Al-Muzzammil: (9) Lord of the East and the West...

Issues Discussed:

It is established that absolute devotion (al-tabattul) to God cannot occur except after the attainment of love (al-maḥabbah). Love is only fitting for God Almighty for two reasons: perfection (al-kamāl) or the provision of perfection (al-takmīl).

1. Perfection (al-Kamāl): Perfection is inherently beloved (maḥbūb li-dhātihi). If everything were loved only for something else, it would lead to infinite regress. Therefore, there must be an ultimate object loved for its own sake, which is absolute perfection—God. If one believes someone in the past possessed knowledge surpassing others, they naturally incline toward and love that person. Similarly, believing Rustam possessed courage beyond others inspires love. Thus, perfection is inherently loved, and God possesses the perfection of perfection. Whoever does not have love for God in their heart lacks knowledge of His perfection.
2. Provision of Perfection (al-Takmīl): Generosity (al-jawād) is loved, and the absolutely Generous is God. Therefore, the absolutely Beloved is God. Absolute devotion (al-tabattul al-muṭlaq) can only be directed toward God because He possesses absolute perfection and is the source of all perfection.

The Stages of Devotion:

The devotion arising from God being the source of perfection (al-takmīl) precedes the devotion arising from Him being perfect in His essence (al-kamāl).

• Initial Stage (Seeking a Share): At the beginning of the spiritual journey, the seeker desires a share (of benefit/grace). Their devotion is directed toward God as the source of perfection and beneficence. The phrase {Lord of the East and the West} (rabb al-mashriq wa-l-maghrib) points to this initial stage of the devoted.
• Ultimate Stage (Seeking the Benefactor): At the end of the journey, the seeker transcends seeking a share; they seek the Benefactor (al-maʿrūf) rather than the benefit (al-ʿirfān). Their devotion is now due to God's essential perfection. The phrase {There is no god but He} (lā ilāha illā huwa) points to this second stage, which is the ultimate destination of the devoted and the pinnacle reached by the Truthful (al-ṣiddīqīn).

A Higher Stage: Absolute Delegation (Tafwīḍ):

Beyond these two stages lies the station of absolute delegation, where choice is entirely removed, and the matter is wholly entrusted to God.

• If God wills devotion for the servant, the servant accepts devotion, not because of their own state, but because it is the Will of the Truth (God).
• If God wills non-devotion, the servant accepts non-devotion, not because of the absence of devotion, but because it is the Will of the Truth.

This is the highest degree. The phrase {so take Him as a Trustee} (fattakhidhu wakīlā) alludes to this final station.

Glory be to Him, under every word lies a hidden secret, and remnants of this verse's secrets remain, as per the verse: {And if all the trees on earth were pens and the sea (was ink), with seven more seas besides it to help (write), the words of Allah would not be exhausted} (Luqmān: 27).

There are two primary recitations for the word {Lord} (rabb):

1. Nominative Case (Raising - al-Rafʿ):
   • Meaning 1 (Praise): It functions as the predicate of an implied subject, meaning: "He is the Lord of the East and the West." This is similar to the structure in {The Fire, that is their abode} (Āl ʿImrān: 197) or {Their sojourning is but a little enjoyment}.
   • Meaning 2 (Subject): It is treated as the subject (mubtadaʾ), and the following clause, {There is no god but He}, serves as its predicate, with the pronoun referring back to Him.

2. Genitive Case (Lowering - al-Khafd):
   • Meaning 1 (Apposition/Substitute): It is in apposition (badal) to the preceding phrase, {from your Lord} (min rabbika) in the previous verse (Al-Muzzammil: 8).
   • Meaning 2 (Oath): Ibn Abbas narrated that it is an oath (qasam) with an implied preposition of oath (ḥarf al-qasam), like saying, "By God, I will certainly do it." The response to the oath is {There is no god but He}, similar to saying, "By God, there is no one in the house except Zayd."
   • Note: Ibn Abbas also recited it as {Lord of the Easts and the Wests} (rabb al-mashāriq wa-l-maghārib).

The meaning is that since it is established that there is no god but Him, it necessitates that you take Him as a Trustee and delegate all your affairs to Him.

This point is profound: Since knowing that "There is no god but He" requires the delegation of all matters to Him, it implies that whoever does not delegate all matters to Him does not truly know the reality of "There is no god but He."

The Proof: Everything other than God is contingent (mumkin) and created (muḥdath). Every contingent and created thing must ultimately refer back to the Necessary Being (al-wājib li-dhātihi). Since the Necessary Being is One, all contingent things are dependent upon Him and terminate in Him. This is the meaning of {So take Him as a Trustee}.

Some scholars interpreted {Trustee} (wakīl) to mean: He is the Guarantor (kafīl) of the victory and triumph He promised you.