: Self-Sufficiency

Self-Sufficiency
” O Mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allaah, but Allaah is Rich, Worthy of all Praise.”
[soorah Al-Fatir, v:15]


Self-Sufficiency

An Attribute belonging only to the Most Merciful


From amongst the worst of creatures in the Sight of Allaah is the arrogant and boastful ingrate who upon recognizing the signs of Allaah turns his back to it. Such a person deems himself powerful and self-sufficient. He thinks to own much when in fact to Allaah belong all things and to Him everything is to return.
When Man disbelieves in his Lord, he has shown the biggest sign of ingratitude. In fact, the term ‘kaafir’ means an ‘ingrate’ as well as a ‘disbeliever.’ This is because when Allah sends down a Book or sends a Messenger to a people, then it is out of His Mercy andCompassion; it doesn’t please Him that the creation lives in darkness, devoid of any guidance. To reject this therefore can only amount to ingratitude and arrogance.
Allaah (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says,
إن تكفروا فإن الله غني عنكم و لا يرضى لعباده الكفر
If you disbelieve, then verily, Allah is not in need of you. He likes not disbelief for His slaves.[Az-Zumar:7]
Throughout the Qur’aan, Allaah mentions many of His beautiful Names and He brings to light many of his glorious Attributes. One of them is that He (‘azza wa jall) is Al-Ghaniy – the Rich and Self-Sufficient. He stands in no need of anything whether in the heavens or on the earth, to Him belong both the Dunya and the Aakhira, and all that they contain. It does not harm Him that He gives from what is with Him because of the infinity of His Treasures and provision for his slaves.
ولله خزائن السماوات والأرض
And to Allaah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth…”
[Al-Munafiqoon: 7]

As creations of ar-Rahmaan, we are naturally a people who are constantly in need; in need of air to breathe, simple food to eat, protection, provisions and other essentials without which we will cease to exist. However, it is seen to be somewhat worthy and noble to have as much detachment from this ‘state of need’ as is possible.
Independence and richness (ghanaa’) are characteristics that people try to gain as this is seen to occupy a high status in every society. In the story of Ibn Umm Maktum (ra), it is noted that he came to the Prophet (s.a.w) at a time when he (s.a.w) was engaged in da’wah – calling the chiefs of Makkah to Islam. These were the notables from their society, and Allaah describes them as ones that were seen to have some ‘self-sufficiency’.He (tabaaraka wa ta’aala) says,
أما من استغنى

فأنت له تصدى

As for him who thinks himself self-sufficient

To him you attend. [Al-'Abasa: 5-6]

What should be obvious however is that self-sufficiency; being an attribute of Allaah ‘azza wa jall is not something that can be attained by anyone or anything from amongst the creation. A person who declares self-sufficiency for himself is a person who has broken past the boundaries of humbleness and thus has entered into the darkness of arrogance and disbelief.
يمنون عليك أن أسلموا
They regard it as a favour upon you that they have embraced Islam…[Al-Hujurat: 17]
It is also from amongst the diseases of the heart that one should think he can benefit or harm Allaah by his actions. Indeed there are those who hold the false thought that their good deeds are needed by Him who is Self-Sufficient – they stand proudly in the face of their prayer, their fasting and other ‘ibaadaat (acts of worship) as if to offer Allaah something which He is in need of. A person should realise that any deed he or she engages in, be it good or bad, will only be for their own benefit or bring about their own destruction.
So for the one who sins by night and by day, spreading mischief in the land and committing bad deeds, let him know that he harms none but himself. Allaah does not stand in need of him or his deeds.
Bani Israa’eel (Children of Israa’eel) were given from the blessings of Allaah and they were showered with food from the heavens – but they rebelled and disobeyed thereafter, thinking they can harm His Majesty. To that, He (subhaanahu wa ta’aala) says,
و ما ظلمونا ولكن كانوا أنفسهم يظلمون
And they did not wrong Us, but they wronged themselves. [Al-Baqarah: 57]
And this is the reality of sins, in that they only harm the one who commits them and only wrong the soul which has commanded it.

As for the one who strives to do good deeds, then the same also applies in that Allaah is free from its need; He does not stand in need of the worship of His creation, although they were created for this purpose.
ومن جاهد فإنما يجاهد لنفسه إن الله لغني عن العالمين

And whosoever strives, he strives only for himself. Verily, Allaah is free of all wants from the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists). [Al-'Ankabut: 6]
Our striving and performance of these righteous deeds are for our own selves and for our own good in that we will Insha’Allah gain the Pleasure of Allaah and will be admitted through the gardens of Paradise.
فلا تعلم نفس ما أخفي لهم من قرة أعين جزاء بما كانوا يعملون

No person knows what is kept hidden for them of joy as a reward for what they used to do. [As-Sajdah: 17]
On this note however, it is worth mentioning that although He is Self-Sufficient, Allaah is also al-Shakoor (Appreciative) in that He appreciates the good done by His slaves. He loves to see that we are engaged in the good, and hence the great rewards that await such a hard-working believer.
ليوفيهم أجورهم ويزيدهم من فضله إنه غفور شكور

That He may pay them their wages in full, and give them more out of His Grace. Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most ready to Appreciate [Al-Fatir: 30]
And as it will be said to those entering Paradise,
وكان سعيكم مشكورا
And your efforts and deeds have been accepted with appreciation [Al-Insaan: 22]
Glory be to the One who appreciates what He is in no need of.
So for Him who Owns everything, it brings no change to Him or to His dominion that He should give from what is His. He has the will to provide for whomsoever He wishes and He has the power to withhold the provision from whosoever He wishes. It is as He has so grandly said,
والله الغني وأنتم الفقراء
But Allaah is Rich, and you (O Mankind) are poor.
[Surah Muhammad: 38]
These verses will not fail to humble the believing slave, who realizes that he does no justice to Allaah, the Majestic through his worship. The Muslim knows that Allaah does not require his worship and thus he submits more humbly, hoping and yearning to be entered into the courtyards of ar-Rahmaan. It is with this deep understanding that the believer never takes a step towards arrogance or false pride and so he remains prostrating and kneeling before Allaah with full humility because he has acknowledged that truly, he is the faqeer (poor person) and that Allaah – He is the Rich and Self-Sufficient.

يا أيها الناس أنتم الفقراء إلى الله والله هو الغني الحميد

O Mankind! It is you who stand in need of Allaah, but Allaah is Rich, Worthy of all Praise.
[Al-Fatir: 15]