Man Between Worship and Reliance

Once this principle has been set out, every person, with respect to these two obligations, must be in one of four possible states: either he performs them both, or he limits himself to worship alone, or he confines himself to seeking help and placing reliance alone, or he abandons them both.

Thus, people at large fall into these four divisions; indeed, all adherents of the various religions belong to one of these categories, and it is they who are meant in the present discussion.

A category dominated by worship:

This group is characterized by an overriding intention to worship Allah—eager to carry out His commands and avoid His prohibitions, sincere toward Him, and compliant with the Sharīʿah in submitting to His injunctions, His restraints, and His universal decrees. Yet they are deficient in the sphere of seeking aid and reliance; consequently, they are either powerless or negligent, and end up defeated—sometimes by their inner foe, sometimes by an external enemy. Panic may seize them when calamity strikes, and they often grieve over what escapes them. Such is the case of many who know Allah’s law and His orders, who deem themselves faithful followers of the Sharīʿah and of lawful worship, yet remain ignorant of His decree and predestination. Their purpose is sound and they do seek the truth, but they do not know the path that leads to it nor the way that brings it about.