“… If you seek help, seek help in Allah.”
[Tirmidhi]
The Prophet (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) guided his (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) Companions to seek help in Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala). We should seek His (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) help in all things, including what we think we can achieve on our own. Who is it that give us the capacity to speak, or see, or read, or eat? It is Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala). At any moment these abilities could be taken away from us, by Allah’s permission, so we should always seek help in Allah for even our daily tasks.
We should also remember to seek Allah’s (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) help in achieving the best of this life and the best of the Hereafter, as well as what occurs after death, both in the grave and on the Day of Judgement.
Many people wait until they are suffering a hardship before they turn to Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) sincerely. This is a grave mistake. It can lead one to thinking that they are ‘self-sufficient’ and in charge of all their affairs. Asking Allah to help us reminds of Who is control of our affairs. It helps us to put our trust in Him (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) and turn to Him (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala), and with Allah lies the highest and greatest reward.
Seeking help in Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) does not mean that we do not have to put in any effort on our part. We must use all of the faculties that Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) has blessed us with, in order to strive to do what is right, to the best of our abilities. We should seek Allah’s help in facilitating us to do this. Indeed the Messenger (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
“A strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than a weak believer – however there is goodness in every [believer]. Be eager for [and strive after] what benefits you and seek help in Allah. And do not be too weak or lazy to do so.”
[Recorded in Muslim]
This does not imply that we are not allowed to seek help from others. In fact Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) has commanded us to:
“Help you one another in piety and righteousness”
(Surah al-Maidah:2)
What it implies is that we should only do so in cases of necessity, and with the understanding that all help actually comes from Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala). We should put our trust and reliance in Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) and not in the creation (or what it created!).
The realisation of this command to seek help in Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) is the implementation of what we recite in our daily prayers from Surah al-Fatihah:
“You (alone) we worship and in You (alone) do we seek help”
May Allah help us to realise this essential quality.
Ameen!