Truly those on whom you call besides God, whoever they may be, be they humans or otherwise, are servants like you, in terms of [their] incapacity and lack of effective agency; call them then, for something which God has not facilitated for you, and let them answer you, and facilitate it, if you are truthful, in attributing effective agency to other [than God], as in where the Prophet said to Ibn ʿAbbās, 'Young man: be mindful of God and He will be mindful of you. Be mindful of God and you will find Him looking towards you. If you ask [for something], ask [it] of God. If you seek assistance, seek the assistance of God and know that if the [entire] community were to agree to benefit you with something they will not benefit you except with something that God will have prescribed for you, and that if they were to agree to harm you with something, they will not harm you except with something that God will have prescribed against you [already]. The [heavenly] pens have been put aside and the scrolls [of divine decree] have [had their ink] dried'.
