Saying 'I repent to Allah and the Messenger' and 'I entrust you to Allah and His Messenger'

Q 1: Is it permissible to say: " I make Tawbah (repentance to Allah) to Allah and His Messenger", or to say upon leaving someone: "I leave you in the protection of Allah and His Messenger", or to say: "Allah and His Messenger are sufficient for us" as a form of Dhikr (Remembrance of Allah)? Some people say that there is nothing wrong in that and argue with us about it. May Allah reward you with the best!

A: As an act through which the Muslim draws near to Allah (Exalted be He), Tawbah has been encouraged by Allah (Glorified be He) in the Ayah (Qur'anic verse) which reads: And all of you beg Allâh to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful In another Ayah Allah (Exalted be He) says, "And turn in repentance and in obedience with true Faith (Islâmic Monotheism) to your Lord and submit to Him (in Islâm) before the torment comes upon you, (and) then you will not be helped. Tawbah should not be directed to any of Allah's creation, regardless of whether it is a near angel or a prophet. In the same way, Kifayah (seeking sufficiency) has to be sought only from Allah (Exalted be He). It is for this reason that Allah (Exalted be He) has praised the people of Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah/ monotheism) who single Him out for being the sole source of Kifayah. Allah (Exalted be He) says, Those (i.e. believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said, "Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them." But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said: "Allâh (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)." (Part No. 24; Page No. 299) They did not say: "Allah and His Messenger are sufficient for us". Commenting on the Ayah which reads: O Prophet (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)! Allâh is Sufficient for you and for the believers who follow you. Ibn Al-Qayyim (may Allah be Merciful with him) said: "Sufficiency here means that you (Muhammad) and your followers will not stand in need of any one other than Allah Who is the sole source of Kifayah to you." He quoted that this was the same view held by Shaykh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah. Ibn Al-Qayyim further considers it erroneous to interpret the Ayah as meaning "Allah and those believers who follow the Prophet are sufficient for him." Accounting for his argument, Ibn Al-Qayyim says that, like Tawakkul (putting one’s trust in Allah), Taqwa (fear/wariness of offending Allah) and `Ibadah (worship), Kifayah is exclusive to Allah (Exalted be He) who says, And if they intend to deceive you, then verily, Allâh is All-Sufficient for you. He it is Who has supported you with His Help and with the believers. Here a distinction has been made between Kifayah and Ta'yid (granting support). While Kifayah has been made exclusive to Allah (Exalted be He), Ta'yid comes through Allah's Help together with the support of the believing servants. Allah (Exalted be He) praises the people of Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah/ monotheism) who single Him out for being the sole source of Kifayah. In this regard Allah (Exalted be He) says, Those (i.e. believers) unto whom the people (hypocrites) said, "Verily, the people (pagans) have gathered against you (a great army), therefore, fear them." But it (only) increased them in Faith, and they said: "Allâh (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)." They did not include the Messenger as another equal source of Kifayah with Allah (Exalted be He). Another Ayah which confirms that Allah (Exalted be He) is the only source of Kifayah reads: (Part No. 24; Page No. 300)  ...and had said: "Allâh is Sufficient for us. Allâh will give us of His Bounty, and so will His Messenger (from alms). We implore Allâh (to enrich us)." Contemplating on this Ayah, you may notice that while Allah (Exalted be He) has made beside Him the Prophet as another source of endowing bounties upon His servants, He made Himself the only source of Kifayah in the same manner He made Himself the only source of Raghbah (beseeching Allah) as observed in the concluding words of the same Ayah: We implore Allâh (to enrich us)." In a similar Ayah Allah (Exalted be He) says, And to your Lord (Alone) turn (all your) intentions and hopes. Raghbah, Tawakkul, Tawbah and Kifayah have to be directed to Allah Alone like `Ibadah, Taqwa, Sujud (prostration), vows and oaths are directed to Him (Glorified be He).It should be clear enough to state the prohibition of uttering such words as "I make Tawbah to Allah and the Messenger", or to say: "Allah and His Messenger are sufficient for us" or to bid someone farewell saying: "I leave you in the protection of Allah and His Messenger" as such utterances constitute an act of Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). This is based on the Hadith narrated by Abu Dawud and Al-Tirmidhy on the authority of Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he used to say to the person who was to set out on a journey: "Draw near so that I may bid farewell to you as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to bid farewell to us. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to say: "`Astaudi`ullaha dinaka, wa amanataka, wa khawatima `amalika' (I entrust Allah with your Din (religion), your trust and your last deeds).'' (Part No. 24; Page No. 301) May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.