Creation is in Need of
Allah
"Man always looks for what benefits him and what
protects him from harm. However, to accomplish this, man must be able to realize
what is harmful. He must then know whom he should need, trust, and love so that
he can attain what is beneficial as well as to feel good about his choice. He
also must know the proper and good approach that would make him achieve this
goal. This latter condition requires that man:
a) Know about harm
b) What ways can be used to drive harm away
Certainly, man can have no better guidance than
that which comes from the One Who had perfected everything, and the One who Has
no deficiency in Himself and in His Attributes. The One Who is Ever-Living and
Who does not die. There can be no One better than the One Who Has no need for
anything; the One Who is rich; the Giver; the One who, after all, controls man's
soul. Man is so poor to Him. He is Allah, the True and only God. Man can bring
harm to himself if he seeks other than Allah for help. Allah is the One Who can
help man drive away any harm for it cannot occur without His Will and His Power.
Allah (SW) sent down His Books and chose His
Messengers to guide man to:
a) Know His Lord as He (SW) had explained about
Himself, and
b) Seek Him Alone while living in accordance with
His plan
Knowing Allah's Names and Attributes liberates man
from worshiping any form of creation because creation is weak and is in need of
The Creator, Allah. The knowledge about Allah leads man to know that he is
created to live according to Allah's way as revealed to the last Messenger
Muhammad (sallaallaahu `alaihi wa sallam). This Revelation contains a complete
code of life. Everything that is beneficial or harmful is established so that
man can center his life around this Revelation. If man commits wrong and knows
that Allah is Oft-Forgiving he would turn to Him and to Him alone seeking His
forgiveness: "Know, therefore, that there is no God Who deserves to be worshiped
except Allah; and ask forgiveness for your sins." (Qur'an, 47:19)
It is wrong to think or believe that Allah created
other 'gods' besides Him so that man turns to them for help; loves them or fear
them, etc. He is the same God of all nations. He does not order that people
should make of stars, sun, fire, Jesus, MUSA (pbu), etc. gods besides Him. He (Most
Exalted) cannot be 'contradictory'. He has one way (religion) that calls man to
surrender his will only to Him. He (SW) warned that if man (even Muhammad
sallaallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) would take partners with Him, then his work will
fail and will be among losers:
"And verily, it had been revealed to you (O
Muhammad) as has been revealed to those before you. If you join others in
worship with Allah (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain and you will
certainly be among the losers. Nay! But worship Allah and be among
the grateful." (Qur'an, 39:65-66)
Let us know what Muhammad (sallaallaahu `alaihi wa
sallam), the man-Prophet, who knew Allah best, used to say:
"O Allah, I seek refuge in You for Your Pleasure
and against Your Wrath,and in Your Forgiveness and against Your Punishment and
in You from You, I cannot Praise You as You can Praise Yourself." (Muslim, Abu
Dawoud, at-Tirmidhi, ibn Majah)
"I have surrendered myself to You, I have directed
my face to You, I have entrusted my affairs to You, I have compelled my back to
refuge in You, in want and in fright of You, there is no resort nor survival
from You except (in turning) to You. I have faith in Your book (i.e. the Qur'an)
which You brought down and in the Prophet (Muhammad) you have sent." (Al-Bukhari,
Muslim)
When we read in the Qur'an that:
"Whatever of Mercy (i.e. of good), Allah may grant
to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant
it thereafter. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise." (Qur'an, 35:2)
And when we read that:
"If Allah touches you with hurt, there is none can
remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is none who can
repel His favor which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He will,
and He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." (Qur'an, 10:117)
We should be motivated to return to Him Alone at
times of ease and at times of hardship.
And when we read that:
"If Allah helps you none can overcome you, and if
He forsakes you, who is there, after Him, that can help you. And in Allah
(alone) let believers put their trust." (Qur'an, 3:160)
The Qur'an, therefore, leads man to a true
liberation from any false attachment. It brings peace to the heart. It helps the
believer against hypocrisy and all forms of dishonesty. Imagine, for example, a
believer facing a problem at work. He sees wrong and faces unlawful practices.
He does not fear rejecting what is wrong. He knows that the job is only a means
to gain his sustenance. While he may be unable to correct what is wrong, he
knows well that Allah is the One Who provides. If he leaves his job for the sake
of Allah, Allah will give him a better one. Allah (SW) said:
"And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to
Him. He will make a way for him to get out (from) every (difficulty), and He
will provide him from (sources) he could never imagine." (Qur'an, 65:2-3)
The above texts, necessitates that man must depend
upon Allah (SW) asking Him Alone for assistance. It also requires that man must
love Allah and worship Him Alone to gain His pleasure and His help. Is it not
true that the people who consider this life as the "Final Goal" end up
worshiping many things in it? You see them so careful about "having it all".
They torture themselves: pain, difficulty, constant worry, keeping their hands
in the banks for loan after loan to keep up with the "demands of development".
They are under the constant threat of fore-closure. They constantly see poverty
in front of their eyes. The Prophet (sallaallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said:
"Allah says: Son of Adam: Fill your time with My
worship and I will fill your heart with richness, and end off your poverty. But
if you donot, I would make your hands fully busy (i.e. in worldly affairs) and I
would not end off your poverty." (At-Tirmidhi said that it is a good hadeeth)
Our purpose of existence on earth is more
meaningful than being slaves to worldly gains. There can be no meaningful life
better than that prescribed by our Creator Allah. Every act done according to
Allah's way is an act of worship. Man is the beneficiary and Allah is in no
need:
"O mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allah,
but Allah is Rich (Free of all wants and needs), Worthy of All Praise." (Qur'an,
35:15)
|
