Allaah’s Ma’iyyah (Companionship) is of two kinds: general Ma’iyyah and special Ma’iyyah.
As for the general Ma’iyyah, Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat an-Nisaa’ [4:108]:
يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَلَا يَسْتَخْفُونَ مِنَ اللَّـهِ وَهُوَ مَعَهُمْ إِذْ يُبَيِّتُونَ مَا لَا يَرْضَىٰ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطًا
“They may hide (their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allaah, for He is with them (by His Knowledge), when they plot by night in words that He does not approve. And Allaah ever encompasses what they do.”
Allaah (Ta’ala) also says in Surat al-Hadeed [57:4]:
وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ
“And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be.”
In Surat al-Mujadalah [58:7], Allaah (Ta’ala) says:
ما يكون من نجوى ثلاثة إلا هو رابعهم ولا خمسة إلا هو سادسهم ولا أدنى من ذلك ولا أكثر إلا هو معهم أينما كانوا
“There is no Najwa (secret counsel) of three, but He is their fourth (with His Knowledge, while He Himself is over the Throne, over the seventh heaven), nor of five but He is their sixth (with His Knowledge), nor of less than that or more, but He is with them (with His Knowledge) wheresoever they may be.”
This Ma’iyyah (Companionship) entails His Knowledge, Witnessing, and Observation of deeds.
There is no contradiction between His Highness and Companionship, because Allaah (Ta’ala) joined the two in His Statement in Surat al-Hadeed [57:4]:
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى الْعَرْشِۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ وَاللَّـهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
“He it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and then Istawa (rose over) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty). He knows what goes into the earth and what comes forth from it, what descends from the heaven and what ascends thereto. And He is with you (by His Knowledge) wheresoever you may be. And Allaah is the All-Seer of what you do.”
Muqaatil ibn Hayyan (Rahimahullaah), the Scholar of Khurasaan, said regarding Allaah’s Statement in Surat Al-Mujadilah [58:7], (interpretation of the meaning): ‘There is no private conversation of three, but that He is the Fourth of them,’: “He is rising over His Throne and He is with them by His Knowledge.’ [Reported by Abu Dawoud in ‘Masaa’ilihi’ with a good chain]
Ma’dan said: “I asked Sufyan Ath-Thawri about Allaah’s Statement in Surat al-Hadeed, (interpretation of the meaning), “And He is with you wherever you are,” and he said: “His Knowledge.” [Reported by Adh-Dhahabi in Al-Siyar with a correct chain]
Imaam Malik (Rahimahullaah) said: “Allaah is in the Heaven and His Knowledge is everywhere; no place is free of it (i.e. His Knowledge).” [Reported by Abu Dawoud in Masaa’ilihi with a good chain]
Yusuf ibn Musa (Rahimahullaah) (the Shaikh of Abu Bakr Al-Khallal) said: “It was said to Abu ‘Abdullaah [i.e. Imaam Ahmad (Rahimahullaah)]: “Allaah is above the seventh heaven, rising over His Throne, separate from His creation (independent of them), and His Power and Knowledge is with every place?” He replied: “Yes, He is above His Throne and nothing is hidden from His Knowledge.” [Reported by Adh-Dhahabi in “Al-Ulow” and authenticated by Al-Albaani in Mukhtasar Al-‘Ulow]
As for the Special Companionship: Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat at-Tawbah [9:40]:
إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَاحِبِهِ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَنَا
“…and he (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said to his companion [Abu Bakr (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu)]: ‘Be not sad (or afraid), surely Allaah is with us.’”
Allaah (Ta’ala) also said to Musa and Haroon (‘Alayhumas-salaam) in Surat Ta-Ha [20:46]:
قَالَ لَا تَخَافَا إِنَّنِي مَعَكُمَا أَسْمَعُ وَأَرَىٰ
“He (Allaah) said: ‘Fear not, verily! I am with you both, hearing and seeing.’”
And Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat an-Nahl [16:128]:
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوا وَّالَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ
“Truly, Allaah is with those who fear Him (keep their duty unto Him), and those who are Muhsinun.”
And He (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-Anfaal [8:46]:
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ
“Surely, Allaah is with those who are As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).”
And in Surat al-Baqarah [2:249], Allaah (Ta’ala) says:
وَاللَّـهُ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ
“And Allaah is with As-Sabirin (the patient ones, etc.).”
In Surat al-Ankabut [29:69], Allaah (Ta’ala) says:
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
“As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our Paths (i.e. Allaah’s Religion – Islamic Monotheism). And verily, Allaah is with the Muhsinun (good doers).”
In Surat al-Baqarah [2:194], Allaah (Ta’ala) says:
وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّـهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ
“…and know that Allaah is with Al-Muttaqun.”
Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allaah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says: ‘I am as My slave thinks I am, and I am with him when he remembers Me.” [Muslim]
Abu Hurairah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Allaah says: ‘I am with My slave when he remembers Me and his lips move saying My Name.” [Authenticated by Al-Albaani in Saheeh Ibn Maajah no. 3792]
This Ma’iyyah (Companionship) entails support, help, protection, guardianship, care, love, guidance to success, sufficiency, guidance to righteousness, and nearness.
Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-Baqarah [2:186]:
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ
“And when My slaves ask you [O Muhammad (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)] concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them by My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor).”
It was narrated by Abu Musa (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu): “We were in the company of Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) (during Hajj). Whenever we went up to a high place we used to say: ‘La ilaaha illa Allaah’ and ‘Allaahu Akbar’ (none has the right to be worshipped but Allaah, and Allaah is the Most Great), and we used to raise our voices. So the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: ‘O People! Be merciful to yourselves (i.e. do not raise your voices), for you are not calling a deaf or an absent one, but One Who is with you; no doubt He is All-Hearer, Ever Near (to all things).’” [Al-Bukhaari]
In another narration by Muslim, he (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “The One Whom you are calling is closer to one of you than the neck of his mount.”
This is a special nearness to the supplicant who calls unto Allaah by worshipping Him and praising Him.
‘Amr ibn Absah (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that he heard the Prophet (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) saying: “The closest that the Lord is to a worshipper is during the last part of the night, so if you are able to be of those who remember Allaah in that hour, then do so.” [Authenticated by Al-Albaani in Saheeh At-Tirmithi no. 3579]
Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-A’raaf [7:56]:
إِنَّ رَحْمَتَ اللَّـهِ قَرِيبٌ مِّنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
“..Surely, Allaah’s Mercy is (ever) near unto the good-doers.”
The Impact of Belief in Allaah’s Attribute of Al-Ma’iyyah
1) If the slave knows that Allaah is with him, he will surely be watchful of Allaah. The slave knows that Allaah watches him, and nothing is hidden from Him. So, if the slave believes that Allaah is with him; i.e. All-Knowing of him, Watchful of him, Raqeeb (observing) his deeds; this will make him observant of Allaah, afraid of Him, and he will not rebel against Him in disobedience, nor commit any of His Prohibitions. His self will tell him: “How do you dare to oppose Him whilst He is watching you and your deeds?”
His belief will make him rectify his deeds and not spoil them, as well as increase in the performance of good deeds and avoidance of committing evil deeds. This is the benefit of belief in the general Ma’iyyah (Companionship) of Allaah. [At-Ta’leeqat Az-Zakiyyah Alal-Aqeedah Al-Wasitiyyah]
‘Abdullaah ibn Mu’awiyah al-Ghadiri (Radia-Allaahu ‘anhu) narrated that Allaah’s Messenger (Salla-Allaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Three matters, if one does them, one will feel the taste of Imaan (faith): Whoever worships Allaah alone and knows that ‘La Ilaaha Illa Allaah’ (none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah), whoever gives Zakaat of his money with a good heart, and a slave who purifies his self.” A man said: “How can one purify himself, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said: “To know that Allaah is with him wherever he may be.” [Authenticated by Al-Albaani in As-Silsilah as-Saheeha, no. 1046]
Hence, purification is achieved by this Ma’iyyah, and there is no Tazkiyah (purification) greater than this!
2) As for the special Ma’iyyah: If a person knows that a certain deed (or action) makes its doer deserve the Companionship of Allaah, he will be keen to be that person; so he will be keen to be of the People of Taqwa (piety), of the People of Ihsan (good-doers), of the People of Patience, and of the People of Imaan. And he will increase in his Dhikr (remembrance) and Du’aa.
3) Whenever a slave is entitled to the Ma’iyyah of Allaah, then all hardships will become easy for him, and his fear will turn into security. This is because, by Allaah, all difficulties become easy and whatever is far becomes close, and by Allaah all grief and anxieties are removed. There is no grief, concern, or anxiety with Allaah. [Ad-Daa’ Wad-Dawa’ by Ibn Al-Qayyim]
All sorrow and grief is for the one who loses Allaah.
If Allaah is with you, then who do you fear? And if Allaah is against you, then who do you have hope in? [Ad-Dorar As-Saniyyah]
4) The Ma’iyyah of Allaah is one of the greatest Favors that Allaah bestows upon His slave. However, there are statements and actions through which one attains this Ma’iyyah. And Allaah is All-Hearer of these statements, All-Knower of these actions, and He knows who deserves this Favor (of Al-Ma’iyyah), who thanks Allaah for it, who knows its value, who loves the Bestower of this Favor, so this blessing becomes reformed with him and he is reformed by it, as Allaah (Ta’ala) says in Surat al-An’aam [6:53]:
وَكَذَٰلِكَ فَتَنَّا بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍ لِّيَقُولُوا أَهَـٰؤُلَاءِ مَنَّ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّن بَيْنِنَا أَلَيْسَ اللَّـهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّاكِرِينَ
“Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say: ‘Is it these (poor believers) that Allaah has favored from amongst us?’ Does not Allaah know best those who are grateful?”
If the slave loses any of these favors of his Lord, let him recite to himself Allaah’s Statement:
أَلَيْسَ اللَّـهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِالشَّاكِرِينَ
“Does not Allaah know best those who are grateful?” [Zaad Al-Ma’ad by Ibn Al-Qayyim]
For the like of this let every worker work, and for this let the competitors compete. [Tareeq Al-Hijratain]
Source:
📚 Al-Asmaa’ Al-Husna Was-Sifaat Al-‘Ulaa by Abdul-Haadee ibn Hasan
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