Surah Al-An'aam: Verse 17 - وإن يمسسك الله بضر فلا... - English

All Gain and Loss Comes from Allah: A Cardinal Muslim Belief

In the third verse (17), a basic article of faith in Islam has been described - that it is Allah, in reality, who is the Master-Dispenser of all gain and loss. No one can ` really' bring the least benefit to anyone, nor cause the least harm. As for the outward manifestation of gain or loss, benefit or harm, seen coming from one person to the other, is no more than a matter of appearances. Seen in the full flash of reality, this does not hold out any more than a ready-to-vanish curtain. So succinctly the idea was put in a Persian couplet:

کار زلفِ تست مشک افشانی امّا عاشقاں

مصلِحت راتھمتے برآ ھوۓ چیں بستہ اند

Spraying Musk is the work of your tresses, but those who love you

Have found it expedient to ascribe the blame to the Chinese deer!

This belief too is one of the revolutionary beliefs of Islam, a belief which made Muslims shed the dependence on the created and rely on their Creator alone. It was this belief which put together a large group of unprecedented charmers of the soul on the map of the world, who were, despite their meager means and haunting hunger, weightier and worthier than a whole world - for they would not bow their heads before anyone.

The Holy Qur'an has taken up this subject at many places with different approaches, out of which, quoted here is a verse from Surah Fatir:

مَّا يَفْتَحِ اللَّـهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّ‌حْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا ۖ وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْ‌سِلَ لَهُ مِن بَعْدِهِ

What Allah, out of His mercy, does make open to people, there is no one to withhold it; and what He does withhold, there is no one to release it after that - 35:2.

It appears in Sahih Ahadith that the Holy Prophet ﷺ used to say this in his prayers very often:

اَللَّھُمَّ لَا مَانعَ لِمَا اَعطَیتَ ولَا مُعطِیَ لِمَا مَنَعتَ ولَا یَنفَعُ ذَا الجَدِّ مِنکِ الجِدُّ

"0 Allah, there is no withholder of what You have bestowed and there is no giver of what You have withheld and no status of a man of status can be of use to him against You.

Under his comments on this verse, Imam al-Baghawi has reported from Sayyidna ` Abdullah ibn ` Abbas ؓ that there was an occasion when the Holy Prophet ﷺ mounted a ride, he asked me to sit behind him. After having covered some distance, he turned towards me and said, ` You young man.' I said: ` Here I am, Ya Rasul Allah. Can I do something?' He said: ` You remember Allah. Allah will remember you. If you will remember Allah, you will find Him before you under all circumstances. You recognize Allah when you are in peace and comfort, Allah will recognize you when you are in trouble. When you have to ask, only ask Allah. When you need help, seek help only from Allah. Whatever is going to happen in this world has already been written by the writer of destiny. If all those created were to combine and try to bring a benefit to you in which Allah has kept no share for you, they would never be able to do that. And if they all come together and try to inflict a harm on you which is not in your lot, they would never become capable of doing that. If you are sure of being able to act patiently, then, do just that, by all means. If you do not have the strength and ability to do so, observe patience - because there is great good and barakah in remaining patient against what does not go well with your temperament. And understand it very clearly that the help of Allah is with patience, and comfort with hardship, and prosperity with adversity.' (This Hadkh also appears in Tirmidhi and the Musnad of Ahmad with sound chains of authority)

Alas, despite this clear declaration of the Qur'an and the age long teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، this Ummah has started going off course in this critical matter when they have handed out what lies in the exclusive domain of Allah to His created beings. To-day, there is a very large number of Muslims who would, rather than call upon Allah and pray to Him in their hour of distress, cry for help in all sorts of names, but do not seem to remember the name of Allah. As for praying to Allah through the spiritual mediation of prophets and men of Allah, that is a different matter, and that is permissible. Evidences of which are available within the teachings of the Holy Prophet ﷺ himself. But, calling on or praying to a created being directly for the removal of one's need or solution of problem is an open rebellion against this Qur'anic injunction. May Allah keep all Muslims on the straight path.

Allah is the Irresistible, Able to Bring Benefit and Protect from Harm

Allah states that He Alone brings benefit or harm, and that He does what He wills with His creatures, none can resist His judgment or prevent what He decrees,

(And if Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He, and if He touches you with good, then He is able to do all things.) Similarly, Allah said,

(Whatever mercy, Allah may grant to mankind, none can withhold it, and whatever He may withhold, none can grant it thereafter) 35:2. It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah used to supplicate,

(O Allah, there is none Who can avert what You grant or give what You deprive, and no fortune ever helps the fortunate against You.) This is why Allah said,

(And He is the Irresistible, above His servants,) meaning, to Him the necks are subservient, the tyrants humble before Him and He has complete control over all things. The creatures have all bowed to Allah and are humbled before His grace, honor, pride, greatness, highness and ability over all things. The creatures are insignificant before Him, for they are all under His irresistible decision and power,

(and He is the All-Wise,) in all His actions,

(Well-Acquainted with all things.) Who places everything in its rightful place, grants and favors whomever deserves His favor. Allah said next,

(Say: "What thing is the most great in witness") or what is the greatest witness,

(Say: "Allah (the Most Great!) is Witness between you and I") for He knows what I brought you and what you will answer me with,

(this Qur'an has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.) Therefore, this Qur'an is a warner for all those who hear of it. In another Ayah, Allah said,

(But those of the sects that reject it, the Fire will be their promised meeting place.) 11:17 Ar-Rabi` bin Anas said, "Those who follow the Messenger of Allah ought to call to what the Messenger of Allah called to and warn against what he warned against." Allah said next,

("Can you verily bear witness...") O idolators,

("that besides Allah there are other gods" Say, "I bear no (such) witness!") Similarly, in another Ayah, Allah said;

(Then if they testify, testify not you with them.) 6:150 Allah said next,

(Say: "Only He is God, alone, and truly I am innocent of what you join in worship with Him.")

People of the Book Recognize the Prophet Just as They Recognize Their Own Children

Allah says, the People of the Book know what you brought them, O Muhammad , as they know their own children. This is because they received good news from the previous Messengers and Prophets about the coming of Muhammad , his attributes, homeland, his migration, and the description of his Ummah. Allah said next,

(Those who have lost (destroyed) themselves) and thus incurred the ultimate loss,

(will not believe.) in this clear matter. A matter about which the previous Prophets gave good news, and a matter extolled about in ancient and modern times. Allah said next,

(And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat) meaning, there is no person more unjust than he who lies about Allah and claims that Allah has sent him, while Allah did not send him. There is no person more unjust than he who denies Allah's proofs, signs and evidences,

(Verily, the wrongdoers shall never be successful.) Surely, both of these people will never acquire success, whoever falsely claims that Allah sent him and whoever refuses Allah's Ayat.