Abridged and translated ((Some liberty has been taken with the translation, while preserving the meaning, to increase readability in English.)) by Huda Shaka and Naiyerah Kolkailah

Inaba, turning to and returning to Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He), is a concept often repeated and enjoined in the Qur’an.  The Exalted says, “And return [in repentance] to your Lord and submit to Him before the punishment comes upon you; then you will not be helped.” [Qur’an, 39:54]

And He says, recounting the words of Prophet Shu`ayb, “…And my success is through none but Allah. Upon him I have relied, and to Him I return.” [Qur’an, 11:88]

He also says, “…(this) gives insight, and it is a reminder for every servant who turns [to Allah].” [Qur’an, 50:8]

And, “Indeed, Allah leaves astray whom He wills and guides to Himself whoever turns back [to Him].  [Qur’an, 13:27]

In His description of Prophet Dawud, He says, “…and he fell down bowing [in prostration] and turned in repentance [to Allah]. [Qur’an, 38:24]

Inaba is the act of returning to Allah (swt), where one directs the heart’s drives and attracting forces to Him.  It incorporates both love and fear, for the one who is returning loves the One she is returning to, and she is also submissive, devout, and humble towards Him.

People are at various levels in their means of returning to Allah (swt).  Some turn back to Allah (swt) by leaving certain transgressions and sins.  This return comes from being aware of Allah’s punishments, and is brought about through knowledge, fear and cautiousness.

Others return to Him by delving into different types of worship and devotional acts. They strive to perform these acts diligently, and the acts of obedience become beloved to them.  This return stems from having hope and being aware of Allah’s promise, His reward, and loving Allah’s generosity towards them.  These people are more light-spirited and at ease than the first group because they have a strong sense of hope and awareness of God’s Compassion and Benevolence.

Both groups are returning to Allah (swt) through hope and fear, but the fear of the second group falls under their broader feeling of hope, while the hope of the first group falls under their overarching feeling of fear.

There are yet others who return to Allah (swt) through supplication and invocation, humbly begging and pleading for all their needs from Him.  This return comes from witnessing His favors and abundant blessings, as well as His Generosity and Capability. So, they direct their pleads to Him and rest their hopes in Him.  They still enjoin the good and forbid the evil, but this is their particular way of returning to Him.  They were not blessed with performing many devotional acts, and their hope in Him comes mainly at the time of difficulty and adversity. So, their return is one of necessity and not of choice.

These are like the people Allah (swt) describes: “And when adversity touches you at sea, lost are all those you invoke except for Him,” [Qur’an, 17:67], and His saying: “And when they board a ship, they supplicate to Allah—sincere to Him in religion…” [Qur’an, 29:65]

All these people may have souls that are looking away from Allah, the Exalted. They are leaving Him and looking towards something more naturally familiar to the self, which has come between it and its return to the One it should truly worship—and its real Lord.

The most elevated type of return is the returning of the entire soul (ruh) to Him because of intensely pure love, which suffices over everything besides the Beloved and Worshiped One. When the souls turn to Him, nothing else stays behind because all the organs follow the soul.  So, when the soul turns to Him as a true lover—with every vein and joint having serene love for his Loved One— then all His might, and limbs and senses also return to Him.

The heart, too, returns to Allah (swt) with love, supplication, humiliation, and brokenness.  The mind returns by acting upon the commands of the loved One, surrendering to them, and giving them authority over all else—for there remains in the mind no doubt or suspicion about them.  The nafs (self) returns by obediently following the commands, and by giving up lowly habits, immoral behavior, and corrupt intentions. Instead, it completely follows His commands, surrendering to Him and wanting Him over everything else. The nafs no longer contains desires that challenge God’s command, and it authorizes its Lord in managing its affairs. It surrenders to His Rule, while being content with His Decree.

