Dr. Saleh as-Saleh رحمه الله
Man always looks
for what benefits him and what protects him from harm. However, to accomplish
this, man must be able to realize what is harmful. He must then know whom he
should need, trust, and love so that he can attain what is beneficial as well
as to feel good about his choice. He also must know the proper and good
approach that would make him achieve this goal. This latter condition requires
that man:
1. Know
about harm
2.
What ways can be
used to drive harm away
Certainly, man can
have no better guidance than that which comes from the One Who had perfected
everything, and the One who Has no deficiency in Himself and in His Attributes.
The One Who is Ever-Living and Who does not die. There can be no One better
than the One Who Has no need for anything; the One Who is rich; the Giver; the
One who, after all, controls man’s soul. Man is so poor to Him. He is Allaah,
the True and only God. Man can bring harm to himself if he seeks other than
Allaah for help. Allaah is the One Who can help man drive away any harm for it
cannot occur without His Will and His Power.
Allaah (سُبحانه وتعالى) sent down His Books and chose His
Messengers to guide man to:
1. Know
His Lord as He (سُبحانه وتعالى) had explained about Himself, and
2. Seek
Him Alone while living in accordance with His plan
Knowing Allaah’s Names and Attributes
liberates man from worshiping any form of creation because creation is weak and
is in need of The Creator, Allaah. The knowledge about Allaah leads man to know
that he is created to live according to Allaah’s way as revealed to the last
Messenger Muhammad صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم. This
Revelation contains a complete code of life. Everything that is beneficial or
harmful is established so that man can center his life around this Revelation.
If man commits wrong and knows that Allaah is Oft-Forgiving he would turn to
Him and to Him alone seeking His forgiveness:
فَاعْلَمْ
أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنبِكَ
“Know,
therefore, that there is no God Who deserves to be worshiped except Allaah;
and ask forgiveness for your sins.”
(Muhammad, 47:19)
It is wrong to
think or believe that Allaah created other ‘gods’ besides Him so that man turns
to them for help; loves them or fear them, etc. He is the same God of all
nations. He does not order that people should make of stars, sun, fire, Jesus,
Moses, etc. gods besides Him. He (سُبحانه وتعالى) cannot be ‘contradictory’. He has one way
(religion) that calls man to surrender his will only to Him. He warned that if
man (even Muhammad would take partners with Him, then his work will fail
and will be among losers:
وَلَقَدْ
أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ لَئِنْ أَشْرَكْتَ
لَيَحْبَطَنَّ عَمَلُكَ وَلَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
بَلِ
اللَّهَ فَاعْبُدْ وَكُن مِّنْ الشَّاكِرِينَ
“And
verily, it had been revealed to you (O Muhammad) as has been revealed to
those before you. If you join others in worship with Allaah (then) surely (all)
your deeds will be in vain and you will certainly be among the losers.
Nay! But worship Allaah and be among grateful.”
(Az-Zumar,
39:65-66)
Let us know what
Muhammad, the man-Prophet, who knew Allaah best, used to say:
“O Allaah, I seek
refuge in You for Your Pleasure and against Your Wrath, and in Your Forgiveness
and against Your Punishment and in You from You, I cannot Praise You as You can
Praise Yourself.”
(Muslim, Abu Dawoud,
at-Tirmidhi, ibn Majah)
“I have surrendered
myself to You, I have directed my face to You, I have entrusted my affairs to
You, I have compelled my back to refuge in You, in want and in fright of You,
there is no resort nor survival from You except (in turning) to You. I have
faith in Your book (i.e. the Qur’aan) which You brought down and in the Prophet
(Muhammad) you have sent.”
(Al-Bukhari,
Muslim)
When we read in the
Qur’aan that:
مَا
يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمْسِكْ
فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
“Whatever
of Mercy (i.e. of good), Allaah may grant to mankind, none can withhold
it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter. And He is
the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.”
(Fatir, 35:2)
And when we read
that:
