What is meant by muraaqabah (awareness that Allah is watching)?

What is meant by muraaqabah (awareness that Allah is watching)?

Question
What is muraaqabah (awareness that Allah is watching)? Are there any hadiths or Qur’anic verses that speak of muraaqabah? Answer
Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:
Muraaqabah (awareness that Allah is watching) means the Muslim’s bearing in mind in all circumstances and situations, and believing with certainty, that Allah sees him and knows what he is earning of good or bad deeds with all his faculties, and that He knows what is hidden in his thoughts and in his heart.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Muraaqabah means always being aware and being certain that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is constantly watching what is visible of his deeds and what is hidden.
Constantly knowing that and being certain of it is muraaqabah (awareness that Allah is watching); it is the result of knowing that Allah, may He be glorified, is watching him, looking at him, listening to what he says, knowing all that he does at all times and all moments…
End quote from Madaarij as-Saalikeen (2/1489).
This is one of the central tenets of faith. There are many religious texts that speak of this idea, such as the following verses:
“And know that Allah knows what is within yourselves, so beware of Him. And know that Allah is Forgiving and Forbearing”
[al-Baqarah 2:135]
“O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah , through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allah is ever, over you, an Observer”
[an-Nisaa’ 4:1].
According to a hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah, Jibreel (peace be upon him) asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about ihsaan. He said: “It is to worship Allah as if you can see Him, for although you cannot see Him, He can see you.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (50) and Muslim (9).
Muraaqabah is one of the outcomes of belief in the beautiful names of Allah, such as al-‘Aleem (the All-Knowing), as-Samee‘ (the All-Hearing), al-Baseer (the All-Seeing).
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Muraaqabah means to worship Allah on the basis of the knowledge that He is ar-Raqeeb (the Watchful), al-Hafeez (the Preserver), al-‘Aleem (the All-Knowing), as-Samee‘ (the All-Hearing), al-Baseer (the All-Seeing). Whoever understands these names and worships Allah on the basis thereof will attain this awareness that He is always watching (muraaqabah). And Allah knows best.
End quote from Madaarij as-Saalikeen (2/1493).
This muraaqabah is essential for every Muslim, because by means of it he will attain sincerity in his acts of worship, will do them properly, and will avoid that which is haraam.
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “It is to worship Allah as if you can see Him, for although you cannot see Him, He can see you…”
The purpose behind these words is to encourage the Muslim to be sincere in worship, and to remember that his Lord, may He be blessed and exalted, is always watching him, so that he might develop proper focus and humility, and so on.
People of knowledge and devotion recommend keeping company with righteous people, so that that might protect him from falling into some shortcomings, out of respect for them and feeling shy before them. So how should one behave who believes that Allah, may He be exalted, is constantly watching him and sees what he does in secret and openly?
End quote from Sharh Saheeh Muslim (1/158)
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
Righteous people are agreed that being aware that Allah, may He be exalted, knows every thought that crosses a person’s mind is a means of protecting him from falling short in what he does. The one who bears in mind the fact that Allah is watching his thoughts and his heart, Allah will protect him from falling short in what he does both in secret and openly.
End quote from Madaarij as-Saalikeen (2/1492)
For more information on the true meaning of muraaqabah and its benefits, please see the following article by Shaykh Dr. Khaalid as-Sabt:
Reference Link
And Allah knows best.
Link: Reference Link

Allaah is All-Aware of everything?

Question
What is the meaning of the aayah “And Allaah is All-Aware of everything” (al-Baqarah 2:231 – interpretation of the meaning)? Answer
Praise be to Allah.

Allaah knows and is aware of all things. Nothing on earth or in heaven is hidden from Him, be it words or deeds, movements or cessation of movement, acts of obedience or acts of disobedience.
“Know you not that Allaah knows all that is in the heaven and on the earth? Verily, it is (all) in the Book (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz). Verily, that is easy for Allaah” [al-Hajj 22:70 – interpretation of the meaning]
Allaah has encompassed all things with His knowledge, and has written it in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Neither you (O Muhammad) do any deed nor recite any portion of the Qur’aan, nor you (O mankind) do any deed (good or evil), but We are Witness thereof, when you are doing it. And nothing is hidden from your Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom (or small ant) on the earth or in the heaven. Not what is less than that or what is greater than that but is (written) in a Clear Record”[Yoonus 10:61]
Allaah Alone knows the unseen. He knows what is in the heavens and what is on earth, as Allaah says of Himself (interpretation of the meaning):
“…I know the Ghayb (Unseen) in the heavens and the earth, and I know what you reveal and what you have been concealing” [al-Baqarah 2:33]
Allaah knows all things. The keys of the unseen are known to no one but Him, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in the land and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record” [al-An’aam 6:59]
Allaah alone is the One Who knows when the Hour will begin, when rain will fall, what is in the wombs, what each person will do, and when and where each person will die. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, Allaah, with Him (Alone) is the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows that which is in the wombs. No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allaah is All-Knower, All-Aware (of things)” [Luqmaan 31:34]
Allaah is with us and nothing we do is concealed from Him…
“And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be. And Allaah is the All-Seer of what you do” [al-Hadeed 57:4 – interpretation of the meaning]
Allaah is always watching us. He knows what we do, whether it is good or bad. Then He will tell us of that and will reward or punish us accordingly on the Day of Resurrection, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Have you not seen that Allaah knows whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth? There is no Najwa (secret counsel) of three but He is their fourth (with His Knowledge, while He Himself is over the Throne, over the seventh heaven), — nor of five but He is their sixth (with His Knowledge), — nor of less than that or more but He is with them (with His Knowledge) wheresoever they may be. And afterwards on the Day of Resurrection He will inform them of what they did. Verily, Allaah is the All-Knower of everything” [al-Mujaadilah 58:7]
Allaah Alone knows the unseen and the seen, what is secret and what is open, as He says of Himself (interpretation of the meaning):
“All-Knower of the unseen and the seen, the Most Great, the Most High” [al-Ra’d 13:9]
And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And if you (O Muhammad) speak (the invocation) aloud, then verily, He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden” [Ta-Ha 20:7]
Link: Reference Link