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Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: “We took part in the Battle of Najd along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and when the time for the afternoon rest approached while he was in a valley with plenty of thorny trees, he dismounted under a tree and rested in its shade and hung his sword (on it). The people dispersed amongst the trees seeking shade. While we were in that state, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) called us and we came and found a Bedouin sitting in front of him. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘This one came to me while I was asleep, and he took my sword stealthily. I woke up while he was standing at my head, holding my sword unsheathed. He said: “Who will save you from me?” I replied: “Allah.” So, he sheathed it and sat down, and here he is.’ The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did not punish him.” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
Allah Almighty says: {Is Allah not sufficient for His slave?...} [Surat az-Zumar: 36]
Our Lord, Exalted be He, is sufficient for His servants as He provides for them, protects them, and sets aright their affairs. So, He grants them sufficiency, which is general sufficiency that applies to all creation.
As for His special sufficiency, He gives it to those who rely upon Him and turn to Him in belief and repentance.
This sufficiency is broad as Allah Almighty says: {Is Allah not sufficient for His slave? Yet they frighten you with those [whom they worship] besides Him. Whoever Allah causes to stray, there is none to guide him.} [Surat az-Zumar: 36] He also says: {...Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him...} [Surat at-Talāq: 3] That means He grants him sufficiency in all his worldly and religious affairs.
An aspect of His sufficiency that He granted His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and the believers is that He supported them with angels and granted them victory: {...To Allah belong the soldiers of the heavens and earth...} [Surat al-Fat-h: 4]
And He says: {Yes, if you stay patient and fear Allah, and the enemy should launch a surprise attack on you, your Lord will help you with five thousand marked angels.} [Surat Ᾱl ‘Imrān: 125]
We cannot dispense with our Lord in terms of all our affairs, even for the blink of an eye. We need Him to protect us and grant us sufficiency and success. In one of the greatest Hadīths the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said about sufficiency given by our Lord: “When a man goes out of his house and says: ‘Bismillāh tawakkaltu ‘alallāh wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billāh (In the Name of Allah, I rely upon Allah; there is no power nor strength except through Allah)’, thereupon it will be said to him: ‘You are guided, defended, and protected.’
The devils will go far from him and another devil will say: ‘How can you deal with a man who has been guided, defended, and protected?’” [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd; Sahīh (authentic)]
The believer often implores his Lord and invokes Him by His beautiful names asking Him for protection and steadfastness. He alone can grant us sufficiency and protection. Whenever the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) went to bed, he would say: “Al-hamdulillāhi alladhi at‘amana wa saqāna wa kafāna wa āwāna fa kam mimman la kāfiya lahu wa la mu’wi (Praise be to Allah Who gave us food and drink, provided for us sufficiency, and gave us shelter, for there are many who have none to provide for them or to give them shelter).” [Narrated by Muslim]
When the believer trusts his Lord, relies upon Him sincerely, and pins great hopes upon Him, Allah will not disappoint him for He says: {...Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him...} [Surat at-Talāq: 3]
Here is a connection between the means and the Owner of those means. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is authentically reported to have said: “Allah says: ‘I am as My servant thinks of Me. If he thinks well of Me, he gets it; and if he thinks ill of Me, he gets it.’” [Narrated by Ahmad; Sahīh (authentic)]
Allah Almighty took charge of Yūsuf’s affairs. He made the caravan traveling in the desert in need of water so that they could get Yūsuf (Joseph) (peace be upon him) out of the well. Then, He made the ruler of Egypt in need of children so as to adopt him. Then, He made the king in need of someone to interpret his dream so he would be released from prison. Thereafter, He made all of Egypt in need of food so that he could become the ruler of Egypt. When Allah takes charge of your affairs, He facilitates for you all means of success and bliss while you are not aware. Just rely upon Him, for He is sufficient for you, and say from your heart: I entrust my affairs to Allah.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “As He mentions His sufficiency for those who rely upon Him, this may lead some to mistakenly believe that His sufficiency should come promptly at the time of reliance. So, He follows that with His saying: {...for Allah has set a destiny for everything.} [Surat at-Talāq: 3] That means there is a specific time for this, and it cannot come before or after it.
So, a person should not be hasty and say: I have relied upon Allah and supplicated Him, yet I have seen nothing as a result and have not received sufficiency. Indeed, Allah will surely accomplish His purpose at the time He had set for it.”
Hence, Allah Almighty tests some of His servants with regard to the sincerity of their reliance upon Him by delaying His response. When this gets too long for some, they abandon reliance upon their Lord and turn to other people in need and humiliation, even if it were at the expense of their religion and the pleasure of their Creator.
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is authentically reported to have said: “Whoever seeks Allah’s pleasure by people’s wrath, Allah will grant him sufficiency and spare him people’s wrath. And whoever seeks people’s pleasure by Allah’s wrath, Allah will entrust him to people.” [Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi; Sahīh (authentic)]
A person cannot reach this goal unless he makes the Hereafter his chief concern. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is authentically reported to have said: “Whoever makes the Hereafter his only concern, aside from all other concerns, Allah will spare him the concerns of his worldly life. But whoever has so many concerns about worldly affairs, Allah will not care in which one of its valleys he would be ruined.” [Narrated by Ibn Mājah; Sahīh (authentic)]
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “Whoever gets preoccupied with Allah and forgets himself, Allah gives him sufficiency in terms of himself; whoever gets preoccupied with Allah and forgets people, Allah gives him sufficiency in terms of people; whoever gets preoccupied with himself and forgets Allah, Allah leaves him to his own devices; and whoever gets preoccupied with people and forgets Allah, Allah leaves him to them.”
He Whose mercy encompasses all creation will grant you sufficiency. Sufficient for you is a Lord Whose kindness is ceaseless and Who continues to protect you, conceal your faults, and bestow His favors upon you.
Sufficiency from the Bestower of grace and favors comes to you in merciful and affectionate ways, though He sees you when you commit sins and engage in disobedience.
O Allah, the All-Sufficient, grant us sufficiency with what You have made lawful beyond need for what You have made unlawful, and make us with Your bounty in no need of others.