Allah is the Giver and the Withholder - الله هو المعطي المانع

Allah is the Giver and the Withholder One of the greatest principles of faith is to believe with certainty that Allah alone is the Giver and the Withholder. Every blessing, honour, provision, success, and acceptance comes from Him alone, and none among creation can grant or withhold anything except by His permission. When this belief becomes firmly rooted in the heart, it frees the believer from dependence on people, fills them with tranquillity, and gives them true dignity. If Allah grants a servant honour and acceptance, no envy, hatred, or plotting can deprive him of that blessing. Likewise, if Allah withholds something, no human-being can replace it. A believer therefore seeks Allah's pleasure above all else, knowing that worldly success gained through disobedience is neither true honour nor a sign of divine approval. It may instead be a form of istidraj استدراج — a gradual luring toward destruction. A fundamental belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah is that Allah possesses the most perfect names and attributes, and that giving and withholding belong to Him alone. The Prophet ﷺ would supplicate after prayer saying: "O Allah, none can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold, and the fortune of the fortunate does not avail him against You." This authentic hadith summarises the entire principle. Whatever Allah grants cannot be prevented by anyone, and whatever He withholds cannot be obtained through any human effort alone. Wealth, influence, and status benefit no one unless they are accompanied by faith and obedience. In the Quran, Allah repeatedly reminds His servants that all affairs are under His complete control. In surah Fatir Allah says in translation: "Whatever mercy Allah opens for the people, none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds, none can release thereafter." Every form of mercy - whether provision, knowledge, guidance, health, or acceptance is entirely with Allah. In surat At-Talaq Allah says in translation: "And whoever relies upon Allah then He is sufficient for him." The believer who places his trust in Allah no longer feels compelled to compromise his religion in order to gain people's approval, because Allah alone is sufficient for him. But be aware of the danger of being deceived by worldly blessings for not every worldly blessing is a sign of Allah's pleasure. Sometimes abundance is granted to those who persist in sin as a form of istidraj. Allah says in surah Al-Anam in translation: "So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every good thing until, when they rejoiced in what they were given, We seized them suddenly." Allah also says in surah Al-Araf in translation: "We will progressively lead them to destruction from where they do not know." These verses warn believers not to judge Allah's pleasure merely by wealth or worldly success because a servant may receive increasing blessings while moving further away from Allah. Among the greatest prophetic teachings on this subject is the famous hadith of Ibn 'Abbas may allah be pleased with him, The Prophet ﷺ said: "Be mindful of Allah, and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him before you. If you ask, ask Allah; and if you seek help, seek help from Allah. Know that if the whole nation were to gather together to benefit you, they would not benefit you except with what Allah has already decreed for you. And if they gathered to harm you, they would not harm you except with what Allah has already decreed against you." This hadith establishes complete certainty that no created being possesses independent power to benefit or harm anyone The Messenger of Allah ﷺ also warned against istidraj. He said: "If you see Allah giving a servant from this world what he loves while he persists in disobedience, then it is only a gradual luring toward ruin." He then recited the verse: "So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every good thing” This clearly shows that worldly abundance is not always evidence of divine pleasure. Finally, the Prophet ﷺ explained where true acceptance comes from. He said: "When Allah loves a servant, He calls Jibril and says: 'I love so-and-so, so love him.' Jibril then loves him, and announces to the inhabitants of heaven that Allah loves him, so they love him. Then acceptance is placed for him on earth." This hadith teaches that genuine acceptance among people begins with Allah's love. A believer should therefore seek Allah's pleasure before seeking the approval of others. So, ask yourselves dear brothers and sisters, whose approval are you really seeking—the approval of people or the pleasure of Allah? Let us renew our intentions, strive to obey Allah sincerely, and remember that if Allah is pleased with us, nothing else truly matters.