٤٠٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) وَقَدْ سُئِلَ عَنْ مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِمْ: لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا باللهِ:

404. On being asked the meaning of the expression: “lā ḥawla walā quwwata illā bi’llāh” (there is no strength nor power but by means of Allāh). Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said:

إِنَّا لَا نَمَلِكُ مَعَ اللهِ شَيْئاً، وَلَا نَمْلِكُ إِلَّا مَا مَلَّكَنَا، فَمَتَى مَلَّكَنَا مَا هُوَ أَمْلَكُ بِهِ مِنَّا كَلَّفَنَا، وَمَتى أَخَذَهُ مِنَّا وَضَعَ تَكْلِيفَهُ عَنَّا.

We are not master of anything along with Allāh, and we are not master of anything save what He makes us master of. So, when He makes us master of anything of which He is a superior Master over us He also assigns some duties to us; and when He takes it away He will take away those duties as well. [1]

404. On lui demande le sens de la phrase: “Il n’y a de puissance et de force qu’en Dieu”, il dit:

Nous ne possédons rien avec Dieu, à part ce qu’il nous donne. Dans ce cas, Il nous impose des obligations, mais lorsqu’il retire ce qu’il nous a donné, Il enlève les obligations imposées.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Chapter #404