Darʾ Taʿâroud al-ʿAql wa-n-Naql - Ibn Taimiya - (4/14)

And the term “imperfection” is ambiguous, as explained earlier. At most, it can be understood as the absence of something before it comes into existence. The matter thus amounts to saying that, if something comes into existence after not existing, it must have been nonexistent before it existed.

They may then be asked: How do you know that its coming into existence after not existing is impossible? This entails neither the Lord’s dependence on another nor His attaining perfection through another’s action. Rather, He is the Ever-Living, who does whatever He wills, the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise, the All-Aware, the Merciful, the Loving. There is no god but He. Everything besides Him needs Him, whereas He has no need of anything besides Himself. He does not attain perfection through another, need anyone else, or seek another’s assistance in any act. His servants cannot bring Him benefit so as to benefit Him, nor bring Him harm so as to harm Him. Rather, He is the Creator of causes and their effects.

He is the One who inspires His servant to supplicate, then answers him; makes his deeds easy for him, then rewards him; and inspires him to repent, loves him, and rejoices at his repentance. He is the One who has set the believers to work in what pleases Him and is pleased with them. Thus, in doing what He loves and approves, He has no need of anyone else. Rather, He Himself created the movements of His servants that He loves and approves. He also created those deeds of theirs that He neither loves nor approves, because of the wisdom He has in doing so, which He loves and approves.

“He is Allah; there is no god but He. To Him belongs all praise in this life and the Hereafter. His is the judgment, and to Him you will be returned.”
Al-Qasas: 70.

Thus, there is no god but He:

“Had there been in the heavens and the earth gods besides Allah, both would have fallen into ruin.”
Al-Anbiyā’: 22.

If He is the One who deserves that worship be devoted to Him, then every deed not intended for His sake is futile and of no benefit,

ولفظ النقص لفظ مجمل كما تقدم فإن غايته أن يفسر بعدم ما وجد قبل أن يوجد، فيعود الأمر إلى أن هذا الموجود إذا وجد بعد أن لم يكن، لزم أن يكون معدوماً قبل وجوده فيقال ومن أين علمتم أن وجود هذا بعد عدمه محال؟ وليس في ذلك افتقار الرب إلى غيره ولا استكماله بفعل غيره، بل هو الحي الفعال لما يشاء العليم القدير الحكيم، الخبير الرحيم الودود، لا إله إلا هو، وكل ما سواه فقير إليه، وهو غني عما سواه، لا يكمل بغيره، ولا يحتاج إلى سواه ولا يستعين بغيره في فعل، ولا يبلغ العباد نفعه فينفعوه، ولا ضره فيضروه، بل هو خالق الاسباب والمسببات، وهو الذي يلهم عبده الدعاء، ثم يجيبه وييسر عليه العمل، ثم يثيبه ويلهمه التوبة، ويحبه ويفرح بتوبته وهو الذي استعمل المؤمنين فيما يرضيه، ورضي عنهم فلم يحتج في فعله لما يحبه ويرضاه إلى سواه، بل هو الذي خلق حركات العباد التي يحبها ويرضاها، وهو الذي خلق ما لايحبه ولا يرضاه من اعمالهم، لما له في ذلك من الحكمة التي يحبها ويرضاها {وهو الله لا إله إلا هو له الحمد في الأولى والآخرة وله الحكم وإليه ترجعون} القصص: ٧٠، فلا إله إلا هو {لو كان فيهما آلهة إلا الله لفسدتا} الانبياء: ٢٢، إذا كان هو الذي يستحق أن تكون العبادة له، وكل عمل لا يراد به وجهه فهو باطل لا منفعة فيه،