The musrikeen (pagans of Makkah) asked Nabi ﷺ to describe Allah. They were accustomed to creating and worshipping idols, which were false deities that they could see and touch. In response to their question, Allah revealed Surah Ikhlaas:
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ . اللَّهُ الصَّمَد . لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ . وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Self-sufficient; He neither begets nor is He born; nor is there any equivalent to Him (Qur’an, 112:1- 4).
As human beings, we are dependent on oxygen to breathe and on food and drink to survive. We are also interdependent on each other. A doctor may be intelligent but he is in need of a farmer. A farmer needs a shoemaker. The shoemaker needs the leather industry and the list continues, until we reach Allah; The only independent One, who is completely independent of us. Our emotions and need for each other can cloud our judgement. Our love can lead to bias, repressed trauma can lead to aggression, and aggression can lead to oppression. Allah is independent of emotions. In old age, a father may ignore his son’s ill manners, as he needs his help. Or, grandparents may ignore their children’s ill manners, as they desire to see their grandchildren. Generally due to dependency, we patiently overlook certain problems. Allah is independent of our help.
Throughout history, He has shown His independence. When the man who committed 99 murders repented, Allah forgave him instantly. Allah guided Asiya عليها السلام to Islam, though her husband was Firawn, the tyrant. Allah chose not to guide the wife of Lut عليه السلام, though her husband was a Prophet. The son of Nuh عليه السلام died a disbeliever, though his father was a Prophet. Allah does what He wills, whenever He wills.
Thus, do not humanise Allah. Do not consider Him like the way you consider humans. He is above and beyond, better and greater than that. When you repent, He forgives instantly because unlike humans, He is not emotional or hurt by your frequent sinning. In fact, He instructs us to return to Him immediately after sinning, because He holds no grudges against you, nor does He need time and space to “get over it”. If a person refuses to pay a loan back, the lender will think twice before giving him a loan again, because he was harmed the first time. Whereas a person who sins for decades can be forgiven if he repents and changes, beacuse Allah was never harmed. Thus, repent frequently and know that He will forgive frequently. Humans may not forgive quickly but don’t assume Allah to be the same – He is unlike us.
Recognise that He doesn’t need your worship but you need His reward. Thus, increase in worship accordingly. He doesn’t need your charity; Allah can sustain the poor without you. You are in greater need of reward from Allah, than the poor is in need of your money. Thus, give anyway. Bear in mind that Allah does not need your efforts to spread Deen. He could easily replace you and I with someone better, more qualified or more knowledgeable. But He chose to give you this opportunity to attain closeness to Him. Therefore, constantly remember that you are in dire need of Allah. This will motivate you to do good, for noone will benefit more from your good, than you. May Allah grant us the tawfiq, aameen.
— Shaykh Dawood Seedat حفظه اللّٰه
Above is an extract from Shaykh’s talk on 22/7/19 in Masjid-ut-Taqwa, Pietermaritzburg. To listen to the full talk, please click here.
