His words, “and every one of us is Your servant,” acknowledge servitude to Allah and affirm that it applies to all people. They are all subject and humbled before Allah, Glorified is He. He is their Lord and Creator; they have no lord or creator besides Him.

His words, “No one can withhold what You give, and no one can give what You withhold,” acknowledge that Allah Most High alone grants and withholds, constricts and expands, abases and raises, with no partner in any of this. Whatever He, Glorified is He, decrees for His servant—whether goodness and blessing or trial and affliction—cannot be repelled or prevented from occurring. Whatever He withholds from His servant—whether goodness and blessing or trial and affliction—cannot possibly occur. Allah Most High says: “If Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it except Him; and if He intends good for you, none can repel His bounty” 1, and He, Glorified is He, says: “Whatever mercy Allah opens to people, none can withhold; and whatever He withholds, none can release thereafter. He is the Almighty, the All-Wise” 2. He alone, Glorified is He, grants and withholds. When He grants, no one is capable of withholding what He has granted; and when He withholds, no one is capable of granting what He has withheld.

His words, “and no worldly fortune can avail its possessor before You,” mean that the worldly fortunes of the children of Adam—their shares of dominion, leadership, wealth, comfortable living, and the like—neither avail them before Him, deliver them from His punishment, nor bring them nearer to His honor. What benefits them before Him is drawing near to Him through obedience and preferring His pleasure3.

Al-Bukhārī narrated in his Sahīh from Rifāah ibn Rāfi al-Zuraqī (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “We used to