Among the signs of Allah’s guidance and success (Tawfeeq) granted to a servant is their swiftness in responding to Allah and His Messengerﷺ. This profound submission is manifested by following His commands, abandoning His prohibitions, and yielding to Him both outwardly and inwardly.
Indeed, a prompt response to the divine call is the ultimate proof of a living heart; Allah the Almighty has made this responsiveness the very benchmark of true spiritual life. Conversely, he who fails to respond is effectively dead. Allah says in the Qur’an:
“Only those who hear will respond. But the dead—Allah will resurrect them, then to Him they will be returned.” (Al-An’am, 6:36)
The Link Between Responding to Allah and His Messenger and Spiritual Life
Many are those who hear the truth. Countless people hear that Allah has commanded a virtue or prohibited a vice, yet they do not act. Such individuals resemble the dead, for merely hearing a sound without comprehension or action is a characteristic shared even by inanimate objects.
True responsiveness is the definitive proof of life—it indicates that a person’s heart is vibrant, awake, and aligned with its Creator. Consequently, before finding the path of righteousness, a guided person was spiritually dead. Allah, the Exalted, states:
“Is he who was dead and We gave him life and made for him a light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, from which he cannot emerge?” (Al-An’am, 6:122)
Through this verse, we understand that Allah brings the believer to life, providing a light to navigate the world after they had been stumbling blindly in the depths of misguidance, unable to recognize the path of truth.
Finding True Tranquility in the Divine Call
True life can only be attained through responding to Allah and His Messenger. The wholesome life in which an individual tastes genuine comfort, tranquility, and inner peace is the one governed by divine compliance. Allah commands the believers:
“O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.” (Al-Anfal, 8:24)
Allah revealed the Sharia and ordained commands and prohibitions precisely so that humanity may live a pure, balanced life. Therefore, a believer must act upon divine decrees without hesitation, skepticism, or objection.
Parables of the Unresponsive and Heedless
Those who turn away from the message paralyze their spiritual faculties. Allah the Almighty describes them saying:
“And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.” (Al-A’raf, 7:179)
Whoever derives no benefit from their senses—hearing Allah’s command yet defying it, and seeing the truth yet turning away from it—is spiritually dead. In fact, the Qur’an notes they are more astray than livestock. While animals possess hearing and sight, they lack the intellect to distinguish truth from falsehood. Therefore, a human who shuts their heart to the truth becomes more astray than a mindless animal that merely reacts to raw sound.
The Parable of the Disbelievers
Allah strikes another powerful parable for those who stubbornly refuse to listen:
“The example of those who disbelieve is like that of one who shouts at what hears nothing but a call and a cry.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:171)
In this instance, the obstinate are likened to a flock of sheep being called by a shepherd; they hear the sound of the voice but cannot comprehend the meaning of the words. They might react to the shouting out of reflex, but they lack the intellect to process the guidance.
Flimsy Excuses and the Danger of Following Whims (Al-Hawa)
Often, those who delay or refuse compliance resort to unacceptable excuses and flawed justifications. They offer weak arguments while remaining fiercely protective of their worldly interests. When asked why they do not align their lives with Islamic principles, they offer flimsy pretexts. Yet, Allah is the Knower of the Unseen, and the Almighty can never be deceived.
True rectitude (Rushd) lies solely in submission. Allah states:
“So let them respond to Me and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” (Al-Baqarah, 1:186)
Absolute success and prosperity reside exclusively in obeying Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. Do not be deceived by arguments claiming that human intellect should override divine legislation, or that implementing Sharia brings complications.
Why People Fail to Respond
Following personal whims and desires (Al-Hawa) is the root cause of rejecting divine guidance. Allah warned the Prophet Dawud (David), peace be upon him:
“O David, indeed We have made you a successor upon the earth, so judge between the people in truth and do not follow [your own] desire, as it will lead you astray from the way of Allah.” (Sad, 38:26)
Similarly, Allah stated to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
“But if they do not respond to you—then know that they only follow their desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allah?” (Al-Qasas, 28:50)
There is no greater misguidance than prioritizing personal cravings over a direct command from Allah. To elevate worldly desires above obedience is the ultimate, manifest loss.
While open disbelievers show their defiance out of sheer obstinacy, hypocrites manufacture excuses to justify their lack of commitment. Allah exposes this trait:
“And when it is said to them, ‘Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,’ you see the hypocrites turning away from you in aversion.” (An-Nisa, 4:61)
Hearing a verse or a Hadith and remaining indifferent is entirely contrary to faith. Allah outlines the definitive mark of a believer:
“The only statement of the believers when they are called to Allah and His Messenger to judge between them is that they say, ‘We hear and we obey.'” (An-Nur, 24:51)
How the Companions Modeled Swift Obedience
The Companions of the Prophet (Ridhwanullahi ‘Alaihim) provided history with the ultimate examples of immediate responsiveness to the divine command:
- The Changing of the Qiblah: When the verse regarding the redirection of the prayer direction was revealed—“So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram” (Al-Baqarah, 2:144)—a Companion entered a mosque in Madinah (known today as Masjid al-Qiblatayn) while the congregation was praying toward Jerusalem. He announced mid-prayer: “I bear witness that I have prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ toward the Kaabah.” Upon hearing this, the entire congregation turned toward the Kaabah immediately, without a single moment of hesitation.
- The Verse of Hijab: Our Mother Aisha (RadhiAllahu ‘Anha) narrated: “When the verse was revealed: ‘…and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests’ (An-Nur, 24:31), may Allah have mercy on the women of the Ansar. They took their outer garments, tore them at the edges, and covered themselves with them.” Not a single woman delayed her obedience to wait until she could purchase a veil from the market; instead, they immediately adapted their existing garments to comply with Allah’s command.
A Call to Reflection for Modern Muslims
Contrast these historical examples with the condition of many within the Muslim Ummah today. A person hears Allah’s commands and prohibitions time and again, yet persists in open disobedience. They know well that an action is forbidden (Haram), yet they choose to continue.
Where is the true essence of faith? Where is the life of the heart? What is the purpose of the sight and hearing we enjoy if we do not use them to submit to the Creator?
Fear Allah, O servant of Allah, and prioritize responding to Allah and His Messengerﷺ above all else.
By Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hamoud Al-Najdi
