There is nothing other than Allah that is Self Sufficient

There is nothing other than Allah that is Self Sufficient

How can Jesus be God though he needed others for birth, satisfying hunger and thirst and saving from death?
The names and attributes of God include “Self-sufficient”, “Enricher”, and “Everlasting Refuge”. It is quite logical that the Lord of this universe is described as “Self-sufficient”, “Enricher”, and “Everlasting Refuge”.
It is He Who created, provide for, take care of, and look after all creatures. Everything cannot do without Him, while He can dispense with everything.
The Self-sufficient in Islam
In the Qur’an, God (called “Allah” in Arabic) is described as “Self-sufficient”. We read:
And to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And We have instructed those who were given the Scripture before you and yourselves to fear Allah. But if you disbelieve – then to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And ever is Allah Self-sufficient and Praiseworthy. (An-Nisaa’ 4:131)
We also read:
And your Lord is the Self-sufficient, the possessor of mercy. If He wills, he can do away with you and give succession after you to whomever He wills, just as He produced you from the descendants of another people. (Al-An`am 6:133)
We further read:
They say: ‘Allah has taken a son. Glory be to Him. He is Self-sufficient! His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. Have you any authority to support (that Allah has taken a son)? Do you ascribe to Allah something of which you have no knowledge? (Yunus 10:68)
God is also described as “the Enricher”, i.e. the One Who is Self-sufficient, and can dispense with people, and it is He Who can enrich or impoverish them. We read:
And that to your Lord is the finality … And that it is He who enriches and suffices (An-Najm 53:42-48)
We also read:
And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied. Did He not find you an orphan and give [you] refuge? And He found you lost and guided [you], And He found you poor and made [you] self-sufficient. (Ad-Duha 5-8)
God is also described as “the Everlasting Refuge”, i.e. the One in Whom people eternally take refuge. We read:
Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One, Allah, the Everlasting Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.” (Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4)
In the Prophetic tradition, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) quoted God as describing Himself in a Qudsi (divine) hadith as “the Everlasting Refuge”.
Abu Hurairah (may God be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah said: Allah Almighty has said: The son of Adam denied Me and he had no right to do so. And he reviled Me and he had no right to do so. As for his denying Me, it is his saying: He will not remake me as He made me at first and the initial creation [of him] is not easier for Me than remaking him. As for his reviling Me, it is his saying: Allah has taken to Himself a son, while I am the One, the Everlasting Refuge. I begot not nor was I begotten, and there is none comparable to Me. (Al-Bukhari)
The Self-sufficient in Christianity
As a matter of fact, belief in God’s self-sufficiency is such a belief which is totally absent from the Christian belief system. The Bible often tells us to which extent God is poor, helpless, needy, and deficient.
How can Jesus, taken as God along with God (called “the Father”) in Christianity, be Self-sufficient though he was born like any other human being?
In the New Testament, we read: “This is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. When Mary his mother was engaged to Joseph, before they were married, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:18)
If God was really born, this implies that he needed a father and a mother. Is it rational that God stands in need of others for birth? Are God’s parents equally gods or not?
Moreover, the Bible also informs us that Jesus experienced hunger and thirst like any other human being. About Jesus’ hunger, the New Testament says: “Then the Spirit led Jesus up into the wilderness so that the devil might tempt him. After Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights, he was starving.” (Matthew 4:1-2)
We also read: “In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once.” (Matthew 21:18-19)
About Jesus’ thirst, the New Testament says: “After this, knowing that everything was already completed, in order to fulfill the scripture, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty.’” (John 19:28)
Besides, the Bible lets us know that Jesus was not self-reliant. He rather depended on others and prayed for help and assistance. We read: “When he sent them away, he went up onto a mountain by himself to pray. Evening came and he was alone.” (Matthew 14:23)
We also read: Then he went a short distance farther and fell on his face and prayed, “My Father, if it’s possible, take this cup of suffering away from me. However—not what I want but what you want.” (Matthew 26:39)
We further read: Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. (Matthew 26:42-44)
We may ask here: how can Jesus be God though he needed and depended on others for birth, satisfying hunger and thirst and saving from death?
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References:
1- The Glorious Qur’an (Sahih International Translation)
2- Sahih Al-Bukhari
3- The Holy Bible (Visit biblegateway.com)

 

Hadith 24: Allah is Self-Sufficient

On the authority of Abu Dharr al-Ghifaari, may Allah be pleased with him, from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), from among the sayings he relates from His Lord (may He be glorified) that He said, “O My servants, I have forbidden wrongdoing for Myself and I have made it forbidden for you. Therefore, do not wrong one another. O My servants, all of you are lost except those whom I have guided. Therefore, seek guidance from Me and I will guide you. O My servants, all of you are hungry except those whom I have fed. Therefore, seek food from Me and I will feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except those whom I have clothed. Therefore seek clothing from Me and I will clothe you. O My servants, you sin by day and by night, and I forgive all sins. Therefore seek forgiveness from Me and I will forgive you. O My servants, you will not be able to harm Me so as to bring any harm to Me and you will be able to benefit Me so as to bring any benefit to Me. O My servants, if the first and the last of you and the human and the jinn of you were as pious as the most pious heart of anyone among you, it would not add anything to My dominion. O My servants, if the first and the last of you and the human and the jinn of you were as wicked as the most wicked heart of anyone among you it would not decrease anything from My dominion. O My servants, if the first and the last of you and the human and the jinn of you were to gather together on [the same sector] of land and all asked Me and if I were to give everyone of them what he asked, that would not decrease what I have any more than a needle decreases what is in the ocean when it is put into it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon for you. Then I recompense you for them. The one who finds good is to give praises to Allah. The one who finds other than that should not blame anyone but himself.” (Recorded in Muslim)
“O My servants, you will not be able to harm Me so as to bring any harm to Me and you will be able to benefit Me so as to bring any benefit to Me.”
Allah (swt) is not in need of any of His creation. He is self-sufficient and perfect. He (swt) is not in need of any assistant, spouse or son to assist Him (swt) or benefit Him in any way. There is nothing in creation that can either harm or benefit Him. Allah (swt) has said:
“And I [Allah] created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me [alone]. I seek not any provision from them not do I ask that they should feed Me. Verily, Allah is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong” (Surah al-Dhaariyaat: 56)
All of the creation belongs to Allah (swt) and yet, He is not in need of any of it. Allah (swt) says:
“And to Allah belongs all that is in the earth. And verily, We have recommended to the people of the Scripture before you to to you [Muslims] that you (all) fear Allah. But of you disbelieve, then unto Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth. And Allah is Ever Rich [Free of all wants], Worthy of praise.” (Surah al-Nisaa:131)
Allah (swt) loves for His slaves to be pious and repent, but He (swt) is not in need of their repentance in any way, it is only for their own good. Similarily He (swt) hates for his slaves to disbelieve and commit sins, but He is not harmed by their actions in any way, they harm only themselves.
It is only out of Allah’s mercy, kindness and goodness to the creation that He (swt) loves what is beneficial for them and dislikes what is harmful for them. It is by His (swt) grace and mercy that He guides people to the Straight Path, while He does not benefit at all from that. SubhaanAllah, the mercy of Allah (swt) is all-encompassing. Let’s ask Him for His Mercy and Forgiveness and to keep us on His Straight Path. Ameen.
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