The Hidden Shirk of Being Indebted to People
Human beings, by their nature, are inclined to seek help from those around them and knock on their doors when they feel weak. However, in Sufi ethics, expecting sustenance and goodness from transient beings darkens the heart and distances the servant from Allah. Abdülkadir Geylânî (q.s.) diagnoses this great spiritual danger as follows: “Cover the door of indebtedness to people, and you will see that at that time, the door of Allah’s goodness will open to you.” Coveting what is in the hands of others, waiting for their praise, or expecting benefit from them enslaves a person spiritually. True freedom lies in destroying these false idols in the heart and turning to Allah, the only Absolute Provider.
The Humiliation of Relying on Creation
If a believer expects something from weak and transient servants while Allah is present, Allah will leave him in the hands of those transient beings and condemn him to humiliation. The hadith-i sharif, “Cursed, cursed is he who relies on another creation,” clearly expresses that seeking refuge in created beings leads to being banished from divine mercy. Those who seek sustenance from their employer and status from those in authority bow before them, implicitly denying the greatness of Allah, the possessor of absolute power. A person who hopes in a mortal is actually selling his afterlife and experiencing spiritual bankruptcy.
Absolute Freedom Through Trust (Tawakkul)
True freedom is when the heart feels no debt of gratitude to any creation and surrenders all ropes to Allah. The rule, “Do not attach yourself to people who do not have power over your gain or loss. No one can bestow upon you except your Lord,” requires that expectations be directed entirely towards Allah. If a servant turns his face to Allah, saying, “The giver and the taker are only He,” then Allah sends blessings to him in unexpected ways through the hands of those He wills. A believer who surrenders himself to the Creator’s compassionate hands attains an unshakable spiritual security and absolute freedom that no position on earth can provide.