Advice from Sayyidi Habib Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him): We must guard our sight, our hearing and our speech. If we do so our hearts will be protected and we will attain uprightness. When we look at, listen to or talk about that which does not concern us we are at odds with our fitrah, the state in which Allah created us.
Allah says: “Do not pursue that of which you have no knowledge. Indeed, the hearing, the sight and the heart – about all those [one] will be questioned.” (17:36)
Do not let the enemies of Allah control your sight, your hearing and your speech to the point that they dictate what takes place in our households, to the point that what we see, hear, and say goes against the laws of Allah the teachings of our Prophet ﷺ . Allah says: “If you obey most of those on the earth, they will lead you astray from Allah’s way.” (6:116)
Our Sight
We should use our sight to gaze upon the pious with love and longing. We should use our ability to see to gaze upon Allah’s creation and reflect upon it. If we disobey Allah with our eyes we may be deprived of the vision of Allah Most High.
Our Hearing
The believers are those that only listen to that which benefits them. Allah says: “When they hear idle talk they turn aside from it and say: ‘We shall have our deeds and you shall have your deeds; peace be on you, we do not desire the ignorant.’” (Q 28:55)
Lend your ears only to the sayings of the Companions of Allah, the sayings of the Prophets, and of our Prophet Muhammad, for doing so will prepare us for the ultimate communion with Allah on the Day of Judgment.
Our Speech
Remember that wherever we are, Allah is with us. When four people convene, the fifth is Allah. When six people convene, the seventh is Allah. He knows what takes place between them. He knows what is being said and He knows still what is kept hidden.
On the Day of Judgment, Allah will call upon His servants and commune with them, but there will be some people who have incurred Allah’s wrath and will not be called upon by Him, and we seek refuge in Allah from this.
On this day (Friday) have we recited the Qur’an and heard it being recited? Have we recited Surah al-Kahf? How many times have we bestowed prayers upon the Prophet ﷺ?
Use your hearing, sight, and speech, only for things that please Allah Most High.
We ask Allah to rectify the state of the Muslims.
Taken from a Friday khutbah by Sayyidi Habib `Umar bin Hafiz (may Allah protect him and benefit us by him) at Masjid Nur Muhammad in Jakarta, Indonesia, on November 14, 2014.