(45–48) “Seek help through patience and prayer. It is indeed burdensome except for the humbly submissive, who are certain that they will meet their Lord and that to Him they will return. O Children of Israel, remember My blessing which I bestowed upon you and that I favored you above all peoples. And fear a Day when no soul will avail another in the least, no intercession will be accepted from it, no ransom will be taken from it, and none will be helped.”
Allah commanded them to seek help in all their affairs through every form of patience: patient perseverance in obedience to Allah until it is fulfilled; restraint from disobeying Allah until the sin is abandoned; and patience with Allah’s painful decrees without resenting them. Through patience—and restraining oneself regarding that for which Allah has commanded patience—one gains tremendous help in every affair. Whoever strives to be patient, Allah grants him patience. Likewise, prayer—the measure of faith, which restrains from indecency and wrongdoing—is a means of help in every affair.
“It is indeed burdensome”—that is, prayer is difficult—“except for the humbly submissive.” For them, it is easy and light, because humility, fear of Allah, and hope for what is with Him impel them to perform it wholeheartedly, as they anticipate reward and fear punishment. By contrast, one who is not like this has nothing to motivate him to pray; and when he does perform it, it becomes one of the most burdensome things for him.
Humble submission is the heart’s humility, tranquility, and stillness before Allah Most High, and its brokenness before Him in abasement and neediness, together with faith in Him and in meeting Him.
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This is why He says, “who are certain”—that is, they know with certainty—“that they will meet their Lord,” who will recompense them for their deeds, “and that to Him they will return.” This is what made acts of worship easy for them, afforded them solace amid calamities, relieved their anguish, and deterred them from committing sins. Such people will have everlasting bliss in lofty chambers. As for one who does not believe that he will meet his Lord, prayer and other acts of worship are among the most difficult things for him.
He then once again reminded the Children of Israel of His blessing, as an admonition, warning, and encouragement to them.
He made them fear the Day of Resurrection, on which “no soul will avail”—that is, benefit—another soul, even if it is a noble soul such as one of the prophets or righteous, “in the least,” even if the other soul is one of its closest relatives. It will avail it neither much nor little. A person will benefit only from the deeds he sent ahead.
“No intercession will be accepted from it”—that is, from the soul—on behalf of anyone without Allah’s permission and His approval of the one for whom intercession is made. Nor does He approve any deed unless it is performed seeking His Countenance and accords with the path and the Sunnah. “Nor will any ransom be taken from it”—that is, any payment for redemption. “Even if the wrongdoers possessed all that is on earth and as much again, they would offer it to ransom themselves from the terrible punishment,” yet it would not be accepted from them. “Nor will they be helped”—that is, no harm will be warded off from them.
He thus negated every possible way of benefiting from created beings. His words, “No soul will avail another in the least,” concern obtaining benefits, while “nor will they be helped” concerns warding off harms. This negates any benefit that a benefactor might independently(1) confer.
“No intercession will be accepted from it, nor will any ransom be taken from it.” This negates benefit sought from someone who possesses it, whether in return for compensation, as with a ransom, or without compensation, as with intercession. This requires a servant to sever his heart’s attachment to created beings, knowing that they possess not even an atom’s weight of benefit for him, and to attach it to Allah, who brings benefits and wards off harms. He should therefore worship Him alone, without partner, and seek His help in worshipping Him.