Creation is in Need of Allah

Creation is in Need of Allah
Imam Ibn ul Qayyim al Jawziyyah

Written by Dr. Saleh as-Saleh based on Ighathat ul Lahfan (1/6-42) of Ibn ul Qayyim
Dar Al-Bukhari

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:
a) Know about harm

b) 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 Allah, the True and
only God. Man can bring harm to himself if he seeks other than Allah
for help. Allah is the One Who can help man drive away any harm for it
cannot occur without His Will and His Power.

Allah (SW) sent down His Books and chose His Messengers to guide man to:
a) Know His Lord as He (SW) had explained about Himself, and

b) Seek Him Alone while living in accordance with His plan

Knowing Allah's Names and Attributes liberates man from worshiping any
form of creation because creation is weak and is in need of The
Creator, Allah. The knowledge about Allah leads man to know that he is
created to live according to Allah's way as revealed to the last
Messenger Muhammad (sallaallaahu `alaihi wa sallam). 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 Allah is Oft-Forgiving
he would turn to Him and to Him alone seeking His forgiveness: {Know, therefore, that there is no God Who deserves to be worshiped except Allah; and ask forgiveness for your sins} [Qur'an, 47:19].

It is wrong to think or believe that Allah 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 (Most
Exalted) cannot be 'contradictory'. He has one way (religion) that
calls man to surrender his will only to Him. He (SW) warned that if man
(even Muhammad sallaallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) would take partners with
Him, then his work will fail and will be among losers:

{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 Allah (then) surely (all) your deeds will be in vain
and you will certainly be among the losers. Nay! But worship Allah and
be among grateful} [Qur'an, 39:65-66]

Let us know what Muhammad (sallaallaahu `alaihi wa sallam), the man-Prophet, who knew Allah best, used to say:
«O Allah, 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'an) which You brought down and in the
Prophet Muhammad) you have sent» [Al-Bukhari, Muslim].

When we read in the Qur'an that: {Whatever
of Mercy (i.e. of good), Allah 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} [Qur'an, 35:2].

And when we read that:
{If Allah touches you with hurt, there is none
can remove it but He; and if He intends any good for you, there is none
who can repel His favor which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His
slaves He will, and He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful} [Qur'an, 10:117].

We should be motivated to return to Him Alone at times of ease and at times of hardship.

And when we read that: {If Allah helps you
none can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there, after Him,
that can help you. And in Allah (alone) let believers put their trust} [Qur'an, 3:160].

The Qur'an, therefore, leads man to a true liberation from any false
attachment. It brings peace to the heart. It helps the believer against
hypocrisy and all forms of dishonesty. Imagine, for example, a believer
facing a problem at work. He sees wrong and faces unlawful practices.
He does not fear rejecting what is wrong. He knows that the job is only
a means to gain his sustenance. While he may be unable to correct what
is wrong, he knows well that Allah is the One Who provides. If he
leaves his job for the sake of Allah, Allah will give him a better one.
Allah (SW) said: {And
whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him. He will make a way for
him to get out (from) every difficulty), and He will provide him from
(sources) he could never imagine} [Qur'an, 65:2-3].

The above texts, necessitates that man must depend upon Allah (SW)
asking Him Alone for assistance. It also requires that man must love
Allah and worship Him Alone to gain His pleasure and His help. Is it
not true that the people who consider this life as the "Final Goal" end
up worshiping many things in it? You see them so careful about "having
it all". They torture themselves: pain, difficulty, constant worry,
keeping their hands in the banks for loan after loan to keep up with
the "demands of development". They are under the constant threat of
fore-closure. They constantly see poverty in front of their eyes. The
Prophet (sallaallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said: «Allah
says: Son of Adam: Fill your time with My worship and I will fill your
heart with richness, and end off your poverty. But if you donot, I
would make your hands fully busy (i.e. in worldly affairs) and I would
not end off your poverty» [At-Tirmidhi said that it is a good hadeeth].

Our purpose of existence on earth is more meaningful than being slaves
to worldly gains. There can be no meaningful life better than that
prescribed by our Creator Allah. Every act done according to Allah's
way is an act of worship. Man is the beneficiary and Allah is in no
need: {O mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allah, but Allah is Rich (Free of all wants and needs), Worthy of All Praise} [Qur'an, 35:15].