Nahj al-Balagha Hadith n. 404

Selections from The Sayings and Preaching of Amir al-Muminin Ali ibn Abi Talib (Peace Be Upon Him) Including His Replies to Questions and Maxims Expressed for Various Purposes.
Translated by Sayyid Ali Reza

وقال عليه السلام وَقَدْ سُئِلَ عن معنى قولهم: لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ باللهِ:

On being asked the meaning of the expression: "la hawla wala quwwata illa bi'llah " (there is no strength nor power but by means of Allah) . Amir al-mu’minin, peace be upon him, said :

إِنَّا لاَ نَمَلِكُ مَعَ اللهِ شَيْئاً،

We are not master of anything along with Allah,

وَلاَ نَمْلِكُ إِلاَّ مَا مَلَّكَنَا،

and we are not master of anything save what He makes us master of.

فَمَتَى مَلَّكَنَا مَا هُوَ أَمْلَكُ بِهِ مِنَّاكَلَّفَنَا،

So, when He makes us master of anything of which He is a superior Master over us,

وَمَتى أَخَذَهُ مِنَّا وَضَعَ تَكْلِيفَهُ عَنَّا.

He also assigns some duties to us; and when He takes it away He will take away those duties as well. 90

 

90. What Amir al-mu'minin means is that man does not enjoy regular mastery over anything, but such mastery as he is assigned by Allah, and so long as this mastery lasts the obligations of the shari'ah also continue, whereas when the mastery is taken away the obligations too are lifted off, since in such a case the laying of obligations would mean placing of responsibility beyond capacity which cannot be allowed by any wise or prudent person. This is why Allah has placed the responsibility of performing various acts after having conferred the necessary energy in the limbs. It follows that this responsibility would remain only so long as the energy subsists and that on the disappearance of the energy the responsibility for action would also disappear. For example, the obligation to pay Zakat (tax) applies only when there is wealth; but when Allah would take away the wealth He would lift off the liability to pay Zakat because in such a case the laying of obligation is against prudence.