And contingency and temporal origination are two indications of dependence; these two attributes do not make a thing dependent. Rather, things’ dependence on their Creator is inseparable from them and requires no cause, just as the Lord’s self-sufficiency is inherent in His essence and requires no cause. Likewise, a created being requires no cause to account for its dependence. It is dependent by its very nature: its essence cannot be anything but dependent, with a dependence inseparable from it, and it can find sufficiency only through Allah. This is one of the meanings of al-Samad (the Self-Sufficient): the One upon whom everything depends, while He needs nothing. Indeed, things depend on Him both in respect of His lordship and His right to worship. Whatever does not come into being through Him cannot exist; whatever is not for His sake cannot be sound, beneficial, or lasting.

This is the full import of His words:

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.”

Had He not created anything by His will and power, nothing would have existed. All actions are corrupt unless they are for His sake—with Him as the object of worship, the One sought and loved for His own sake. For movements require a final cause just as they require an efficient cause. Indeed, it is the final cause that makes the agent act; without it, the agent would not act.

Thus, were He not the One worshipped and loved for His own sake, no action or movement could ever be sound; rather, the world would fall into ruin. This is the meaning of His words:

“Had there been in them both gods besides Allah, both would have fallen into ruin.”

He did not say, “Both would have ceased to exist.” This is also the meaning of Labīd’s words:

“Indeed, everything apart from Allah is vain.”