The tenth means is to purify one’s tawhīd, allowing one’s thought to pass beyond the causes to the Almighty, All-Wise One who brings them about, and to know that nothing can harm or benefit except by Allah’s permission. 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 The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with them both: “Know that if all people were to unite to benefit you, they could benefit you only with something Allah had decreed for you; and if they were to unite to harm you, they could harm you only with something Allah had decreed against you.”2
When the servant purifies his tawhīd, fear of all besides Allah leaves his heart, and his enemy becomes too insignificant for him to fear alongside Allah. Rather, he reserves fear for Allah alone and recognizes that dwelling upon his enemy, fearing him, and being preoccupied with him all constitute a deficiency in his tawhīd. Had he purified his tawhīd, it would occupy him completely, while Allah would undertake to preserve and defend him. Indeed, Allah defends those who believe. If he is a believer, Allah will assuredly defend him, and Allah’s defense of him will be commensurate with his faith. If his faith is complete, Allah’s defense of him will be complete; if it is mixed, the defense accorded him will likewise be mixed; and if he turns to Allah at times and turns away at others, Allah’s treatment of him will likewise vary. As one of the early Muslims said: “Whoever turns wholly to Allah, Allah turns to him altogether. Whoever turns away from Allah entirely, Allah turns away from him altogether. Whoever turns to Him at times and turns away at others, Allah’s treatment of him will likewise vary.”
Tawhīd is Allah’s greatest fortress; whoever enters it is among those who are secure. One of the early Muslims said: “Whoever fears Allah is feared by everything, but whoever does not fear Allah is made by Allah to fear everything.”
These, then, are ten tremendous means by which the evil of the envier, the one who casts the evil eye, and the sorcerer3 is repelled. We ask Allah, the Most Generous, to protect us and all Muslims from every evil. He is indeed All-Hearing and Responsive.