Part 28

This is from the completion of true Faith (eemaan) and is a sign of it, as He, the Most High, says, "And put your reliance and trust in Allaah if you are true Believers." [surah al-Maa'idah (5):23] If the person is sincere in his reliance and trust in Allaah, the Most High, then Allaah, the Most High, will take care of whatever troubles or concerns him, as He, the Most High, says, "And whoever places his reliance and trust in Allaah then He will suffice him." [surah at-Jalaaq (65):3] Meaning that He will suffice him, then He sets the mind of the one who trusts in Him at rest with His Saying, "Allaah will certainly bring about whatever He has decreed." [surah at-Talaaq (65):3] So nothing at all can prevent Him from whatever He wills. Furthermore it should be known that placing reliance and trust is of different types: (i) Trust and reliance upon Allaah, the Most High, is from the completion of eemaan, and one of the signs of its sincerity, it is obligatory since eemaan cannot be completed without it, and the proof has preceded. (ii) Secret trust and dependence, such that he depends upon someone deceased to bring him some benefit or remove some harm, this is major shirk. This is because it will not occur except from a person who believes that this deceased person has some hidden control over the creation. There is no difference in this matter whether the deceased is a prophet, a pious person, or an evil enemy of Allaah, the Most High, who is worshipped by the people. (iii) Placing reliance upon someone else in the affairs, whilst feeling that he himself is of a low standing and the one he depends upon is therefore of higher standing, for example that he depends upon him to bring him sustenance and the like, then this is a type of lesser shirk due to the strong connection his heart forms towards him and his dependence upon him. But if he merely relied upon him being certain that he is just a means, and that Allaah, the Most High, is the One Who alone has the power to bring that about in His Hand, then there is no harm in that, since the one on whom he places reliance does have an effect in causing it to occur. (iv) Relying upon someone else and allowing someone else to act on your behalf with regard to a matter where one is allowed to depute someone. This is something about which there is no harm, as shown by the evidence of the Book, the Sunnah and the consensus (ijmaa'). Ya'qoob said to his sons: "O my sons go back and seek news of Yoosuf and his brother." [surah Yoosuf (12):87] Also the Prophet deputed men to take charge of collection and looking after the zakaat; he deputed people to establish and carry out the prescribed punishment; and deputed 'Alee ibn Abee Taalib, radiyallaahu 'anhu, to take charge of some of his sacrificial animals during the Farewell Pilgrimage, and to give their skins and covering sheets in charity, and to sacrifice the remainder of the hundred camels after he had sacrificed sixty three with his own hand. As for the consensus (ijmaa*) upon permissibility of this, then it is something known. The evidence for the fervent desire (ar-raghbah) [73] dread (arrahbah) [74] and reverence and humility (al-khushoo') [75] is the Saying of Allaah, the Most High: "They used to hasten to acts of devotion and obedience to Allaah, and they used to worship Allaah upon love and desire, and upon fear, and were reverent and humble before Allaah"[76] [surah al-Ambiyaa (21): 90] ________________________________________________________ Ar-Raghbah is the love and desire to reach that which is beloved. Ar-Rahbah is fear which causes one to flee away from the cause of fear. So it is a fear that is accompanied by action. Al-Khushoo' is humility and submissiveness before the Greatness of Allaah, such that the person submits to whatever Allaah has pre-decreed and what He has ordained and commanded. In this noble Aayah, Allaah, the Most High, describes the most loyal and sincere of His servants as worshipping Allaah, the Most High, upon raghbah and rahbah, whist being humble and submissive to Him. The dua (invocation) here covers both invoking Allaah through acts of worship, and supplication. So they call upon Allaah out of earnest desire for what is with Him, and hoping for His reward, whilst also fearing His punishment as a result of their sins. So the Believer should hasten to Allaah, the Most High, upon fear and earnest desire; with regard to actions of obedience his hope and earnest desire should predominate, so that he is keen to perform them and hopes that they will be accepted; and with regard to whenever he thinks of committing a sin, then fear should predominate so that he will flee away from doing it and be saved from its consequent punishment. Some scholars say that the aspect of hope should pre-dominate when a person is ill, and the aspect of fear when he is well. They say this since a person who is ill feels subdued and weakened and it may be that his appointed time is near, so that he may die, and he should do so whilst thinking good of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic.