Heedlessness (Ghaflah): Reality, Dangers, and Cure | Jumu'ah Khutbah | Sh. Yaser Birjas

Opening Testimony and Call to Consciousness

I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

O ye who believe! fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims.

O ye who believe! fear your Lord, Who created you from one soul, and created from it a wife, and spread among them many men and women. And fear Allah, to whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever watching over you.

O ye who believe! fear Allah, and say the righteous word. Your deeds will be corrected, and your sins will be forgiven. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has won a great triumph.

The Essential Question After Ramadan

Now, after a week since Ramadan is over, am I closer to Allah today than I was before? A very essential question, otherwise Ramadan's effort is going wasted. Brothers and sisters, you ask this question, it's really an existential question in regards to the believer. Because if Ramadan is not going to give me that booster to upgrade to the next level, and becoming the better version of myself after every single Ramadan, what have I done in Ramadan? What did I really do? Did I get closer to Allah? Or did I just enjoy the vibe and the environment and the ambience and the atmosphere and all the beautiful gatherings? And that's it, it's over. Just once a year it comes, alhamdulillah, we revive the spirit, and that's it. We wait until the next year.

Brothers and sisters, this is called غفلة (ghafla). This is called غفلة (ghafla). It's a state of غفلة (ghafla), which means heedlessness.

Understanding Heedlessness (Ghafla)

We spoke about this, if you remember, with us in the last ten nights of the month of Ramadan, Imam Ibn Qayyim rahimahu wa ta'ala, in his beautiful book, Al-Wabil Al-Sayyib, The Downpour of Blessings of Allah, upon raising the beautiful words of Allah, dhikr of Allah. He says there are three gates to which the shaitan will have access to your heart. And the number one, he says, الغفلة (al-ghafla), heedlessness.

We talk about غفلة (ghafla), my dear brothers and sisters, in the Arabic language, غفلة (ghafla), they translate that into saying it's actually a negligence, it's kind of like more of a being inattentive, or being completely unaware. But that happens, here's the thing, it's different than forgetfulness. Forgetfulness happens by circumstances, I just forgot. But heedlessness, when you're aware, but you choose to be unaware. Like you know that time of salah is coming in, but you choose to do something else. You know that this is not supposed to happen, you're not supposed to be doing this, but you choose to do it otherwise, still. This is غفلة (ghafla), that's heedlessness. Even though I know, but I choose not to go upon that knowledge, not to work upon that knowledge. That is غفلة (ghafla), and that's where the shaitan can have access to your heart.

The Definition of Heedlessness

Brothers and sisters, there's one single ayah in which Allah has given us this whole concept of غفلة (ghafla) and its solution. It's the غفلة (ghafla) and its solution. Because when we define what غفلة (ghafla) is, what heedlessness is, the ulema, they say إعراض القلب (i'rad al-qalb). إعراض القلب (I'rad al-qalb), which is basically, that's when the heart, not the mind, not the ears, not the eyes, when the heart becomes completely detached, or distracted. When the heart is distracted from what? From the purpose, from the purpose of why you've been created for. And that is to worship Allah, and to be, of course, seeking the pleasure of Allah. Day and night. And if you're not doing this, in any moment of your day and night, then you are in a state of غفلة (ghafla) and heedlessness. May Allah protect us from this, O Lord of the worlds.

The Quranic Solution to Heedlessness

In one single ayah, Allah is teaching us a lesson about غفلة (ghafla) and its cure. I want you to focus with me, insha'Allah, on this ayah. It's in surah al-A'raf. Surah al-A'raf, ayah number 205. In which Allah says:

Breaking Down the Remedy

Allah says, وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ (wadhkur rabbak) - He's speaking to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and of course, by extension, to everybody from the ummah. Allah says, وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ (wadhkur rabbak) - He says, and remember. It means, remember your Lord. Remember your Lord. The ulama, especially Ibn Qayyim says, that is the major cure for غفلة (ghafla). Because غفلة (ghafla), anyway, غفلة (ghafla) is that moment of distraction. And obviously, when you're aware, that's called يقظة (yaqada). And يقظة (yaqada), when you're attentive and you're aware. And that doesn't happen unless you're working by purpose. And you always have a purpose for what you say and what you do. And that is, you're always awake. You're always in a constant state of awakeness, which is remembering, being in a state of dhikr. Remembering Allah.

