The second observer says: God did not create things for the sake of things, but so that every kind of possible thing might glorify Him through its appropriate prayer and glorification, and His magnificence might pervade all created beings and the kinds, species, and individuals of possible things. He says, “Each knows its prayer and glorification” [24:41], and “There is no thing but glorifies Him with praise” [17:44].
All therefore belong to Him, exalted is He. Since this is so, and He created none but us upon the divine Form, described Himself as unseen to things, and drew veils between them and perceiving Him, He perceives them while they do not perceive Him, for they do not know Him.
He appointed the human being as vicegerent, the agent, saying, “Spend from that over which He has made you successors” [57:7]. In this agency He set matters we must not exceed: it is not unrestricted agency like that with which we appoint Him. He set limits for us, and if we exceed them we exceed God's limits: “Whoever exceeds God's limits has wronged himself” [65:1].
(Combining the Two Considerations)
The whole Qurʾan comes according to the first consideration, for He says only “Trust” [10:84], and “He loves those who trust” [3:159]. He thus gives precedence to the first consideration: taking Him as agent concerning our welfare, rather than concerning the things. We thereby combine both considerations in a third state that we have witnessed, but have not seen in anyone of our path.
We say that He created things for Himself rather than for us, and “gave each thing its creation” [20:50]. Part of our creation is our need for what brings us welfare, wherever we are, in this world or the Hereafter. We know no path to welfare, since He did not create things for our sake. We therefore appoint Him as agent
Notes
Translator’s note TN4112-1: The first consideration gives God unrestricted agency over what benefits the servant; the second makes the servant God's agent under prescribed limits. The author's third state combines them by delegating welfare rather than ownership of the things themselves.
