7 - Name of Allah الرقيب

بِسْم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The Connection between the feeling of Self Sufficiency (الاستغناء) and Taqwa

In [92:1-10]:

The Surah begins talking about opposite matters. Allah swears by: 

اليل (Night)      X         النهار (Day)

And the One who created:

الذكر (Male)       X       الأنثى (Female)

that the people differ in regards to their سعى (efforts). They divide into two groups:

أعطى (Those who give)                               X          (Those who are miserly)                            بخل

واتقى (Keeps his duty towards Allah)          X         (Believe himself to be self-sufficient)      استغنى

و صدق بالحسنى (Believes in the Husna)       X         (Disbelieves in the Husna)             كذب بالحسنى 

Their Recompense:

"فسنيسره لليسرى"                                       X               "فسنيسره للعسرى"

What causes a person to feel self sufficient? This happens after Allah grants the person blessings. He feels like he doesn't need Allah. 

E.g. Allah gives a person wealth. The first thing that's established in his heart is that he can live honourably, this money will guarantee a future for him and his children, etc. He feels at rest towards the blessings of Allah.

We require Taqwa to prevent ourselves from inclining towards the favours of Allah. The متقي is the one who fights this inclination and keeps his heart attached to Allah, the One granted and benefitted him with all these blessings. 

Allah, الرقيب, watches our hearts, and sees to what extent we feel self-sufficient and in no need of Allah. We should feel shy of Allah even when we drink a cup of water.

E.g. You say بِسْم الله before you drink a glass of water, believing that mentioning the name of Allah on anything is a means of attaining بركة. But we usually drink the water without feeling any need to Allah whatsoever. But the fact of the matter is that we can't even lift a glass to our mouths without Allah's help. 

The connection between Taqwa, the Name of Allah الرَّبُّ, and الرقيب 

In [4:1]:

When Allah, الرقيب, watches our hearts and finds self-sufficiency in it, He nurtures us by His name الرَّبُّ - The Nurturer; The Reformer.

How? 

He'll decree situations in which He purifies the heart of the slave and shows him the truth.

E.g. You give a lecture with complete confidence in yourself, positive of your success, believing that the task is very easy. While you're in the middle of your diversion, Allah will nurture you. The one thing you used to do so well and easily would become closed on you, difficult for you to do, until you remember that Allah is the One who enabled you to carry out the action, not yourself.

It's as if you're told to fear your رب. And this is all out of His mercy with you; if you turn away from Him, He'll nurture you and return you to Him weak and in need.

We are all poor and in need of Allah. It's not good manners to feel sufficient and free of need from the One who granted us the blessings.

E.g. A physically fit person may say, "As long as I have strength I can do such and such and this and that" 

Next thing you know he's afflicted with a virus and he's sick in bed. This is because He felt self-sufficient and relied on his strength, so Allah nurtured him.

But the nurturing may not always happen immediately. Allah may deal with the person with His حلم (forebearance), and keep the person diverted with what they want. But for those whose faith is strong, Allah nurtures them immediately. The moment their heart relies on other than Allah - everything is lost. Allah brings them back to Him and makes them lose the thing which caused them to feel self-sufficient.

Because Allah nurtures His slaves according to their degree of faith.