Let’s Be Vigilant About The State of Our Hearts And Minds When Living Amongst a People Whose Ideas, Systems, Strategies And Procedures Revolve Around The Belief That Human Ability Is Solely The Means to An End In All Accomplishments!
In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
The Messenger [sallal laahu alayhi wasallam] used to supplicate in the morning and evening:
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغيثُ أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِيَ كُلَّهُ وَلاَ تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ
O Ever Living! O The Self Subsisting, Upon Whom Everything Depends! By Your mercy I seek assistance; rectify for me all of my affairs and do not leave me to myself, even for the blink of an eye. [Ref 1]
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim [rahimahullaah] said: This is where those forsaken have been forsaken and those granted success [well-being, guidance etc] have been granted well-being [guidance etc]. The forsaken one is veiled from his reality- forgets himself, forgets his poverty [in the presence of Allaah], his need of [Allaah] and his state of absolute dependence on his Lord for all his means of subsistence; therefore he transgresses all bounds [in crimes, sins, disbelief etc], becomes insolent and thus deserves a wretched end. Allaah [The Most High] said:
كَلَّا إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَيَطْغَىٰ
أَن رَّآهُ اسْتَغْنَىٰ
Nay! Verily, man does transgress all bounds (in disbelief and evil deed, etc.). Because he considers himself self-sufficient. [Surah Al-Alaq. Aayaat 6-7]
And [Allaah said]:
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ
وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
وَأَمَّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَىٰ
وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ
As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him; And believes in Al-Husna; We will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness). But he who is greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient; And gives the lie to Al-Husna; We will make smooth for him the path for evil. [Surah Al-Layl. Aayaat 5-10]
The most perfect [person] is that one who is more perfect in his servitude to Allaah, the greatest in his acknowledgement of his poverty, dependence and neediness [in the presence of Allaah]. He never considers himself self-sufficient in the presence of his Lord in the twinkling of an eye, and this is why among the supplications of the Prophet [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] is that he is used to say:
[أَصْلِحْ ِلي شَأِني كُلَّهُ ، وَلاَ تَِكلْنِي إِلَى َنفْسِي َطرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ وَلاَ إِلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ – rectify for me all of my affairs and neither leave me to myself, even for the blink of an eye, nor to anyone among your creation]. And he [sallal-laahu-alayhi-wasallam] used to supplicate saying: [يَا مُقَلِّبَ ٱلْقُلُوبَ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ – O Turner of the hearts! Keep my heart firm upon Your Religion].
He knew [with absolute certainty] that his heart is in the control of Allaah’s [The Mighty and Majestic] Hand and he has no control over it, and that Allaah alternates it [i.e. alternates it from one state to another] how He pleases.
An Excerpt from ‘Tareequl Hijratayn pages 25-26’. slightly paraphrased
[Ref 1: Imaam Albaani declared it Hasan in Silsilah As-Saheehah Number 227]