The combined efforts of all the creation to help or harm you
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Allah.
From Abū al-ʿAbbās ʿAbd Allāh bin ʿAbbās (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhuma) who said:
I was behind the Prophet (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wasallam) one day when he said, “Young man, I shall teach you some words. Be mindful of Allāh and Allāh will protect you. Be mindful of Allāh and you will find Him in front of you. When you ask, then ask only of Allāh, and when you seek aid, then seek aid from Allāh. Know that if the whole ummah gathered together to benefit you with something, they will not benefit you except with something that Allāh had written for you, and if they gathered together to harm you with something, they will not harm you except with something that Allāh had written for you. The pens have been lifted, and the scrolls have dried.” And in a narration from other than al-Tirmidhī (there occurs), “Be mindful of Allāh and you fill find him in front of you. Be acquainted with Allāh in prosperity and He will know you in hardship. Know that whatever passed you by was never going to befall you and whatever befell you was never going to pass you by. Know that aid comes alongside patience and that relief comes with difficulty and ease comes with hardship.” [1]
Al-Allaamah Abdul Muhsin Al-Abbad, may Allah preserve him, said:
Ibn Rajab provided precious commentary on this hadith in Jami Al-Uloom Wal Hikam. He explained that Allah’s protection for His servant manifests in two ways: safeguarding the individual’s body, wealth, children, and family, as well as protecting his religion by shielding him from doubts that may lead to misguidance and unlawful desires.
As a result, the person can maintain righteousness and steadfastness in both his religious and worldly matters. This divine protection is granted to those who are conscious of Allah, those who adhere to His commandments and refrain from what He has prohibited. Allah rewards such individuals based on their mindfulness of Him, and recompense is given in accordance with one’s deeds. The Prophet’s statement “He (Allah) will protect you” serves as a reward for the positive outcomes that stem from righteous actions, with the reward being commensurate with one’s actions. As for the statement of the Prophet “Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him before you”, this means that you will find Allah in front of you- Allah will guard and protect you, and He will protect you from every evil. The statement of the Prophet “Acknowledge Allah in times of ease and prosperity, and He will acknowledge you in times of hardship” means that if you remain in obedience to Allah and His Messenger in times of ease and well-being, Allah will reward you by protecting you during times of severe hardship and critical situations. What will shed more light on this is the story of three individuals who were strolling when the rain started to pour, forcing them to seek shelter in a mountain cave. A large rock blocked the entrance, trapping them inside as if they were in a grave while alive. They then recalled and reminded each other of the righteous deeds they had done for the sake of Allah during times of ease, using them as a means of seeking intercession. One mentioned his kindness towards his parents, another his abstention from fornication for the sake of Allah, and the third his fulfilment of a worker’s rights even after the worker had left without collecting his wages. By invoking Allah with these righteous actions, the rock miraculously moved, allowing them to escape from the cave. [2]
Imam Muhammad Ibn Salih Al-Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:
The Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, made it known in this statement that if the entire Ummah were to unite in an effort to benefit you, they would only be able to do so with what Allah has decreed for you. Therefore, if you receive any benefit from them, then know that it is from Allah, as He is the one who has ordained it.
The Prophet did not say: “If they gathered to assist you, they would not be able to help”, rather, he stated: “They would not be able to assist you except with what Allah has decreed for you”.
There is no doubt that people benefit one another, assist one another, and support one another; however, all of this is decreed by Allah for a person. The blessing in this belongs to Allah, The Mighty and Majestic, first and foremost. He is the One who provides for you with those who can help you, show you kindness, and alleviate your hardship. On the other hand, if they were to gather to harm you, they would not be able to do so except with what Allah has decreed for you.
Belief in this necessitates that a person devotes himself to his Lord and relies solely on Him, and does concern himself with anyone, as he knows that even if all of creation were to gather to harm him with something, they would not be able to harm him, except with something that Allah has decreed for him, thus, he places his hope in Allah and holds firmly to Him, and unconcerned about the creation even if they gather against him. This is why we find people among the early generations of this Ummah who, when they relied on Allah and placed their trust in Him, they were not harmed by the schemes of the schemers or the envy of the envious.
وَإِنْ تَصْبِرُوا وَتَتَّقُوا لا يَضُرُّكُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْئاً إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ مُحِيطٌ
But if you remain patient and fear Allah, not the least harm will their cunning do to you. Surely, Allah surrounds all that they do. [Aal Imran 120] [3]
We ask Allah:
يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِي عَلَى دِينِكَ
O Turner of the hearts! Keep my heart upon Your religion.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الثَّبَاتَ فِي الْأَمْرِ، وَالْعَزِيمَةَ عَلَى الرُّشْدِ
O Allah! Indeed, I ask You for steadfastness in this affair (regarding sound adherence to the religion) and firm resolve to adhere to the path of guidance.
[1] Nawawi’s Forty Hadith https://www.nawawis40hadith.com/nw/hadith/19/faith-in-al-qa%E1%B8%8D%C4%81-wal-qadar
[2] An Excerpt from: “Athar Al-Ibaadaat Fee Hayat Al-Muslim 15
[3] Sharh Riyad As-Salihin 1/491-492