a man who has lost his mount, carrying his food and drink, in a deadly wilderness, falls asleep having despaired of recovering it, then awakens to find it. Allah rejoices more at His servant’s repentance than this man rejoices at recovering his mount. This concerns matters of great importance, which we have discussed and explained at length elsewhere.

Reliance upon Allah and seeking His help are for the servant, for they are the means and the path by which he attains his aim and what he seeks through worship. Seeking help is thus like supplication and petition. Al-Tabarānī related in his Book of Supplication that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says: ‘O son of Adam, there are but four matters: one for Me, one for you, one between Me and you, and one between you and My creation. As for the one for Me, it is that you worship Me, associating nothing with Me. As for the one for you, it is your deeds, for which I shall recompense you when you are most in need of that recompense. As for the one between Me and you, yours is to supplicate and Mine is to answer. As for the one between you and My creation, treat people as you would like them to treat you.’”

Describing one as being for Allah and the other as being for the servant concerns what love and pleasure are directed toward in the first instance. The servant initially loves and desires what he considers beneficial to himself, whereas Allah, exalted is He, loves and is pleased with what constitutes the ultimate object of His pleasure, and loves the means as subordinate to that. Both, however, are commanded; their benefit accrues to the servant, and Allah loves and is pleased with all of this.

Accordingly, whoever considered reliance upon Allah to be one of the general spiritual stations assumed that it is sought only for worldly benefits. This is mistaken; rather, reliance upon Allah in religious matters is greater.