So Allah says, وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ (wadhkur rabbak) - He's given us the cure from the very beginning. He says, remember your Lord. فِي نَفْسِكَ (fi nafsik) - Inwardly. What does that mean? So when you say, وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ (wadhkur rabbak), Allah is reminding us that you need to do it sincerely. He says, فِي نَفْسِكَ (fi nafsik) - Inwardly, that's even now double that sincerity. You're doing it only for the sake of Allah. Because when you do dhikr, inwardly, inside your heart, always remembering Allah, seeking His pleasure in everything that you do, and you say, avoiding the haram, all this is a form of dhikr of Allah. When you're quietly moving your tongue with remembering Allah, with words of remembrance, that's also a form of dhikr. So he says, وَاذْكُرْ رَبَّكَ (wadhkur rabbak) - The most important thing, within yourself. Quietly. That's the first thing. So it's all about sincerity to Allah.

Then he says, تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً (tadarru'an wa khifah) - With humility and humbleness to Allah. When you make your dhikr, what is the purpose of it? It's to show yourself subordinate to your Lord. Show your vulnerability, your weakness, you need your poverty to His blessings. No matter how rich you are, you still need Allah to continue His blessings upon you. So when Allah says, تَضَرُّعًا (tadarru'an) - Out of humility and humbleness. Sometimes we make our dua and our words of dhikr as part of a routine. It becomes part of a routine. Every day in the morning you sit down after fajr and you spend an hour. And you're making dhikr and may Allah bless you. May Allah reward you for it, O Rabb al-alameen. But how much of that hour are you connected with your heart? How much of that hour that you spend making dhikr was actually effective? It's coming from the heart, connected with Allah. Because that's when humbleness and humility comes in.

وَخِيفَةً (wa khifah) - You're doing it out of humility and humbleness and also out of reverence. The awe of just remembering Allah. Of thinking about Him. The reverence that you owe to Allah for who He is to you. So you're doing it. So humility within yourself and of course of love and admiration, reverence to the Lord.

وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ (wa duna al-jahr) - You're saying it also, which means what? You're doing it quietly. Barely. You're barely pronouncing it for you to hear it. What's the point of that? To make sure that your dhikr is an extremely, extremely personal communication between you and Allah. You can raise your hand and go loud with your dua if you want to. You can do that and make your voice so loud. But you want this to be very, very personal. And usually when you have a personal communication with somebody, how do people speak to one another if they want to give something extremely private to them? How do they say? They whisper it. You whisper it because you don't want anyone else to hear. So when you make your dhikr and dua to Allah, you whisper it in a way to keep it between you and Allah. So Allah reminding us, this is between you and I. Very personal relationship. So when you make your dhikr, I want you to make it not so loud. And not so quiet. But loud enough for you to hear it. So that at least you know what you're saying and connect with it, with Allah.

The Timing of Remembrance

You make your dhikr at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day. You see Allah is teaching us in this ayah everything about dhikr. He's teaching us, to do it sincerely. Start from within and then it goes outside. Making sure you make your dhikr out of humility and humbleness and also reverence and respect to Allah. You do this with humbleness and humility and you also do it loud enough for you to hear it. How you speak it even. He's teaching us. And then he's now telling us when to do that. When he says at the beginning of the day and at the end of the day, what does that mean? Don't forget what's in between. Do not forget what's in between. He's telling you at the beginning of the day, at the end of the day, not that it's the exclusive two times for dhikr. No. That's just the boundaries. Where do you begin your dhikr? Where do you end your dhikr? And if you start at the beginning of the day and you still remember Allah at the end of the day, what does that even mean? It means constantly you're making dhikr of Allah. You never forget Allah.

The Severe Warning

And then Allah concludes the ayah by saying, وَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ (wa la takun min al-ghafileen) - And do not be one of the heedless. That's a warning, ajumma. That's a warning. And it's a scary, severe warning for those who heed the reminder over here in this ayah. When Allah says, وَلَا تَكُنْ مِنَ الْغَافِلِينَ (wa la takun min al-ghafileen) - Don't be among the heedless. Don't be one of them. So what does that mean in retrospect when you understand the ayah? What Allah has taught us in this ayah is what helps you stay out of the state of heedlessness. And if you not follow the instruction that was just mentioned in this ayah over here, then you are for sure falling into heedlessness, whether you know it or not. If you know it, then Allah make it easy for you. If you don't know it, you need to wake up for it.

