أَشْھَدُ أَنْ لَّا إِلٰہَ اِلَّا اللّٰہُ وَحْدَہٗ لَا شَرِیکَ لَہٗ وَأَشْھَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُہٗ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ

أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَأَعُوْذُ بِاللّٰہِ مِنَ الشَّیْطٰنِ الرَّجِیْمِ- بِسْمِ اللّٰہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِیْنَ۔ اَلرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ۔ مٰلِکِ یَوْمِ الدِّیْنِ۔ اِیَّا کَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ۔

اِھْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ۔ صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْھِمْ غَیْرِالْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْھِمْ وَلَاالضَّآلِّیْنَ۔

یٰٓاَیُّھَاالَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا اتَّقُوااللّٰہَ وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ۔ وَاتَّقُوااللّٰہَ۔ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ خَبِیْرٌ بِّمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ۔ وَلَا تَکُوْنُوْا کَالَّذِیْنَ نَسُوااللّٰہَ فَاَنْسٰھُمْ اَنْفُسَھُمْ۔ اُوْلٰٓئِکَ ھُمُ الْفٰسِقُوْنَ (20-19:Al-Hashr)

These are two verses from Surah Al-Hashr, the translation of which is as follows:

“O ye who believe, fear Allah; and let every soul look to what it sends forth for the morrow. And fear Allah; verily Allah is Well-Aware of what you do. And be not like those who forgot Allah, so He caused them to forget themselves. It is they who are the transgressors.”

It is generally observed that the root of every evil and sin is considering these evils and sins as trivial and not making an effort to avoid them or not paying attention to them. However, this very negligence then leads a person into major sins, because gradually one forgets virtues and forgets those standards of righteousness that a believer should attain. The fear of Allah the Exalted diminishes. Distance from taqwa develops. Complete faith in the life after death does not remain. Thus, one who claims to have faith practically moves further away from the conditions of faith and no longer remains a believer in the sight of Allah the Exalted. In these verses, Allah the Exalted has drawn the attention of believers towards this very matter.

Allah the Exalted has emphatically told believers not to be concerned merely with today's and this world's amusements and pleasures, comforts and luxuries, or relationships with relatives, family and friends. Rather, what you should be concerned about is your tomorrow. Your standard of faith in Allah the Exalted and adopting His taqwa should be your real priority and concern. Your faith in the life after death and the Day of Reckoning should be the focus of your concern. And if this is the case, only then will your true moral development occur, which will not be merely superficial morality but will carry the purpose of attaining the pleasure of Allah the Exalted. Your spiritual progress and your claim of being a believer will only be genuine when you keep your eye on tomorrow. Your certain, selfless and truthful faith in the Being of God Almighty will also be genuine in the sight of Allah the Exalted only when, keeping your tomorrow in view, you strive to attain the pleasure of Allah the Exalted and endeavour to act upon His commandments.

Regarding the first verse that I have recited, the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) states:

"O ye who believe, fear God and let each of you see what he has sent forth for the next world, and fear that God Who is Khabir and Aleem and is watching your deeds. That is, He is the One Who knows and examines thoroughly. Therefore, He will never accept your impure deeds." (Sat Bachan, Ruhani Khazain, Volume 10, Pages 225-226)

Thus, each one of us needs to understand this commandment of Allah the Exalted with great reflection and effort—that while adopting the taqwa of Allah the Exalted, we should keep an eye on our deeds. We should pay attention to those matters that will improve our tomorrow. Allah the Exalted, Who sees into the depths of our hearts and has complete knowledge of us, cannot be deceived by merely superficial matters. Rather, as the Promised Messiah (peace be upon him) stated, He distinguishes between the genuine and the counterfeit. He will not accept impure deeds. Thus, for a believer, this is a matter of great concern—to be concerned about one's tomorrow where deeds will be accounted for. Like non-believers, we should not consider only this world as everything. Rather, to achieve true success, we should walk upon taqwa. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) states: Allah the Exalted has taught one secret for success in this world and the hereafter—that a person should be concerned about tomorrow today. Through this, there will be improvement in this world as well as improvement in the life of the hereafter.

Then he further stated: "By acting upon the teaching of the Holy Quran, وَلْتَنْظُرْ نَفْسٌ مَّا قَدَّمَتْ لِغَدٍ, a person not only becomes successful in this world but will also, by the grace of God, be honoured in the hereafter. We can never accumulate the capital of salvation for the hereafter unless we begin preparing for that eternal abode from today itself." (Haqaiq-ul-Furqan, Volume 4, Pages 66-67)

In this regard, I also wish to mention that this verse is recited in the Nikah sermon as well. It is the last verse among those recited in the Nikah sermon. Allah the Exalted, through the verses recited in the Nikah sermon, has drawn attention to various matters—to also care for blood relations; to also care for the responsibilities that will come with this bond; to adopt truthfulness; that if you remain steadfast on truth, through it you will continue to receive the ability to perform good deeds and maintain relationships. Follow the commandments of Allah and His Messenger—therein lies your successful life. Then He further emphasized that if you keep your eye on tomorrow, you will also keep your eye on the commandments of Allah and His Messenger. Now, there are countless commandments of Allah and His Messenger that play a role in making family matters beautiful. If a person reflects, the benefit is for the person himself. As Hazrat Khalifa I stated, both the world and the hereafter will be improved. In this world, domestic life will also become like paradise, and by following the commandments of Allah the Exalted, the rewards of the hereafter will also be attained. Then, not only for oneself but because of this, children will also become those who walk upon righteousness. Thus, one will not only be improving one's own tomorrow but a true believer will try to become a guarantor for the tomorrow of the next generation as well. Rather, he becomes a guarantor that generally the next generation too will tread the path of righteousness.

Therefore, if those homes or families that are ruining their homes over trivial matters become those who reflect upon the commandments of Allah the Exalted and act upon them, they will not only become guarantors of peace in their homes, they will also become those who properly train their children and guide them towards walking on the path of taqwa and improve their lives. Rather, they will become those who attain the blessings of Allah the Exalted both in this world and in the hereafter. Thus, those homes that are ruining their homes over trivial matters merely for worldly interests should think and reflect. The future generations are not only your offspring but are also the asset of the Jama'at and the nation. To show them the right path is the duty of parents, and this can only happen when parents strive to conduct themselves according to the commandments of Allah and His Messenger. May Allah the Exalted grant everyone the ability to do so.

This is one aspect towards which Allah the Exalted has directed every believer to make effort and to act upon so that they may improve their own and their children's world and hereafter. There are countless occasions in our lives when we do not act with taqwa. We do not keep our eye on the hereafter. We consider the resources and necessities of this world as everything. We subconsciously give preference to worldly support over the support of Allah the Exalted. Then, because of our weaknesses, incompetence, and laziness, we also ruin our future in this world. We ruin what is our tomorrow in this world and also disregard the tomorrow of the next world. We do not think about what dreadful consequences can result from this. Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him) once drew attention briefly in these words: "A believer should first consider the end result of any action he takes—what its consequence will be." He stated: "At the time of anger, a person wants to kill, utters abuses, but he should think about what the end result will be. If this principle is kept in mind, one will be granted the ability to tread the path of taqwa." (Haqaiq-ul-Furqan, Volume 4, Page 67)

If we observe, all evils and all sins are committed because at the time of committing them, a khannas is lodged in our minds, Satan has crept in. The action is done heedless of the consequences. It is very rare for those who commit murder and plunder or those who commit sins to confess and present themselves to face the consequences. The state of frenzy of such people who do present themselves is almost a permanent condition. Otherwise, every person of ordinary intellect, when they come out of that frenzied state, tries to save themselves. The case of habitual criminals is different; they are an exception. Here, Allah the Exalted is not speaking about people who are habitual or completely insane, but rather He says to those who claim to have faith that the sign of a believer is to keep one's eye on tomorrow.

Hazrat Khalifa I (may Allah be pleased with him), while explaining how the thought of keeping one's eye on the consequences or on tomorrow should be developed and how to keep that in view, states: "One should have faith in this: وَاللّٰہُ خَبِیْرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ—Allah is aware of whatever you do. If a person has this certainty that there is an All-Knowing, All-Wise King Who sees every kind of wrongdoing, deceit, fraud, laziness, and negligence, and will give its recompense, then he can be saved." He said: "Develop such faith. There are many people who are negligent in their duties of employment, trade, labour, etc. By doing so, their earnings do not remain lawful." (Haqaiq-ul-Furqan, Volume 4, Pages 67-68)

That is, those who are also negligent in worldly matters and do not fulfil their due rights, it means they too have ruined their tomorrow, and the sustenance they earned has not remained lawful. This is sustenance obtained through deceit.

