Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Later, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam further clarified in several hadiths that in the universe, only the will of Allah Ta’ala prevails; the will and choice of all creatures are subordinate to the will of this One, and he forbade equating anyone’s will with the will of Allah Ta’ala. In several places in the Noble Qur’an, this subject has been mentioned.

The universe comprises a vast and extensive system of management, its expanse beyond human intellect. In the entire order and arrangement of this universe, the intention and will of Allah Ta’ala are operative. Whether it is a matter of prosperity or adversity, the granting of sustenance or the restriction of sustenance, victory or defeat, success or failure, life or death, dying in childhood or living until middle age, beauty or ugliness, the rising of the sun or a solar eclipse, Paradise or Hell—in short, in carrying out all the affairs of the universe, only the command of this One Allah prevails, only He is listened to. If the will of the leader of the first and the last, Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, is subordinate to the will of Allah Ta’ala, then who else is there, of any stature, who can impose his own will before His will?

Among us, it has also been observed that when some people mention their benefactors, they mention Allah Ta’ala and them together with the word “and,” for example: “Allah Ta’ala and you have done us a great favor,” or “If Allah Ta’ala and you had not been there, who knows what circumstances we would have been facing,” or “As Allah Ta’ala and you will.”

We should correct our expressions, and when mentioning anyone’s favors, we should not be heedless of the great benefactor, the magnificent being of Allah Ta’ala.