Home »
» Reliance On Allah - By Shaykh Ashraf Salah
Reliance On Allah - By Shaykh Ashraf Salah
Reliance On Allah
By Shaykh Ashraf Salah
Dear Muslims: Allah (SWT) says: “… And upon Allah rely,
if you are true believers” (Al-Ma’idah: 23), also: “… And whoever relies on
Allah - then He is sufficient for him.” (At-Talaq: 3) and He (SWT) says
regarding His pious slaves: “… Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we
have returned, and to You is the destination.” (Al-Mumtahinah: 4). He (SWT)
said to His Messenger (PBUH): “So rely upon Allah; indeed, you are upon the
clear truth” (An-Naml: 79) and also: “… And when you have decided, then rely
upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him]” (Aal-‘Imraan: 159)
and also: “… And rely upon Allah. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of
affairs” (An-Nisaa’: 81).
‘Umar Ibn
Al-Khattaab, (RAA), narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “If you rely on
Allah with due reliance, Allah will provide for you as He does for the birds;
they leave with empty stomachs in the morning and return full at dusk.”
(Tirmidhi).
Ibn ‘Abbaas,
(RAA), said: ‘The words, ‘HasbunaAllahu Wa Ni’mal Wakeel’ (Allah is sufficient
for us, and how fine a trustee (He is)!) was said by Prophet Ibraheem, (PBUH),
when he was thrown into the fire (by his own people), and was also said by
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) when the hypocrites said to him: “People have gathered
against you, so fear them. But it increased their faith, and they said,
Sufficient is Allah for us and He is the best to rely on” (Aal-‘Imraan: 173).’
(Bukhaari).
Also, Anas
bin Maalik, (RAA), narrated that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whoever says as he
leaves his home: ‘Bismillaah Tawakkaltu ‘Ala Allah Wala Hawla Wala Quwwata
Illaa Billaah’ (In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there is
no might nor power except with Allah); it will be said, ‘You will be guided,
protected and sufficed’; a devil will say to another devil: ‘What do you think
of (i.e., what harm can we do to) one who is guided, protected and sufficed?’”
(Tirmidhi, Ibn Maajah and others).
Dear
Muslims: These were the
words of Allah and the words of His Messenger (PBUH) regarding reliance upon
Him (SWT). All what have been mentioned are but a few of the numerous verses
from the Qur’an and Ahadeeth that relate to the great and virtuous subject of
reliance on Allah.
Reliance on Allah
(SWT) is a great act of worship that many people have strayed away from either
due to ignorance or negligence. The scholars have said: ‘Reliance on Allah is
half of the religion of Islam and the other half is returning to Him (SWT) in
repentance.’ Therefore the religion of Islam comprises of seeking the support
of Allah and worshipping him: The support element is to rely on Him and the
worship element is to return to Him in repentance. The following verse affirms
this; Allah (SWT) says: “It is You we worship and You we ask for help”
(Al-Fatihah: 5). This verse means that we worship none but Allah alone and in
order to do so, we seek support from Him alone, because He (SWT) is the only
real supporter.
Reliance on Allah
(SWT) is a deed of the heart and not the limbs. Imam Ahmad, may Allah have
mercy upon him, said: “Reliance is a deed performed by the heart” which means
that it is something which a person neither professes with his tongue nor acts
out with his limbs. Reliance can be defined as: “The certainty of the heart
that the Lord (Allah) is sufficient for it” while others have said that it is:
‘Being content with the decree of Allah’.
Dear Muslims: One should know Allah (SWT) by His
qualities and attributes; such as the fact that He (SWT) is All Capable and
Sufficient to rely on; that He is the Sustainer; that He is All-Knowing and
that things can only happen with His will and decree. Knowing all this achieves
the first pillar, with which the slave of Allah initiates the pillars of
reliance. The more a slave of Allah knows about Him (SWT), the more sound and
firm his reliance on Allah will be.
On the other hand,
we should believe that every matter has a cause or a means in order for it to
be materialised. Some people give up utilising these means due to their
ignorance and think that this is reliance on Allah. They wait for Allah (SWT)
to send down their provisions and feed them while they are lying on their beds
without exerting any effort whatsoever. This is nothing but the laziness which
the Prophet (PBUH) referred to in the Hadeeth which was narrated by Abu
Hurayrah, (RAA): “Be keen to do that which would benefit you, rely on Allah and
do not be lazy (by not exerting effort) and say when a problem befalls you: ‘If
I would have done such and such, then the result would have been such and such’
rather you should say: ‘This was decreed by Allah and Allah does what He
wills.’ Saying ‘If’ opens the gate for Satan.” (Muslim).