Such a sincere return to Allah (swt), for even one hour of your life, is more beneficial and fruitful than many years of other kinds of inabah. How can one even compare the level of this return to Allah (swt) with all the others? That is the bounty of Allah (swt), which He gives to whom He wills.  Indeed, a person with this type of inabah has a soul that is ever-returning, even if the signs of its returning are hidden from him because he is distracted. Its returning is silently present, like the presence of ammunition in a weapon.

For those who engage in the previously mentioned types of return, if any of them turn to Allah (swt) for a brief time through supplication, remembrance, and invocation, his nafs heart, and mind sometimes turn away from the One He is returning to.  Parts of him return for a brief time, but then he leaves and turns towards the desires of his nafs and whatever his nature calls him to.

In the end, Allah is the One who grants success and provides help, and there is no Lord other than Him, and no deity except Him.

Excerpts from Tareeq al-Hijratayn wa Bab as-Sa`adatayn

“O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy One.” (Qur’an 35:15)

In this verse, the Exalted One shows that the slaves’ need for Him is intrinsic to the slaves—just as being Self-Sufficient and Praiseworthy are intrinsic qualities for Him.

His Self-Sufficiency and His Praiseworthiness are innate constants in Him, not caused by any external factors bringing about these traits. Everything else’s need for Him is also an innate constant not caused by external factors. So, this need is not due to a new occurrence or condition; rather, it is an inherent quality of the needy.

The creation is impoverished, needing its Lord because of its nature—not because of some external cause; and all the ‘causes’ mentioned for this need are evidence of the need, but they are not actually causes; for what is intrinsic does not require a cause.  It is impossible for the slave to be anything but needy, and it is impossible for the Exalted Lord to be anything but Self-Sufficient, just as it is impossible for the slave to be anything but a slave and the Lord to be anything but a Lord.

The Two Types of Need

If the above is understood, then the next point is that there are two types of need. The first is a compulsory, general need—one which cannot be evaded neither by a righteous nor wanton person.  This need does not require praise or disparagement and neither does it require reward or punishment, for it is as natural as the creation being created.

The second need is a voluntary need, and it is a result of two honorable pieces of knowledge: the slave’s knowledge of his Lord, and the slave’s knowledge of himself.  When a slave gains these two pieces of knowledge, they result in a need that actually becomes the source of his ultimate freedom, and the definition of his success and happiness. People vary in their degree of experiencing this need based on the variation in their understanding of these two pieces of knowledge.

It is from here that those who fail are let down and those who succeed are given success; for the one who fails is veiled from his true nature, and forgets himself and his need for his Lord. Thus, he dominates and transgresses and therefore becomes deserving of wretchedness.

“No! [But] indeed, man transgresses.  Because he sees himself as self-sufficient.” (Qur’an 96:6-7)

“As for he who gives and fears Allah

And believes in the best [reward],

We will ease him toward ease.

But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need

And denies the best [reward],

We will ease him toward difficulty.” (Qur’an 92:5-10)

The best of creation are the most complete in their worship, and the greatest witnesses to their need for their Lord and their inability to be free of needing Him—even for a blink of an eye.  This is why the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) made the following prayer: “Rectify for me all of my affairs and do not leave me to myself, even for the blink of an eye, nor to any of your creation.” ((At-Tirmidhi 2140, Ahmed 3/112 and 257))

The Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) knows that his heart is in the Hand of the Most Compassionate, and he does not own any part of it, and that God the Exalted directs it as He wishes.  How would he not know that when he recites, “And if We had not strengthened you, you would have almost inclined to them a little.” (Qur’an 17:74)? His need ﷺ for his Lord is measured by his knowledge of Him, and his closeness to Him.

Contemplate Allah’s words in the verse: “[…] you are those in need of Allah.”  The use of the name “Allah” and not Rabb (Lord) allows for the inclusion of both types of need: a need for His Lordship, which is the general need of all creatures, and the need for Him as a deity (to worship)—which is the specific need acknowledged by His prophets, messengers and righteous slaves.  This latter need is the most beneficial need, and it is this specific not general need that scholars refer to and address the most.