ʿAdam al-Khashyah · The Absence of Awe

The story

Imām Mālik would tremble when delivering a fatwa, saying: 'I will be asked about every word I just said.' His awe was structural.

Why it's named first

The believers Allah praises are described: 'when their Lord is mentioned, their hearts tremble' (al-Anfāl 8:2). The disease is the inversion: hearing His Name, His verses, His warnings, and feeling nothing. The chest becomes a stone in His presence.

In the Qur'an

إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ٱلَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ ٱللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَـٰتُهُۥ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَـٰنًا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

“The believers are only those who, when Allāh is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely -”

8:2Listen Read 8:2 with tafsir

Svenska: Troende är enbart de som bävar i sina hjärtan då de hör Guds namn nämnas, och som känner sig stärkta i tron då de hör Hans budskap läsas upp, och som litar helt till sin Herre,

In the Sunnah

«ثَلاثٌ مَن كُنّ فِيهِ حرّم اللَّهُ وجهه على النّار: عينان دمعتا من خشية اللَّه». 'Three: whoever has them, Allah forbids the Fire from his face: eyes that wept from awe of Allah...' (Tirmidhi)

The cure

Sit with verses of warning. Read about the grave's questioning, the Day's standing, the bridge over Hellfire. The heart that has heard these honestly cannot help but tremble. The cure is exposure.

What is at stake

Without khashyah, the believer hears the verses and is not moved. The day will reveal what the heart was doing during the reminders.