allah: 

Just before you close your eyes each night for sleep, ask yourself: 

What's inside my heart? 
What's on my mind? 
What's troubling me? 
Did something happen on that day that bothered you and has been weighing on your mind all day? 
Perhaps something a co-worker or a friend or just a random person did or said? 

Once you identify that thought or feeling, talk to Allah and explain what you are feeling or thinking in a few words. Ask for His help and for giving you patience. 

Now here comes the hard part: actively engage in the act of forgiveness for whoever has wronged you or annoyed you that day. Even if you don't want to do it because you think that they don't deserve your forgiveness or because you are hurt, forgive and overlook and implore to Allah that He forgives you too. Remind yourself of the ayah where Allah SWT asks us to forgive and overlook. 

This process can be sometimes painful and hard for many especially if you struggle with forgiveness but it can be truly liberating and calming. Through forgiving others and overlooking their mistakes, we regain the power to redirect our thoughts and feelings towards doing what's meaningful and pleasing to Allah. 

If what's weighing on our mind is not related to what somebody said or did, it helps to think of the bigger picture, of the Hereafter, of things or people you are grateful for because that can put what you are going through in perspective and often tells you what you need to do next whether it's repenting to Allah for a sin and correcting a behaviour or beginning a new habit. 

By reflecting on what's inside our hearts, re-aligning our actions with our values, and forgiving others on a daily basis just before we sleep, we lift the shackles of negativity from our lives and pave the way for a more positive tomorrow insha Allah. 

Give it a go and let me know what you think!

Masha'Allah, a great and an important reminder on the act of forgiving others. I also like the advice on practicing forgiveness every night before going to sleep. I heard that the Salaf (righteous predecessors) used to do that. Jazakallahu khair brother for sharing this.

Recently, I've also shared a reflection that touches on the subject of forgiveness, although it's more about the afterlife. I'll share it with you here because I think you will like it inshs'Allah;
https://quranreflect.com/posts/23850
..

Reflexiones.: Gáfir 40:19