At the same time,
one who is relying on Allah must know that although he must utilise all the
possible means that Allah has provided for him, his heart must still rely
totally on Allah to achieve his objectives. For example, when one applies for a
job, his heart should still be attached to Allah (SWT) for provision; he should
not think that the job itself is providing for him. In fact, the importance of
the utilisation of all possible means is derived from the Sunnah of the Prophet
(PBUH); an example of this is when he (PBUH) wore two coats of armour during
the battle of Uhud and did not give up wearing them with the excuse of relying
on Allah.
Abandoning the utilisation
of means violates reliance, just like depending on means violates reliance.
Some people abandon the use of means claiming that they only rely on Allah,
despite the fact that Allah rebuked those who behaved in such a manner. Ibn
‘Abbaas, (RAA), narrated that: “The people of Yaman used to come to Hajj
without bringing their provisions saying: ‘We rely only on Allah’ but when they
would reach Makkah they would start begging people for money; so Allah
revealed: “…And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear of
Allah …” (Al-Baqarah: 197)” (Bukhaari).
Dear Muslims: The essence of reliance on Allah (SWT) is
to entrust all matters to Him willingly, without feeling forced to do so. This
is just like, for example, how a weak son would trust his parents due to the
fact that he knows that the parents are caring, merciful and sufficient for him
and that they would properly manage his affairs. This son knows that his
parents manage his affairs better than he could do himself. Allah (SWT)
mentions this type of entrustment in the Holy Qur’an when He (SWT) says telling
us about a believing man at the time of Moses (PBUH): “…And I entrust my affair
to Allah …” (Ghaafir: 44).
Moreover, we should
be content with the outcome of the reliance on Allah. In fact, this is the
fruit of entrusting Allah (SWT) with all ones affairs. For this reason, the
scholars of Islam have defined reliance on Allah to mean contentment with the
decrees of Allah.
Dear Brothers And Sisters In Islam: One who truly relies on Allah (SWT) will
never worry about attaining provisions, nor will he ever attempt to obtain them
unlawfully. We must know that provisions are in the Hands of Allah (SWT) and
that every one will get the provision destined for him as the Prophet (PBUH)
said:
“O people fear Allah and seek your provisions in moderation, because nobody
will die until he has consumed his provisions, even if he does not look for it.
So fear Allah and seek your provisions in moderation and take only that which
is lawful and abandon that which is unlawful.” (Ibn Maajah). Also, Ibn `Abbas (RAA) reported: One day, I
was riding behind the Prophet (PBUH) when he said, "O boy! I will instruct
you in some matters. Be watchful of Allah (Commandments of Allah), He will
preserve you. Safeguard His Rights, He will be ever with you. If you beg, beg
of Him Alone; and if you need assistance, supplicate to Allah Alone for help.
And remember that if all the people gather to benefit you, they will not be
able to benefit you except that which Allah had foreordained (for you); and if
all of them gather to do harm to you, they will not be able to afflict you with
anything other than that which Allah had pre - destined against you. The pens
had been lifted and the ink had dried up."
(Reported by Al - Tirmidhi). Another narration is: The Messenger of
Allah (PBUH) said, "Safeguard the Commandments of Allah, you will find Him
before you. Remember Him in prosperity and He will remember you in adversity.
Be sure that which you miss, was not to hit you; and what hits you, was never
to miss you. Remember that the Help of Allah is obtained with patience, and
relief emerges after distress, prosperity follows adversity, and hardship is
followed by ease."
Dear Muslims: The Prophet (PBUH) said in the Du’aa’ of
Al-Istikhaarah (seeking guidance and trying to form a decision): “O Allah I
seek Your counsel by Your knowledge and by Your power I seek strength, I ask
You from Your immense favour…” - this is entrustment of and reliance upon Him.
Then he (PBUH) said: “…Indeed You are able while I am not able, and indeed You
know while I do not know and You are The Knower of the unseen…” This is the
denial of having any knowledge or power, then supplicating to Allah by virtue
of His names and attributes, then asking Him to decree that which is good.
The Prophet (PBUH) is teaching us how to
attain reliance in the above mentioned Du’aa’, so why can’t we be like those
who rely on Allah? Those whose hearts are attached to none but Allah; those who
have hope in and supplicate only to Him; they utilise all means but only rely
on the One Who facilitated these means; while they deal with the creation they
rely only on The Creator. Glad tidings and success are for such people, those
who seek refuge only in Allah; the One Who controls the Heavens and the earth.
May Allah (SWT), bless, guide and forgive
us all. (Ameen).
