shielding him from some harm—such as illness or an enemy—even if all he does is offer a prayer or voice praise, they nonetheless look for compensation whenever the deed is not carried out for Allah’s sake. Thus the soldiers of a king, the slaves of an owner, the hirelings of a craftsman, and the aides of a governor—all of them are really pursuing their own interests through him; most give little thought to the welfare of the one they serve, unless they have been taught and disciplined from another direction, in which case the matter enters the religious sphere, or unless they possess a natural disposition toward justice and kindness that prompts them to repay good with good and to show mercy. Otherwise, their primary, deliberate intention is their own advantage.

This is part of Allah’s wisdom: He has arranged the affairs of His creatures, apportioned their livelihoods in this worldly life, and raised some above others in rank so that they may make use of one another in service.

When this becomes clear, you realize that the creature does not seek your benefit as his first concern; rather, he seeks his own benefit through you, and that may even harm you if justice is not observed. So when you call upon him, you are calling one whose harm is nearer than his benefit.

The Lord—glorified be He—wants you for your own sake and for the benefit that accrues to you through you; He does not seek to profit from you. That is pure benefit for you without any harm. Reflect on this, for keeping this perspective will keep you from putting your hope in a created being or requesting from him some advantage, for he does not truly wish that for you as his primary aim, nor is he able.