We have pledged to obey Allah (SWT) unconditionally and we have pledged that we will not allow anything to deter us from this objective. We have recognized Allah (SWT), his existence and beautiful attributed, and we have recognized his truth on us and have realized that his truth is immense and cannot befulfilled by the human capacity and cannot be fulfilled without the help of Allah (SWT). While we are pledging our submission and obedience to Allah (SWT), we also realize that we cannot do so without the help of Allah (SWT), so we say, “O Allah, it is only you that we submit to, but we cannot submit to you without your help. We have obstacles like our own nafs and Shaytan – sometimes the environment works against us – so O Allah, please help us. We know that we need your help and we know that only you can help us, just like you are the only one worthy of worship and submitting to. If you do not assist us, we cannot do anything, so we plead to you, O Allah (SWT), it is only you that we take help from in fulfilling this objective of life.”
We have discussed that a person cannot even do the slightest thing without the help of Allah (SWT). There are so many intricacies in the human being that all depend on the help of Allah (SWT). What to say about the objective of life without the help of Allah (SWT)? This is why Allah (SWT) responds to this in the hadith of Muslim and others, that when a slave says, “إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِين”, Allah (SWT) responds, “This is split between me and him. I will give him what he asks for.” The first thing and most important thing that we need help in is fulfilling the objective of our life. If this is not fulfilled, everything is left unfulfilled. Aside from this, all of that which will help us fulfill our objective in those matters, we also need the help of Allah (SWT). Each individual worship requires the help and tawfiq of Allah (SWT). One of the kalimah that the prophet (SAW) taught us was “To Allah (SWT) do we belong and to Allah (SWT) will we return.” He said, “This is a treasure from beneath the throne of Allah (SWT).” It means that there is no power to do good or strength to refrain from evil but with Allah (SWT). If you want to do good, you must get help from Allah (SWT), and if you want to refrain from evil, you must get help from Allah (SWT). May Allah (SWT) open up the doors of his help and assistance to us.
