from another creature bows its head.
Knowers such as the prophets, messengers, and those complete in knowledge of God never entertain this thought. They know the realities of things, how God has bound the world together, and what His majesty deserves to possess exclusively without a partner. He has established causes and made things depend on one another.
(Mutual Blessing and God’s Exclusive Bestowal of Favor)
When the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, mentioned to the Helpers that God had guided them through him, he said, “Had you wished to say it, you could have said, ‘We found you driven out and gave you shelter, and weak and supported you,’” and so on in the hadith. He mentioned what they had done for him.
God could have supported him without a cause, but He did what wisdom requires in view of the constitution of the one He created in His image. He told His Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, “Bless them, for your blessing is a reassurance to them” [al-Tawbah 9:103]. This is a distinction, a benefit, and a favor in which an ailment might arise, but God protected His Prophet from it. Glory be to Him, He set a remedy against this ailment, just as each is also a remedy for the other’s ailment. God Most High said, “You who believe, bless him” [al-Ahzab 33:56].
If we boast of blessing him as a favor conferred, we find that he has already blessed us when commanded to do so.
If it were conceived as a rational possibility that he might claim a favor over us for blessing us, our blessing upon him would keep him from mentioning it, though he is the greatest master. Yet He, glory be to Him, left him no claim of favor over His creatures, so that He alone, glory be to Him, should be the benefactor who bestows favor upon His servants
Notes
Translator’s note TN2279-1: The mutual exchange prevents either side from claiming an unreciprocated favor. The author attributes the arrangement of the exchange, and thus the ultimate favor, to God.