Thus, this verse that draws attention to keeping one's eye on tomorrow has great breadth, and at every step it holds the feet of a true believer and prevents them from moving towards even a minor weakness or sin.

Therefore, we need to develop this conviction within ourselves, and we should be steadfast upon this conviction, that Allah the Exalted is watching our every action, and also the conviction that any kind of deceit or fraud—whether we consider it trivial and are doing it to earn a little profit, or we are showing laziness in our work, or we are deliberately not completing work according to the agreement with the intention that perhaps by putting someone under pressure we can gain further benefit—remember, such things are not pleasing to God Almighty. And when they are not pleasing to God Almighty, then, as Hazrat Khalifa I (may Allah be pleased with him) also stated, there will be recompense for it, and that recompense will only be in the form of punishment.

Thus, by telling a believer to keep an eye on tomorrow, attention has been drawn to walking upon taqwa in all matters—from minor domestic affairs to social, business, national, and international matters. And whoever does not walk upon taqwa should also keep in mind that such a person will come under the grip of God. A person should not think that worldly matters have no connection with religion. For a believer, there is the command to walk upon taqwa, and in taqwa, it is necessary to perform all religious and worldly tasks according to the guidance of God Almighty. Sometimes a person thinks they should try to avoid the trial of worldly loss, that they should gain financial profit regardless of what means are adopted. But one should remember that any method by which benefit is gained through deception takes one away from religion and faith, and this apparently worldly matter becomes a religious trial. And as I said earlier, it gradually takes one away from religion and God. Therefore, a believer should always remember that the trial of faith is far greater than worldly trials, which results in the ruin of both the world and the hereafter. Thus, with this thought, we should keep examining our hearts and keep our eye on the end result of every action, that God Almighty is watching my every action. When this thought develops, a believer becomes a true believer or is taking steps towards becoming one. To see this standard, there is no need to look at and rely upon some Jama'at or auxiliary organization's report form. Each person can self-evaluate whether these are their standards—that before doing any task, the thought comes that God Almighty is watching this action of mine. If I am doing this work with good intentions to gain the pleasure of Allah the Exalted, then Allah the Exalted has also promised multiple rewards and recompense. And if the intention is bad, then a person should think that I may also come under the grip of Allah the Exalted. When each one of us fulfills our duties and responsibilities with such thinking and strives for it, the general standards of taqwa of the Jama'at will also be elevated, and this elevated standard of taqwa will automatically begin to be visible at the Jama'at level. There will be no difficulties and problems for the Tarbiyyat department, nor issues for the Umoor-e-Aama and Qaza departments, nor will other departments need to worry about reminders.

Thus, we should keep examining our hearts morning and evening at all times, and there is need for utmost effort to protect the self from the attacks of Satan. If such thoughts do not come, it is because of Satan that they do not come. It is Satan who plays a role in making one forget this matter. If God Almighty is forgotten, it is Satan who plays that role. If there is no concern for tomorrow, it is Satan who makes one forget. It is Satan who says to forget that God Almighty is watching you. If we evaluate that we mostly do not think that God Almighty is watching my actions and what its end result could be, and all this happens because, as the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, Satan flows in the blood of man. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab al-I'tikaf, Bab Ziyarat al-Mar'ah Zawjaha fi I'tikafihi, Hadith No. 2038)

