The Most Important Ingredient in Ist’iaathah

The most important ingredient in Isti’aathah is that you know who Allah is, and that you know who you are.

Knowing Allah is to know that Allah Subhaanahu Wa Ta’ala knows everything.

If it was not so, then it would have been possible that Allah does not know about you and your circumstances. Isti’aathah in that case would have been futile.

It is imperative to know that He has control over all possible things, otherwise, sometimes He may be unable to fulfil the object of the servant.

It is, furthermore, imperative to know that He is generous in every way possible, for if it was possible for him to be stingy there would not have been any benefit in Isti’aathah.

It is also imperative to know that besides Allah Ta’ala no one is able to help you in your goals. If it was possible for anyone else to help you in your goals, there would not have been a strong urge to seek the protection of Allah.

The above is not completed without Absolute Tawheed. And I mean by Absolute Tawheed that you realize that the Controller of the universe is One Being, and that you realize that you are not self-sufficient in your actions. If you were self-sufficient in your actions, there would not have been any benefit in seeking protection from anyone.

From what we have mentioned it is established that as long as the abd (servant of Allah) does not understand that Allah Almighty alone is the Creator, Sustainer, Owner and Controller of everything, and the servant is humble, submissive and dependent on His Rabb, his expression of “A’oothu Billahi minash shaytaanir rajeem” is not valid.

(Mafaateehul Ghayb)