ability; for someone who has no ability whatsoever is neither blamed nor commanded to do what he is wholly unable to do. Then, having commanded him to strive and seek Allah’s help, and forbidden him to give in to helplessness, he instructed him, when something overwhelms him, to consider the divine decree and say, “Allah decreed, and He has done whatever He willed,” rather than succumb to regret, anguish, and sorrow, saying, “Had I done such-and-such, this and that would have happened.” For “if only” opens the way for Satan’s work.

Someone expressed this meaning as follows: “Matters are of two kinds: those about which something can be done, and those about which nothing can be done. One should not give in to helplessness regarding the former, nor to distress regarding the latter.” This is what the leading scholars of religion teach, as Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qādir and others have mentioned. One must do what is commanded, refrain from what is forbidden, and meet what is decreed with acceptance and patience.

Allah Most High relates that Joseph said:

“I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has certainly been gracious to us. Indeed, whoever is mindful of Allah and patient—Allah never lets the reward of those who do good go to waste.”

“Mindfulness of Allah” encompasses doing what is commanded and refraining from what is forbidden. “Patience” encompasses patiently bearing what is decreed.

Allah Most High also says:

“O you who believe, do not take as confidants those outside your ranks; they spare no effort to bring you ruin”—up to His words—“But if you are patient and mindful of Allah, their plotting will not harm you at all.”

He, glorified be He, thus made it clear that, with mindfulness of Allah and patience, no harm comes to