Many diseases harm a person because they are circulating in the blood. They gradually increase and at a certain point begin to have a great effect on the body. For some reason, an infection occurs and its effect takes place, and in the beginning the person does not realize that the disease has attacked. Rather, even if someone is very cautious and goes to a doctor after feeling a little unwell, in the initial stage even some doctors do not realize that the disease is inside, circulating in the blood. And these diseases come, as I said, sometimes there are germs in the atmosphere, diseases spread from one person to another, and even today we see that many epidemics are spreading which are not detected initially. When they spread gradually, then they are detected. But in the current age, the most dangerous thing is spiritual diseases. And spiritual diseases have filled the atmosphere in abundance, and a person does not realize at what moment Satan has entered our bloodstream and begun to increase the spiritual disease. But the disease that comes from Satan circulating in the blood is more dangerous than physical disease in the sense that physical disease causes effects to appear on the body. The body begins to break down. A state of lethargy develops, then gradually the distress increases. The person himself feels it and goes to the doctor saying, I am sick, give me medicine. But spiritual disease is dangerous because when a person moves away from Allah the Exalted and comes under the attack of Satan, even then he does not feel himself to be sick; rather, he considers himself to be fine. But when his friends and well-wishers realize that he is sick, they try to make him understand. Those who reach the extreme of the illness, even upon friends' advice, consider themselves to be perfectly fine and consider their relatives and friends to be wrong. They think that my friends are saying the wrong things about me. Thus, the attack of Satan or spiritual disease is far more dangerous than physical disease because often a person is not ready to seek its treatment. Even if others draw attention that get treatment, attention is not paid to it.

Therefore, before the disease attacks, a believer should begin the process of preventive measures while self-evaluating. And in this society, as I mentioned, spiritual diseases are constantly spread in the atmosphere, so to protect oneself, there is also a need for constant action or constant treatment. There is a need for preventive measures, and this is what is necessary for a true believer, and he should always strive for it.

It should always be remembered that a believer is never empty of, and should not be empty of, the fear and awe of Allah the Exalted. Regarding the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), it is narrated in traditions that whenever he would wake up at night, he would pray with extreme humility and meekness. Once, Hazrat Ayesha (may Allah be pleased with her), observing this state of his, submitted: Allah the Exalted has already forgiven everything for you. Why do you need to be so anxious? Why do you pray for yourself with such fear? Why such awe for yourself? (Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Tafsir al-Quran, Bab Li-Yaghfira laka ma Taqaddama min Dhanbika wa ma Ta'akhkhar..., Hadith No. 4837) Rather, the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had also stated, as I mentioned, that Satan is in the blood of man, but he had said that my Satan has become Muslim. (Sahih Muslim, Kitab Sifat al-Munafiqin wa Ahkamihim, Bab Tahreesh al-Shaitan wa Ba'thuhu..., Hadith No. 7108) Meaning, the question of any spiritual disease attacking does not even arise. But he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that my salvation is also by the grace of God Almighty. I too need to remain inclined towards Him at all times. Thus, when the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), despite all this, displays such awe, then who else can say that I do not need to keep my eye on tomorrow in every task at all times and do not need to seek the grace of Allah the Exalted after doing work. Therefore, there is a need to be vigilant at all times. There is a need to evaluate one's actions and conditions at all times while walking upon taqwa. There is a need to seek His mercy from Allah the Exalted at all times. There is a need to keep this thought in the heart at all times—how I must protect my faith. And towards this, Allah the Exalted has drawn attention in the next verse that I recited—do not become like those who forgot Allah the Exalted, because then Allah the Exalted will cause them to become heedless of themselves.

As I gave the example, those with spiritual illness do not consider themselves sick; rather, when their well-wishers, considering them sick, try to get them treated, they instead begin to consider those well-wishers as sick and insane. Thus, spiritual illness makes them completely heedless of seeing the condition of their own selves, and then the result is nothing but destruction and ruin. It should be remembered that generally a person forgets God Almighty in three ways, or these are three types of people that we generally see in the world who are far from God Almighty or move away from Him. First are those who deny the existence of God Almighty and say brazenly that God Almighty is nothing. As today a very large number holds this view—those who call themselves educated. They have great pride in their education, and these people keep poisoning the young and immature minds with their ideas through media, internet, and various means. Second are those who do not have true and genuine faith in the All-Powerful God before Whom they will have to appear one day and answer for their deeds. Despite the fact that they have faith or accept that there is one God Who created the world and a system runs under Him, they still do not act upon His word.

Third are those who have become so engrossed in worldly entanglements that they have forgotten God Almighty. If the thought comes sometimes, they will also offer prayers, they will also supplicate, but there is no regularity. There is no attention to the fact that Allah the Exalted has made five prayers obligatory for a believer. In any case, it is certain that those who forget God Almighty eventually reach such a state where they suffer moral decline and spiritual descent, and eventually mental peace also departs. They think that there are benefits for them in worldly affairs, so do these first; the rights of God Almighty will be fulfilled later. Because in worldly profit, they apparently see immediate comfort and ease. But as Allah the Exalted has stated, with such people Allah the Exalted deals in such a way that فَاَنْسٰھُمْ اَنْفُسَھُمْ—Allah caused them to forget themselves, and such people never find mental peace.

