(* And in the two Sahīh collections, it is narrated that the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—said to Sa‘d:
“Perhaps you will live on, so that some people will benefit through you and others will be harmed through you.” *) (1)
How, then, could anyone testify that Allah has set forth no proof of His oneness, appointed no means of deliverance from His punishment, and made none of the actions performed by those of His servants who rely upon Him into causes?
He is the One who brings all causes into effect and creates everything by means of a cause originating from Him. Yet regarding causes (2), Abū Hāmid, Abū al-Faraj [Ibn al-Jawzī] (3), and others said: “Attaching one’s heart to causes constitutes associating partners with Allah in one’s affirmation of His oneness; denying that causes truly function as causes is a distortion (4) of reason itself; and wholly disregarding causes is an affront to the revealed law.”
Reliance upon Allah is a reality in which (5) monotheism (6), reason, and revealed law come together. Thus, the one who affirms Allah’s oneness (7) and relies upon Him does not attach his heart to causes—that is, he does not rest assured in them,
(1) The passage between the two asterisks is omitted from (W). The hadith is narrated from Sa'd ibn Abī Waqqās—may Allah be pleased with him—and is found in al-Bukhārī, 2/81 (Book of Funerals, chapter: “The Prophet’s Lament for Sa'd ibn Khawla”). Its wording is: “During the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—used to visit me because of an illness that had become severe.…” The hadith continues and includes: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, shall I be left behind after my companions?’ He replied, ‘You will not be left behind and perform any righteous deed without thereby increasing in rank and elevation. Moreover, perhaps you will live on so that some people will benefit through you and others will be harmed through you. O Allah, bring my Companions’ emigration to completion and do not turn them back on their heels. But poor Sa'd ibn Khawla!’” The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—lamented that he had died in Mecca. The hadith also appears in al-Bukhārī, 5/68–69 (Book of the Merits of the Ansār, chapter: “The Prophet’s Saying: ‘O Allah, Bring My Companions’ Emigration to Completion…’”), and a third time in the Book of Inheritance Shares.
(2) “But monotheism, as he said concerning it.”
(3) The words “Ibn al-Jawzī” are omitted from (H), (R), and (Y).
(4) (B) reads “obscuring” and “change”; (N) reads “is taken into consideration.”
(5) (H) and (R) read “harmonious.”
(6) (N) and (M) read: “Reliance upon Allah is a meaning that accords with the meaning of monotheism.” The second occurrence of “meaning” is omitted from (B).
(7) (N) and (M) read: “Thus, the believer.”