Allah The Exalted — Page 138
138 Allah the Exalted and children and other relations and to their own selves. All this is right up to the proper limit and is not forbid- den; but when, transcending that limit, a person places all his trust in the means, that becomes shirk which casts a person far away from his true purpose. For instance, if a person says that had it not been for a certain factor, he would have died of hunger, or that if had it not been for a certain property or an occupation, he would have been in bad shape, or if it had not been for a certain friend, he would have been in trouble, this would be displeasing to God. He would not approve that a person should rely so much upon property, or other means or friends that he should stray far away from God Almighty. This is a very dangerous form of shirk which is patently contrary to the teaching of the Holy Qur'an as God Almighty has said: و فِي السَّمَاءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ 112 and as He has said: وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ 113 and as He has said: من يتَّقِ اللهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُ 114 وَهُوَ يَتَوَلَّى الصَّلِحِينَ 115 and as He has said: The Holy Qur'an is full of verses that God is the Guard- 112 'And in heaven is your sustenance, and also that which you are promised. '-al-Dhāriyāt, 51:23 [Publisher] 113 And He who puts his trust in Allah - He is sufficient for him. ' al-Talaq, 65:4 [Publisher] 114 'He who fears Allāh - He will make for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he expects not. '-al-Talaq, 65:3-4 [Pub- lisher] 115 And He protects the righteous. ' al-A'raf, 7:197 [Publisher]