—from simply drifting with the Divine decree while failing to apply themselves to the commandments that bring real benefit to the servant. Muslim relates in his Ṣaḥīḥ, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, though there is good in each of them. Be keen on whatever benefits you, seek Allah’s help, and do not be helpless. If something afflicts you, do not say, ‘Had I only done such-and-such,’ but rather say, ‘This is Allah’s decree, and whatever He wills, He does,’ for the phrase ‘if only’ opens the door to Satan’s work.”
In the Sunan of Abū Dāwūd it is reported that two men brought a case before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He ruled against one of them, and the man against whom the judgement was passed said, “Allah is sufficient for me and He is the best Trustee.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, “Allah reproaches helplessness. You must show resourcefulness; but when a matter overwhelms you, then say: ‘Allah is sufficient for me and He is the best Trustee.’”
Thus the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded the believer to strive for what benefits him and to seek Allah’s assistance. This accords with His words, “You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help,” and with His statement to Hūd: “So worship Him and put your trust in Him.” To be eager for what benefits the servant is itself obedience and worship of Allah, for nothing benefits him more than obeying Allah. Everything that aids obedience is, by that very fact, an act of obedience—even if, in itself, it belongs to the realm of what is merely permissible.
In the sound ḥadīth narrated to Saʿd, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “You will never spend anything, seeking thereby the Face of Allah, without your rank being raised because of it—even the morsel you place in your wife’s mouth.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that Allah censures incapacity, which is the opposite of resourcefulness; it is negligence regarding what one has been commanded to do. Such negligence conflicts with the concurrent capacity that accompanies an action, even though it does not negate the prior capacity upon which obligation and prohibition rest. The capacity that necessitates an action and is present with it applies only to what lies within its power, as in His words concerning the people of Hūd: “They were incapable of hearing,” and in al-Kahf: “They could not hear.” As for the capacity to which commands and prohibitions are addressed, an action may or may not accompany it, as He says in Āl ʿImrān: “Pilgrimage to the House is a duty to Allah for those who are able to undertake the journey,” and as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to ʿUmar: “Pray standing; if you are unable, then sitting; and if you are unable, then on your side.”
On this point people have split into four groups. One group considers only the sphere of command and prohibition, worship and obedience, bearing witness to His divinity—glorified be He—Whom they have been ordered to worship, while paying no attention to the sphere of decree, predestination, reliance, and seeking help. This is the state of many jurists devoted to worship: despite their sound intention and their reverence for Allah’s sanctities and symbols, weakness, incapacity, and being forsaken often predominate over them. Yet it is reliance on Allah, seeking His help, turning to Him, and supplicating Him that strengthen the servant and make matters easy for him. For this reason some have said