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A Bedouin came to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and believed in him and followed him. Then he said: “I will immigrate along with you.” So, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) instructed some of his Companions to take care of him.
During the battle of Khaybar, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) got some prisoners as spoils of war, and he distributed them and gave him a share. His Companions gave him what had been allocated to him. He had been looking after some livestock for them, and when he came, they gave him his share. He said: “What is this?” They said: “A share that the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) has allocated to you.” He took it and brought it to the Prophet and said: “What is this?” He said: “I allocated it to you.” He said: “It is not for this that I followed you. Rather, I followed you so that I might be shot here - and he pointed to his throat with an arrow - and die and enter Paradise.”
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) replied: “If you are sincere with Allah, Allah will fulfill your wish.” Shortly after that, they got up to fight the enemy, after which he was carried to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) after being hit with an arrow in the place he had pointed to earlier.
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Is it really him?” They replied in the affirmative. Thereupon, he said: “He was sincere with Allah and Allah fulfilled his wish.” Then, the Prophet shrouded him in his own cloak, put him in front of him, and offered the funeral prayer for him. During his supplication, he said: “O Allah, this is Your servant; he went out as an immigrant in Your cause and was martyred and I am a witness to that.” [Narrated by Al-Nasā’i with an authentic chain of narrators]
Actions of the body organs follow actions of the heart, and salvation on the Day of Judgment lies in the soundness of the heart. {On the Day when neither wealth nor children will be of any avail, except the one who comes to Allah with a sound heart.”} [Surat ash-Shu‘arā’: 88-89]
Only Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Aware, knows what is in the hearts. He says: {...And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 234]
The Almighty Lord knows the innermost thoughts and feelings of His servants. Nothing whatsoever, outward or inward, is hidden from Him, and nothing happens in His kingdom and dominion, no atom moves or stops, and no soul feels troubled or tranquil except with His knowledge.
His knowledge encompasses both the apparent and the hidden, the public and the secret. It encompasses everything: duties, impossibilities, possible things, the higher world and the lower one, the past, the present, and the future. Nothing is hidden or unknown to Him.
He informs of the consequences and outcomes of things. {It is He Who created the heavens and earth and all that is between them in six Days, then rose over the Throne. He is the Most Compassionate, so ask about Him the One Who is All-Aware.} [Surat al-Furqān: 59]
Allah is All-Knowing of outward things and All-Aware of inward ones.
He is All-Aware of the facts and the meanings and encompasses all things.
And He is the All-Knowing Lord from Whom nothing is hidden or veiled.
A person who knows that Allah is All-Aware of his innermost thoughts and feelings and is watching over him will feel shy that Allah should ever see him doing things displeasing to Him. Such a person will perfect his deeds and perform his worship sincerely for the sake of his Lord until he reaches the level of Ihsān, which is mentioned in this authentic Hadīth: “To worship Allah as if you see Him. But if you cannot see Him, He sees you.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
Abu Hātim said: “The best act of obedience a person can do in this world is to reform his intentions and avoid spoiling consciences.”
Two persons may perform the same righteous deed, yet it is accepted from one of them but not form the other. For example, two men pray side by side and the prayer of one gets accepted; whereas the other one only gets a partial reward for his prayer, according to how much he focused therein. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Indeed, a man may perform a prayer and gets no reward for it except a tenth, a ninth, an eighth, a seventh, or a sixth thereof.” [Narrated by Ibn Hibbān; Sahīh (authentic)]
Also, a person may give charity and Allah accepts it from him and even fosters it for him, as we foster our own foal. And another person may give charity and Allah turns it down and even punishes him for it. {If you give charity publicly, it is good; but if you give it secretly to the poor, it is better for you, and He will expiate some of your sins. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 271]
One may pretend to lower his gaze while other people are around, yet when he is alone, he gives free rein to his eyes and violates the prohibitions set by his Lord. Only the All-Aware and All-Seeing Lord watches over what he does and knows what is in his heart. {He knows the fraud of the eyes, and all that the breasts conceal.} [Surat Ghāfir: 19]
Leading a life between obedience and disobedience carries the risk of not knowing during which of them your life will come to an end.
How you act when you are alone may raise or lower you. Whoever extols Allah Almighty in his time of seclusion, people will revere him when he is in public.
Imam Mālik (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “Whoever likes to have relief within his heart and be saved from the throes of death and the horrors on the Day of Judgment, he should perform more good deeds in secret than in public.”
Ibn Rajab (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “Only a person whose inside is good will have a good ending for his life, as none can be pretentious in the moment of death. It is only what lies within the heart that comes out then.”
Allah Almighty states that He is the All-Aware. He even couples His name “the All-Aware” with what people do and know more than twenty times, urging His servants to fear Him. {...Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is All-Aware of what you do.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 8]
Allah also urges us to consider our outward and inward deeds. The more one believes in the name “Al-Khabīr”, the more he becomes aware of what takes place in his own world, namely his heart and body, including his innermost thoughts and secrets, like cheating, treachery, and evil intent.
Allah Almighty does not look at our forms or appearances, but He looks at our hearts and deeds. {But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are scattered. And that within the breasts is obtained. Verily, on that Day their Lord will be All-Aware of them.} [Surat al-‘Ādiyāt: 9-11]
When the believer takes his share in Allah’s name “Al-Khabīr”, he enjoys the company of his Lord and, consequently, He elevates and purifies him and makes him more preoccupied with this company than with anything else. He also makes him constantly fearful and heedful of the Almighty Creator, grants him self-sufficiency, subjects the worldly life to him, and blesses whatever He provides for him. Such a person will be safe from anxiety and distress, and the devil cannot find a way to him. Allah Almighty says: {...And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out.} [Surat at-Talāq: 2]
O my Lord Who sees and hears what is within people’s hearts and consciences, O You from Whom we seek relief from our hardships! I have no means but my humble submission before You and my need for You, as I knock on Your door. Exalted are You far above turning down a sinner who turns to You in repentance.
O Allah, You are the Bestower of every blessing that we expect, and to You we all resort and in You we seek refuge from every fear, need, and distress. If You reject us, we will not find another door to knock on; and You are the Owner of supreme bounty and grace.
O Allah, the All-Aware, show us kindness; indeed, You know our innermost thoughts and what lies concealed within our consciences.