Al-Ghaniyy Al-Mughnī is the one who is not dependent upon anyone else in respect of his essence or the attributes of his essence. Rather is he exalted above (any) connection with others. The one whose essence or the attributes of his essence are connected with something external to his essence in such a way that his existence or his perfection is dependent upon that other, is poor (that is to say, in the sense of being dependent) and needs to acquire something. That (complete independence) is inconceivable except for God Most High. God is also the One who satisfies (the needs of others).
But it is inconceivable that the one who is made free of want should become rich absolutely as a result of his being enriched, for at the very least he remains in need of the One who enriched him. (Therefore) he is not (truly) rich. Rather (it is true that) he can dispense with everyone but God in view of the fact that God supplies him with that which he needs, and not in view of the fact that his basic neediness has been removed.

The really rich (man) is the one who does not need anyone at all. The one who is in need and at the same time possesses that which he needs is called rich figuratively. This (possession of what one needs) is the utmost (form of riches) attainable by one other than God. As far as losing (this) need is concerned, this does not occur. But when one has no need for anything except God Most High, one is called rich. If it were not that the basic neediness remains, then the saying of God, “And God is the Rich, and ye are the poor”, would not be true. (On the other hand), if it were inconceivable that one could become independent of everything except God – to Him be might and majesty – then it would be incorrect to characterise God Most High as Al-Mughnī.