So brothers and sisters, it's a one single ayah. And Allah has showed us how to remember him and how to keep awake and never fall into the trap of the shaitan and the trap of heedlessness.

The Dangers of Heedlessness

Why is it so dangerous? Brothers and sisters, when it comes to heedlessness, Allah spoke about it in the Quran in a very severe way, very dangerous way. He said, about mankind, Allah said that we have destined many jinn and humans for Jahannam. Like many people end up in Jahannam, in hellfire. But why?

He says, They have hearts, but they don't use it to understand with it. They have eyes, but they don't use it to see what Allah has made obvious to them to watch and observe. They have also ears, but they're not using it for what Allah has created it for. To hear and listen to the reminder and heed the reminder from Allah. Then he said, They're just like cattle. Like they chose not to use their mind, not to use what Allah has blessed them and favored them with over animals. No, they're even worse. Why is it they're worse? Because Allah says:

Everything remembers Allah, but you do not understand their word of remembrance. Even the stones, even the animals, but human beings, they choose not to, unfortunately. Then he said, أُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ (ula'ika hum al-ghafiloon) - Those are the heedless ones.

So brothers and sisters, Allah has equipped you with the instruments by which you get out of that state of heedlessness. He gave you ears to hear the reminder. He gave you eyes to look at it and see it and read it.

He gave you hearts by which you process all these things reflecting on it inwardly so it actually comes out in the form of a behavior and action items in your personal life. So we might be alive in terms of our bodies, but unfortunately if the heart is dead, then the entire core system falls apart.

The Danger of Heedlessness (Ghaflah)

Brothers and sisters, when it comes to غفلة and heedlessness, it leads to the heart to become so hard. And if the heart becomes so hard, then nothing softens that heart completely and not get affected by the reminders. As Allah said, "Don't be like those people. Don't listen to them. Don't obey, don't follow these people." He said that we have made heedless, we have made their hearts heedless of our reminder. Don't be like them. It's a warning, my dear brothers and sisters.

Living Without Purpose

And one of the major things, or the worst thing you could say, the reason why it's so dangerous, heedlessness is so dangerous because when someone is actually in a state of heedlessness, then they start living without a purpose. Literally. Because they're constantly out of purpose. They're in a moment of heedlessness. They don't know where they're going. And that's why you see people, سبحان الله, in this life, they might have access to all the pleasure of this dunya, but it's not giving them any satisfaction because there's no purpose to it.

When it comes to the subject of pleasure in this dunya, Allah made it halal, lawful to us. In a lawful way, obviously. But it's also purposeful. It is supposed to be to accomplish something that Allah will be pleased with. But when people live their life only to satisfy their lusts and their desires, and it becomes a purpose in itself, it's not going to be fulfilling no matter how much we try. Why is that? Because Allah designed us differently. And when we go against that design of Allah, because we're heedless of that purpose, then eventually we're going to get lost.

And when someone is lost, there's no goal where they're going, they're going to be going to different paths. And they're going to be trying one after the other, and one after the other one, and they're going to get exhausted. Why is that? Because none of these paths would lead to the purpose that will satisfy their hearts and satisfy themselves in the dunya before the akhirah. So it's extremely, extremely dangerous.

The Warning in the Quran

Allah says this at the beginning of Surah al-Anbiya:

Allah says at the beginning of Surah al-Anbiya: "The reckoning of the people has drawn near," which means the Day of Judgment is coming closer and closer, "yet they are in heedlessness, turning away." Why is that? Because if they don't believe in Allah, or they don't have that reverence to Allah's commandments, because they want to live their life the way they wanted to live their life, if that's what they're going to do, obviously they're going in different directions, not to the path that Allah made very clear to them that brings them peace and tranquility.

