harm you in any way, they would harm you only with something Allah had already decreed against you.”
When the servant upholds Allah’s oneness in its purest form, fear of all others leaves his heart. His enemy becomes too insignificant for him to fear alongside Allah. Rather, he fears Allah alone, and Allah grants him safety from his enemy. His concern about that enemy, his preoccupation with him, and his thoughts about him all leave his heart. He devotes himself entirely to Allah in love, reverent fear, repentance, and reliance, occupying himself with Him rather than anyone else. He thus sees that dwelling on his enemy, fearing him, and being preoccupied with him reflect a deficiency in his affirmation of Allah’s oneness. Were that affirmation pure, it would occupy him fully, while Allah would undertake to protect and defend him. Allah indeed defends those who believe. If he believes in Allah, Allah will assuredly defend him, and Allah’s defence of him will be commensurate with his faith.
If his faith is complete, Allah’s protection of him will be complete. If his faith is mixed, so too will be the protection he receives. And if he is at times … Allah … towards him entirely. Whoever turns away from Allah completely, Allah turns away from him entirely. Whoever turns to Him at some times but not others, Allah responds to him accordingly.
Upholding Allah’s oneness is therefore His greatest fortress: whoever enters it is safe. One of the early generations said, “Whoever fears Allah is feared by everything; whoever does not fear Allah, Allah makes him afraid of everything.”
These are ten means by which the evil of the envier, the person who inflicts the evil eye, and the sorcerer may be repelled. Nothing is more beneficial to a person than turning to Allah, devoting himself to Him, relying upon Him, trusting Him, and fearing no one alongside Him. Rather, he should fear Him alone and place his hope in no one else, hoping in Him alone. He should not attach his heart to anyone else or seek deliverance from anyone besides Him, nor should he hope in anyone but Him. Whenever he attaches his heart to another, placing his hope in him and fearing him, he is left to that other and let down through him. Whatever someone fears besides Allah is given power over him. Whatever someone hopes in besides Allah becomes a source of disappointment, and he is deprived of its good. This is Allah’s established way with His creation, and you will never find any change in Allah’s way.
Section
You have now learned some of the beneficial principles contained in this surah