86 — The Servant’s Need for Allah

Among the noble qualities and sublime traits that should characterize one who supplicates Allah, Glorious and Exalted, is certain knowledge that he is utterly dependent upon Allah, Glorious and Exalted, and in need of Him, unable to dispense with Him for even the blink of an eye. This is because man—and indeed every created being—is a servant of Allah Most High, dependent upon Him and owned by Him. He is their Lord, Sovereign, and God; they have no god besides Him. A created being possesses absolutely nothing of his own. Rather, his very being, attributes, actions, everything from which he benefits or to which he is entitled, and all else are created by Allah. Allah, Glorious and Exalted, is the Lord, Sovereign, Originator, Creator, and Fashioner of all these things, and He governs all their affairs. Whatever Allah wills comes to pass, and whatever He does not will does not come to pass. None can repel His decree or overturn His judgment: “Whatever mercy Allah opens up for people, none can withhold; and whatever He withholds, none can release thereafter.” 1.

Thus, every created being is dependent upon Allah and in need of Him, not of anyone besides Him. Allah says: “O mankind, it is you who stand in need of Allah, whereas Allah alone is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy.” 2. A created being is therefore self-sufficient neither through himself nor through anyone other than his Lord—Glory be to Him—for that other being is likewise dependent and in need of Allah. Hence it has been said: A created being seeking rescue from another created being is like one drowning person seeking rescue from another. It has also been said: A created being seeking rescue from another created being is like one prisoner seeking rescue from another.