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How to Earn and Lose Respect (From the People) and the Connection of This Matter to Tawhid
Posted by Abu.Iyaad on Friday, August, 09 2013 and filed under Rectification

Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) stated as occurs in Majmu' al-Fatawa (1/39):

أعظم ما يكون العبد قدراً وحرمة عند الخلق : إذا لم يحتج إليهم بوجه من الوجوه .كما قيل : احتج إلى من شئت تكن أسيره ، واستغن عمن شئت تكن نظيره ، وأحسن إلى من شئت تكن أميره ، ومتى احتجت إليهم ? ولو في شربة ماء ? نقص قدرك عندهم بقدر حاجتك إليهم ، وهذا من حكمة الله ورحمته ، ليكـون الدين كله لله ، ولا يشرك به شيئاً

The greatest a servant is in terms of (holding) status and (having) respect from the creation is when he is not needy (dependent) upon them from any angle whatsoever, as it has been said:

Be in need of whomever you will and you will be his captive. And be free of need from whomever you will and you will be his equal. And be benevolent to whomever you will and you will be his leader.

And when you stand in need of them - even for a drink of water - your rank (status) will decrease to the extent of your need of them. And this is from the wisdom of Allaah and His mercy, so that the deen (religion) is all (purely) for Allaah, and so that nothing is associated with Him in worship.

Note

This is from the great and profound insight of Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah and it comprises a taste and relishing of Tawhid that a person feels and perceives when he understands and implements this, that is, to place his trust and reliance upon none but Allaah and to be free of need of the creation. You can only begin to fathom the wonders and pleasures of Tawhid that the grave and saint worshippers are deprived of - and that's bearing in mind that we are speaking here of being in need of others for things that are actually permitted and lawful (such as asking for a drink of water) - a universe apart from being in need of the dead for things which they are incapable of and which constitutes Shirk with the Lord of the worlds. So how deprived, humiliated and of low rank are those who throw their needs upon the saints and the dead, and how raised and dignified are the people of Tawhid - those who understand the above point - and aim not to be in need of the creation for anything!