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The Qur'an and the Sunnah are replete with evidence which establishes the principle of ar-raqaabahadh-dhaatiyah, or self-observation and link Muslims in their words, deeds and beliefs with their Lord, Exalted is He, who encompasses all things in His knowledge and knows everything about themselves, their concerns and circumstances.
Allah the Almighty says,
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الأرْضِ وَلا فِي السَّمَاءِ (٥)
"Surely, nothing in the earth or in the heavens is hidden for Allah."
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْعَزِيزِ الرَّحِيمِ (٢١٧)الَّذِي يَرَاكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ (٢١٨)
وَتَقَلُّبَكَ فِي السَّاجِدِينَ (٢١٩)
"And put your trust in the Mighty, the Merciful, Who sees you when you stand up in prayer and Who sees your movements among those who prostrate themselves before [Him]."
وَإِنْ تَجْهَرْ بِالْقَوْلِ فَإِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ وَأَخْفَى (٧)
"And if you speak aloud [it makes no difference], for He knows the secret [thought and what is yet] more hidden."
يَعْلَمُ خَائِنَةَ الأعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِي الصُّدُورُ (١٩)
"He knows the treachery of the eyes and what the breasts conceal."
وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ (٤)
"And He is with you [in His Knowledge] wherever you may be."
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ (١٤)
"Surely, your Lord in on the watch."
In the long hadeeth narrated by Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), when the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) asked Jibreel (عليه وسلم) about ihsaan , the latter replied,
"[Ihsaan] is to worship Allah as though you see Him; and while you don't see Him, yet truly He sees you."
Abu Darr Jundhub ibn Junaadah and Abu Abdur-Rahman Mu'aadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said,
"Fear Allah wherever you are, follow up a bad deed with a good one and it will wipe it out and behave well towards people."
An-Nawwaas ibn Sam'aan (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I asked Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) about righteousness and sin and he said,
'Righteousness is good manners and a sin is that which wavers in your heart and which you dislike people finding out about.'"
When a Muslim realizes that Allah the Almighty watches him when he engages in acts of worship, he seeks to relieve his conscience and carry out all his obligations to the best of his ability.
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