The Greatest Gift Ever, Allah’s Words To You: “I am Your Lord”

It is innate within human character to care about things the heart holds dear. In fact, the dearer the thing is to one’s heart, the more caring one dedicates to it. As a matter of fact, there are those who hold dear wealth, power, and fame as if they are divine things. The caring and safeguarding they dedicate to it is regarded, for them, as a matter of a sacred creed. They believe, or in reality they assume, that these things will provide them security, safety, independence, might, and of course, joy and happiness. It is, though, a manifest fact that these things are alluring and deceiving, leading one to end up drowning in delusion and also living an illusion: “and they rejoice in the life of the world, whereas the life of this world as compared with the Hereafter is but a brief passing enjoyment.” (13:26).

The believer, illuminated with the truth and aware of the deceivable reality of the worldly life, knows the only one thing that should be held dear to his/her heart and therefore cared about, cherished and safeguarded is his/her relation with Allah (swt). This is, indeed, within the Prophet's (pbuh) commandment, which was reported to us by Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased), a commandment that he has learnt since he was a child: “Safeguard Allah, and He will safeguard you. Be mindful of Him, and you shall find Him at your side.”

It might sound strange to say “safeguard Allah,” but it is exactly how the Prophet (pbuh) said it: “IhfadhIllaha Yahfadh’k,” which word by word, means “Safeguard Allah, He will safeguard you.” These words “Safeguard Allah” have, indeed, a beautiful, profound meaning that inspires one to approach worship and achieve the purpose of life with a different perspective. Think of Allah (swt) as being the greatest gift in your entire existence. Listening to Allah’s words saying “I am your Lord” is genuinely and incontestably the greatest favor ever. Think of it, “I am your Lord” means “I am your Creator, I am your Provider, I am your Cherisher, I am your guardian, I am Merciful, the Loving Kind to you.” Realizing how great this gift is, wholeheartedly the sincere believer then devotes him/herself in safeguarding this great treasure, unlike the partisans of the worldly life who sacrifice everything for wealth, power and fame!

How can, though, one safeguard Allah? Safeguarding Allah is fulfilled by safeguarding the relationship with Allah (swt) — a relationship based on love and observed as friendship, a relationship in which one is assured that Allah (swt) is on his/her side, watching over him/her and is near him/her. One then has to strive hard to not slip into any crooked behavior that might cause the wrath of Allah, leading consequently to the turning of Allah (swt) away from him/her. At the same time, one has to multiply his/her efforts toward observing actions that Allah loves, in order to get nearer and nearer to Him. At the very top of the list of the dear actions to Allah (swt) is the Salah (prayer), which one should think of as precious moments of connections with the Divine, through which one enhances his/her relation with Allah — keeping in mind all along the purpose of safeguarding Allah, safeguarding His nearness.

One’s first priority in this regard should be the beautification of the heart make it to look presentable before Allah (swt). People beautify their appearances when meeting dear, respected ones. Likewise, the believers should beautify their hearts when they meet Allah (swt). Indeed, Allah (swt) looks at hearts, not at appearances or images. It has been narrated from one of the righteous predecessors that if Allah (swt) sees in one’s heart that the dominant element in it is the love of Allah and His obedience, Allah (swt) will then take charge of the management of all the affairs of this servant.

When one’s ultimate objective is safeguarding Allah by safeguarding his/her nearness to Him, this nearness, in turn, safeguards the servant, protects him/her, satisfies him/her and honors him/her with success and an eternal blissful life. To do so, the whole focus of the believer should be invested in maintaining a mindset and willpower driving him/her toward keeping him/her constantly running back and fleeing to Allah (swt). Every action, in this regard, should be preceded with the intention, “O Allah, help me safeguard You so You will safeguard me.” One can reflect on the following Hadith of the Prophet (pbuh) that outlines this beautiful perspective. He (Pbuh) said: “O Allah, I seek refuge in Your pleasure from Your wrath and in Your pardon from Your punishment, and I seek refuge in You from You. I am not capable of enumerating praise of You. You are as You have praised Yourself.”

Safeguarding the virtue of fleeing to Allah (swt) constitutes, in fact, the most adequate way to safeguard Allah. It helps one find humility and strengthen his/her willpower in doing good. Read carefully the following supplication of the Prophet (pbuh). He said it after he was hurt and persecuted in Al Ta’ef. Contemplate his words (pbuh), and ponder on his sincere longing to attain the pleasure of Allah. Such a supplication is indeed the greatest and the utmost beautiful example of safeguarding Allah (swt). He said (pbuh): “O Allah! I complain to You of my weakness, my scarcity of resources, and the humiliation I have been subjected to by the people. O Most Merciful of those who are merciful, O Lord of the weak and my Lord too, to whom have you entrusted me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility? Or to an enemy to whom you have granted authority over my affair? So long as You are not angry with me, I do not care what I face. However, ease would be more befitting me, if You so will. I seek refuge in the light of Your Face by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right, lest Your anger or Your displeasure descend upon me. I implore Your pleasure and satisfaction until You are pleased. There is no power and no might except by You.”