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You are in need of support and care and someone to refer to and rely upon. You need a protector. You need someone to keep you reassured. You need someone strong enough to protect you against the evils of your enemies. You are in need of Allah, Your Protector.
I have come to You, the Owner of majesty, so remove my distress.
To whom a servant would complain, if not to You, O the Master of all masters.
Allah Almighty says: {...He is the Guardian, the Praiseworthy.} [Surat ash-Shūra: 28] He also says: {Allah is the Protector of those who believe; He brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light...} [Surat al-Baqarah: 257]
Our Almighty Lord is the Guardian and Protector of all His creation. He created them and manages their affairs and disposes of everything in the heavens and the earth constantly. No one but Allah can bring about benefit or remove harm and evil. The forelocks of all of us are in His Hand, Exalted be He.
This is general support and protection. It comprises all creatures and servants, pious and impious, believers and disbelievers.
As for Allah’s special support and protection, this is for His pious servants as He brings them out of the darkness of ignorance, disbelief, and sins into the light of knowledge, belief, and obedience. He supports them against their enemies and sets aright their worldly and religious affairs.
This support entails compassion, mercy, reform, protection, and love. Allah Almighty says: {Allah is the Protector of those who believe; He brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light...} [Surat al-Baqarah: 257]
Allah Almighty protects and supports the believer insomuch as he loves Him. Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “The basis of protection is love. Without love, there is no protection. Likewise, hostility is based on hatred.
Allah is the Guardian of the believers and they are His supporters. They show loyalty to Him by their love for Him, and He grants them protection by His love for them. Indeed, Allah protects His believing servant insomuch as he loves Him.”
The protection of Allah Almighty is unlike any other. {...There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.} [Surat ash-Shūra: 11]
Allah Almighty bestows His support and protection upon His servants by way of benevolence, mercy, and consolation for them. {Allah is the Protector of those who believe...} [Surat al-Baqarah: 257] By contrast, when people show loyalty to one another, they do so because of their need for help, support, and protection, given their weakness and need.
However, the All-Mighty and the Self-Sufficient Lord does not give support or enter into alliance due to need or weakness. In the Qur’an, He says: {And say, “All praise be to Allah Who has not taken a son, nor does He have any partner in His dominion, nor does He need any protector out of weakness. And proclaim His greatness immensely.”} [Surat al-Isrā’: 111]
The supporters of Allah among His servants refer to those who love Him and love His Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and love anyone who loves Allah and His Messenger and hate anyone who hates Allah and His Messenger; and they show loyalty to those who show loyalty to Allah and His Messenger and show hostility to those who are hostile to Allah and His Messenger; and they obey Allah and avoid disobeying Him. {Whoever takes Allah, His Messenger, and the believers as their allies, then it is the party of Allah that will certainly prevail.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 56] {You will not find any people who believe in Allah and the Last Day taking as allies those who oppose Allah and His Messenger...} [Surat al-Mujādilah: 22]
Allah’s protection can only be attained through two things: faith and piety. Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, the allies of Allah will have no fear, nor will they grieve. Those who believe and fear Allah. For them are glad tidings in the life of this world and in the Hereafter; there is no change in Allah’s words. That is the supreme triumph.} [Surat Yūnus: 62-64]
Allah’s protection is to be acquired by certain causes and actions by the heart and body organs as Allah Almighty says: {As for those who strive in Our cause, We will surely guide them to Our ways, for Allah is certainly with those who do good.} [Surat al-‘Ankabūt: 69] {...and He will be their Protector because of what they used to do.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 127]
People enjoy different levels of Allah’s protection and support in accordance with their varying degrees of faith and piety.
The more one pleases Allah Almighty by observing the obligations and doing the recommended acts of piety, the more he loves his Lord and draws closer to Him.
The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is authentically reported to have said: “Allah Almighty says: ‘I will declare war against he who shows hostility to a pious worshiper of Mine. And the most beloved thing with which My slave comes nearer to Me is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing supererogatory acts of worship till I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his seeing with which he sees, his hand with which he seizes, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks (something) from Me, I give him, and if he asks for My refuge, I protect him.
and I do not hesitate to do anything as I hesitate to take the soul of the believer; as he hates death, and I hate to hurt him.’” [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri]
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: “A person does not become a pious servant of Allah unless he follows the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) inwardly and outwardly. The more he follows the Prophet, the more he becomes a pious servant of Allah.”
This special protection entails kindness and help to His servants: {Allah is the Protector of those who believe; He brings them out of the depths of darkness into the light...} [Surat al-Baqarah: 257]
This also entails mercy and forgiveness of sins: {...You are our Guardian, so forgive us and have mercy upon us, for You are the Best of the Forgivers.} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 155]
And it entails help and support against the enemies: {...You are our Protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 286] Allah Almighty says: {But Allah is your Protector, and He is the Best of helpers.} [Surat Ᾱl ‘Imrān: 150]
Also, Allah’s protection entails admission into Paradise and salvation from Hellfire. Allah Almighty says: {They will have the Home of Peace with their Lord, and He will be their Protector because of what they used to do.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 127]
It is a great favor from Allah that He becomes your Protector. In the Qur’an, He says: {...What an excellent Protector and an excellent Helper!} [Surat al-Anfāl: 40] If Allah is your protector, you have attained security in this world and in the Hereafter: {...They are the ones who will be secure, and it is they who are rightly guided.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 82]
You feel reassured because Allah Almighty is with you. You constantly say: {Say, “Nothing will ever befall us except that which Allah has decreed for us; He is our Protector.” And in Allah alone let the believers put their trust.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 51] He may harden your circumstances and make it difficult for you with the aim of selecting you: {But We wanted to bestow favor upon those who were oppressed in the land, and make them leaders and inheritors [of the land].} [Surat al-Qasas: 5]
If your Lord grants you His protection, then you are under great care and enjoying a grand blessing; you err and He punishes you; you act extravagantly and He withholds things from you; and you behave arrogantly and He disciplines you. This is only because He is your protector, and what an excellent Protector and an excellent Helper!
You know with certain knowledge that this is a punishment from a loving Lord, not a punishment, for Allah does not punish His beloved servants. {The Jews and Christians say, “We are Allah’s children and His beloved ones.” Say, “Why then does He punish you for your sins? Rather, you are humans just like anyone else He created...} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 18]
My Lord, You are worthy of showing benevolence, and to You belong great grace and abundant bounty.
So pardon me, for I am at Your door, broken and humiliated.
O Allah, we implore You by Your name “Al-Mawla” to confer Your favor upon us and admit us into Paradise and to make us among Your pious servants and allies, in public and in secret.