Thus, Allah the Exalted has told believers that if you have true taqwa within you and you are believers, you have faith and certainty in the existence of God Almighty, you have faith and certainty in His Oneness, then spend your lives according to those conditions which Allah the Exalted has commanded to be followed. And that is to look at the end result of every action and become steadfast upon the conviction that God Almighty is watching your every action and deed. And when a person has such thinking, then the manner of doing everything changes, and the person himself feels that because of this, the blessings of Allah the Exalted are also increasing upon me. I remember when I went on a tour to Kenya, an old politician there met at a reception. He said that I had also met Hazrat Khalifatul Masih IV (may Allah have mercy on him). He gave me a piece of advice that benefited me greatly, and that advice was that before doing anything, you should think that God Almighty is watching me, and He also has a record of all your matters. Now I do not remember whether he was Muslim or Christian, probably Christian. If he could benefit from it, then how much benefit will there be for a true believer whom God Almighty has specifically admonished—that he should keep his eye on the end result of his actions and always remember that the All-Knowing, All-Powerful God is watching my every action and deed, and for this reason I must do every action of mine for His pleasure. If this thought is not there, if you forget God Almighty, then Allah the Exalted says you will be counted among the transgressors.

Thus, by calling them transgressors here, Allah the Exalted has made it clear to those who claim to have faith that if you do not walk upon taqwa, if you are not concerned about your tomorrow, if you do not follow the commandments of Allah the Exalted, then you will be counted among the transgressors. And the transgressors are those who break the limits established by God Almighty, who remain involved in sins, who depart from obedience, who move away from truth. Therefore, if we do not evaluate ourselves, if we do not try to assess our actions against the standard set by Allah the Exalted, it is a matter of great fear.

Hazrat Khalifatul Masih I (may Allah be pleased with him), while explaining this portion, states at one place:

"Do not become like those people about whom it is said: نَسُوااللّٰہَ فَاَنْسٰھُمْ اَنْفُسَھُمْ اُوْلٰٓئِکَ ھُمُ الْفٰسِقُوْنَ—that is, those who abandoned that fountain of mercy and purity, the Holy God, and want to succeed through their mischief, cleverness, short-sightedness, in short, all kinds of scheming and fox-like cunning."

Then he states: "Difficulties come upon a person. Many needs afflict a person. He is dependent on food and drink. He has friends. He has enemies too. But in all these conditions, the characteristic of a righteous person is that he keeps in mind and is careful that there should be no estrangement with God" (that is, he remembers God Almighty at all times and He remains superior to him over friends and beneficial things). Then he said: "There may be trust in a friend. It is possible that the friend may depart from this world before the calamity, or may become entangled in other difficulties and not remain capable (of being of help). Then there may be trust in a ruler, but it is possible that the ruler may be changed and that benefit may not come from him. And those relatives and friends from whom there is hope and complete trust that they will help in times of sorrow and hardship—Allah the Exalted may cast them so far away at the time of need that they cannot be of help."

He stated: "Therefore, at every moment, one should not sever the relationship with God (Almighty), Who cannot be separated from us in any state of life or death." (In life and death, only God Almighty is with us.)

He stated: "So Allah the Exalted says that do not become like those people who have severed their relationship with God Almighty. The result of this will be that you will not remain protected from sorrows and will not find happiness. Rather, from every direction there will be the blow of humiliation, and it is possible that humiliation may come to you from friends themselves. Such people who sever their relationship with God Almighty, who are they? They are transgressors, sinners. They do not have true sincerity and faith. It is not just that they are weak in faith. No. They also do not have compassion for Allah's creation!" (Haqaiq-ul-Furqan, Volume 4, Page 68). They do not show compassion to Allah's creation either. That is, they neither fulfil the rights of God nor the rights of His servants. Thus, each one of us should strive to perform every action of ours according to the commandments of God Almighty. Instead of our temporary benefits, keep our eye on our tomorrow. May Allah the Exalted grant us all the ability to do so.