As Allah says:

"This is the path to Allah, one and only, the straight path to Allah." He says, فَاتَّبِعُوهُ "Follow this path." So the guide is there. We have that compass. You have the purpose. You have the target. And Allah is asking us to go and look for it and follow that path. But when we don't, we become too heedless because our vision is foggy right now. Our mind is busy with something else. We don't see the target. We don't see the goal. We don't see the purpose that Allah placed for you. You're going to start going anywhere you see light. But that light is not the real light. It's a temporary one. It's deceiving.

The Two Wasted Blessings

Brothers and sisters, the Prophet ﷺ mentioned something important for us as a reminder. He said ﷺ: "There are two blessings that many people waste," which means we're so deceived by these two blessings. We don't pay attention to them very well. What are they? Health, your well-being, and that excess time that you have, that extra time that you have.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 6412)

Which means you have free time and you have health. And the Prophet ﷺ is saying these are the two most valuable things for you in your life. The most valuable things for you. You have alhamdulillah the health and the energy and the strength and you have the free time to do whatever you want to do. And if you don't do it, if you don't use that time, that free time, if you don't use that strength and that power to utilize it in that free time for the purpose you've been created for, you're going to be in a state of heedlessness and it's going to make you tired and exhausted.

And that's why we see in our society a lot of young people, Muslims and non-Muslims even these days, chasing this mirage hoping that it will give them satisfaction. But it doesn't because that's not what Allah created it for and it's not how we're supposed to find a way back to Allah.

The Reminder from Surah al-A'raf

Brothers and sisters, Ramadan just finished a week ago. And my reminder to myself before anybody else, and to you as well too, is to heed this ayah, this reminder from surah al-A'raf, ayah number 205:

Allah is asking from you to remember Him. And to remember Him within yourself. To remember Him inwardly. And you speak that out loud and also of course quietly. You do it day and night making sure you do it out of reverence, out of love and out of also humble humility to Allah. Otherwise, you will be counted among the heedless ones. May Allah protect us from heedlessness ya rabbal alameen in this dunya of Allah. I say this, and I ask Allah to forgive me and you, so forgive me. Indeed, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Why Do People Fall into Heedlessness?

Alhamdulillah ya rabbal alameen. Peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and to his family and companions.

My dear brothers and sisters, quickly why do people choose to fall into heedlessness? There are many reasons for that. Our scholars, they mention a few things.

Long-term Worldly Hopes

One of them is طول الأمل, as the Prophet mentioned, which means they have long-term worldly hopes. Their vision and their hopes go beyond even their term that Allah has put for them. We don't know that term though. We don't know that term. But unfortunately, a lot of people, because of that, they forget that they're going to die. So they stop preparing for that moment. So remember, no matter how far your goal is, always remember for every single day that you live, it might be your final day. So you always share that time with the dhikr of Allah.

Falling into Sin

Sometimes it's falling, unfortunately, into the sin. And we start feeling guilty and ashamed and the shaytan is very clever. So he takes you away from remembering Allah, returning back to him in repentance. So you start drifting away from Allah. And that's غفلة. That's heedlessness.

Bad Company

Sometimes it's the company that you're around with. Because you have the company of heedless people. And obviously they're going to drag you there. As-sahib sahib. Friends gravitate, my dear brothers, so be careful who you associate yourself with.

Being Too Consumed with Halal

And sometimes it's simply just so much into the halal, into this life. We're not saying doing anything haram. Rather, we're trying actually just to go into the halal. I can work on my business, work on my health, work on my exercise. So much so that I'm too exhausted, too tired to remember Allah. You're not doing anything haram. But you're not helping yourself either. From a spiritual point of view.

Lack of Dhikr

And finally my dear brothers and sisters, is قلة الذكر. We don't really do remember Allah as it was described in the Quran. I don't want to think of dhikr to be something that you have to spend hours on. But rather, every breath that comes out should count towards remembering Allah. And that, inshallah, counts towards you, so you never become among الغافلين.

Du'a

Allah protects us from غفلة, ya Rabb al-alameen. We ask Allah to revive our hearts, ya Rabb al-alameen. And keep us among those who remember Him regularly. Remember Him in the morning, in the evening. We ask Allah to help us find that good company, ya Rabb al-alameen. That brings us closer to Allah. Revive our hearts, our spirit, ya Allah. We ask Allah the way we got in this faith that we got together in Jannat al-Firdaws al-A'la. With the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, wa alhamdulillahi rabbil alameen.

Wa alaikumus-salaam.