Arabic Text
English Translation
— Ibn ‘Abbās (RA) (Tirmidhi)
Commentary
If the entire world gathered to harm you with what Allah did not write, they cannot — and vice versa.
Extended Explanation
Ibn ‘Abbās was a young boy riding behind the Prophet ﷺ when he received this teaching — and it shaped him into the great mufassir of the Ummah. The hadith establishes the doctrine of tawakkul: complete reliance on Allah without abandoning means.
‘Guard Allah’ means: keep His commands, His prohibitions, and His limits. The reward is divine guardianship — protection of one’s religion, family, body, and ending. ‘When you ask, ask Allah’ is a foundational principle against directing worship (du‘ā’ being its core) to any other than Him.
From the Scholars
"Whoever guards Allah in his youth, Allah guards him in his old age. Whoever guards Allah in ease, Allah guards him in difficulty."
"‘Find Allah before you’ — meaning, you find His help, His guidance, and His tawfīq directing your affairs ahead of you."
Fiqh & Rulings
- •Du‘ā’ (calling, supplication) is worship — directing it to other than Allah (dead saints, graves) is shirk.
- •Tawakkul does not negate taking means — tying one’s camel and trusting Allah, as the hadith of the Bedouin teaches.
- •Asking other people for help in things they can do is permitted; but the heart must rely on Allah, not on them.
Qur'ān Cross-References
Key Arabic Vocabulary
guard Allah (His commands)
before you / facing you
you seek help
Today's Reflection
Take comfort: your provision and harm are with Allah alone. Ask Him directly today.
Key Benefits
- 1Tawakkul is anchored in this hadith.
- 2Asking creation what only Allah controls is a form of weakness.
Common Mistakes & Warnings
- ⚠‘Ask Allah alone’ does not forbid asking living, present people for things in their capacity (a glass of water, a job reference) — that is permitted.
- ⚠Calling on the dead, no matter how pious, expecting them to bring benefit or remove harm, is shirk.
Related Hadiths
Memorization Progress