Chapter 4 - On Reliance and Trust in God

Regarding God's statement to Abraham (a.s): “Dost thou not then believe? He said: Yea! But to satisfy my own understanding.” [The Holy Quran: Baqara 2:260] Imam Reza (a.s) was asked: “Was there any doubt in his heart?” Imam Reza (a.s) replied: “No, there was certitude in his heart. But God had decided to increase his certitude.

“Independence and honor wander about until they reach the position of reliance where they settle down.”

Imam Kazim (a.s) said the following regarding God's statement: “And if anyone puts his trust in God, sufficient is (God) for him.” [The Holy Quran: Talaq 65:3]”Reliance on God has several stages. One of them is relying on Him in all that you do; and being pleased with whatever He does to you; knowing that He only wishes you prosperity and success; and knowing that He has full authority over all these affairs; and also having complete trust in Him in these and all other affairs.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God the Almighty, the Blessed revealed the following to the Prophet David (a.s): “Whoever from among My servants gets disappointed with My creatures and takes refuge in Me, I shall realize his intentions. Then even if the Heavens and the Earth and whatever they contain plot against him, I shall provide means for him to be saved from them. And I shall know the intentions of whomever from among My servants who take refuge in others. Then I will take away from him all the means in the Heavens and the Earth, and leave him alone. I will not be concerned about where he will die.”

“I swear by My Honor, Majesty, Beauty, Greatness, Grandeur, Exaltation, and Highness of Position. I swear that none of My servants choose My desires over their own desires, without Me establishing independence in their hearts and directing their efforts to the Hereafter; preventing him from wandering around; ordering the Heavens and the Earth to provide his sustenance; and pursuing his business and protecting his interests.”

I swear by my Honor, Majesty, Greatness, Grandeur, Light, and Highness of Position that none of the servants will choose his desires over Mine, without Me disrupting his affairs, and ruining his life, and getting him involved in it; and not giving anything to him but what I have destined for him. I swear by My Honor, Majesty, Greatness, Grandeur, Light, and Highness of Position that no servant chooses My wants over his own desires without My angels protecting him; and establishing the Heavens and the Earth to provide for his sustenance; and pursuing his business and protecting his interests; and turning the tables around and making the world to turn out to be in his favor against his expectations.

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God's Prophet never used to say: “I wish something else had happened” after things had happened.”

Prophet (a.s) said: “Whoever likes to be the most pious man should rely on God.”

Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “Whoever relies on God will never be defeated, and whoever takes refuge in God will never fail.”

The Prophet (a.s) said: “God the Almighty said: “There is no creature who seeks help from My other creatures, without My taking away from him the means in the Heavens and the Earth. I shall not give him what he asks Me for, and shall not reply to him when he calls Me. There is no creature that seeks help from Me- not my creatures, without My establishing the Heavens and the Earth as a means of providing for his sustenance. I shall grant him what he asks for, will reply if he calls Me, and will forgive him if he asks for forgiveness.”

The Prophet (a.s) said: “God will make anyone who stops relying on others than God needless, and will provide for his unlimited sustenance through unimaginable means. And God will leave those who rely on this world to earn their living from this world.”

The Prophet (a.s) said: “Whoever likes to be the strongest man should rely on God. Whoever likes to be the noblest man should be pious, and whoever likes to be the most needless man should trust in what is in God's Hands more that what is in his own hands.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “If a man sincerely relies on God, the rulers and others lower than them will certainly become needy of him. How can he be needy if his Master, the Praised One is not?”

“There are four pillars for faith: reliance on God, trust in God, being content with what God has destined, and submission to God's orders.”

Imam Baqir (a.s) described God's statement: “But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them.” [The Holy Quran: Nisaa 4:65] as: “Submission, contentment, and satisfaction with what God has destined.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “If one attends to what God likes, God will attend to what he likes. If one asks refuge in God and piety, then God will protect him. And one who is attended to by God, and is protected by Him has no fear even if the sky falls on the Earth, or a disaster comes and affects everything on the Earth. He will be saved from any disaster since God protects him via his piety. Is it not so? God the Almighty said: “As to the righteous (they will be) in a position of security.” [The Holy Quran: Dukhan 44:51]”