Hadith #5989

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of all the worlds. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), his pure progeny, and his noble companions.

The Hadith of Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) serves as a profound reminder for all Muslims to be cautious and mindful of their actions in the sight of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ). Let us delve into the exegesis of this Hadith, exploring its key words and their meanings in light of the Quran.

The first important word in this Hadith is (yafqudaka) "يَفْقُدَكَ", which means "to be missed" or "to be deprived." Here, Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) warns us about the possibility of being missed by our Lord in His worship. This implies that if we neglect our obligations towards Allah, we risk losing His attention and the blessings that come with it.

To support this, we find in the Quran, in Surah Al-Ma'idah (5:54), Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says,

O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion - Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.

This verse emphasizes the importance of remaining steadfast in our faith and worship. If we falter in our commitment to Allah, He may replace us with a people who are more dedicated and deserving of His love. Thus, we must strive to maintain a strong connection with our Lord through consistent worship and obedience.

The second key word in the Hadith is (ma'siyatihi) "مَعْصِيَتِهِ", which means "His disobedience." Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) warns us about the consequences of being seen by Allah in His disobedience, which would displease Him. This highlights the importance of avoiding sinful actions and striving to please Allah in all aspects of our lives.

In Surah Al-Baqarah (2:205), Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says,

And when he turns away [from you], his effort in the land is to cause corruption therein and to destroy crops and animals. And Allah does not like corruption.

This verse reminds us that Allah dislikes those who engage in corrupt and destructive behavior. Therefore, we must be mindful of our actions and strive to avoid disobedience, as it displeases our Lord.

The consequences of being seen by Allah in His disobedience are severe. In Surah Al-Imran (3:178), Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَىٰ) says,

And let not those who disbelieve think that Our postponing of their punishment is good for them. We postpone the punishment only so that they may increase in sinfulness. And for them is a humiliating punishment.

This verse serves as a warning that those who persist in disobedience will face a humiliating punishment from Allah.

Imam Ali (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) advises us to be cautious and mindful of our actions, for they have consequences in the sight of Allah. If we are negligent in our worship or engage in disobedience, we risk losing the blessings of Allah's attention and incurring His displeasure.

Reflecting on this Hadith, we should strive to maintain a strong connection with Allah through consistent worship and obedience. We must be mindful of our actions, avoiding disobedience and striving to please our Lord in all aspects of our lives. May Allah guide us and protect us from being missed by Him in His worship or being seen by Him in His disobedience.