Articles

Introduction

Every day, we are left in the hands of Allah ﷻ — everything that happens to us, has been determined by His divine decree. He who owns everything, gives and takes away anything as He pleases. It is not our job to confront or question His decisions — our job is to fully trust Him and rely on Him.

The One to Trust

The purest wellspring of fulfillment is trust; trusting firmly that Allah ﷻ is enough. If we lay our trust in Allah ﷻ and truly make an effort, He will sustain us with what is sufficient for us. Whatever He commands is never to cause us harm or misery, but for our best interest. And if we reject what our Master has prescribed for us, it would make us ungrateful servants.

Uncertainties and complexities of life is an as-is state of every human being. It is Allah’s test to see our reaction: how will we bear it? His tests and gifts are equally blessings for us. In both cases, there is no better way than to show gratitude to The Source of these blessings.

Suhaib reported that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:

‏ "‏ عَجَبًا لأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لأَحَدٍ إِلاَّ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Strange are the ways of a believer for there is good in every affair of his and this is not the case with anyone else except in the case of a believer for if he has an occasion to feel delight, he thanks (God), thus there is a good for him in it, and if he gets into trouble and shows resignation (and endures it patiently), there is a good for him in it. (Sahih Muslim)

Every test is a launching pad to get closer to Allah ﷻ — and no one has endured more tests than His messengers. And because each one of them coped with fully trusting Him, they attained the highest nobility and were the most beloved to Him. In trusting Allah’s infinite wisdom, our reward in this world will be peace and contentment.

Virtues of Tawakkul

To completely submit to Allah ﷻ in all our endeavors, we must have tawakkul (reliance). Tawakkul is not just a sentiment, but a state of the heart. Allah ﷻ knows us better than we know ourselves and that is why we rely on Him alone. Whenever we find some conditions in life not favoring us, we have to know that He has prepared something greater and far better for us in the Hereafter.

وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تَكْرَهُوا۟ شَيْـًۭٔا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰٓ أَن تُحِبُّوا۟ شَيْـًۭٔا وَهُوَ شَرٌّۭ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not. (2:216)

Through various supplications in the Qur’an, we learn that even our prophets were consistently reliant upon Allah ﷻ. However, reliance is not idle waiting and refusing to use our resources, but rather putting an effort and using them while implementing the trust in Allah ﷻ that we have embedded deep within our hearts.  

The Prophet ﷺ once gave a man some valuable advice, urging him to make an effort prior to relying on Allah ﷻ. The man asked the Prophet ﷺ:

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَعْقِلُهَا وَأَتَوَكَّلُ أَوْ أُطْلِقُهَا وَأَتَوَكَّلُ

“O Messenger of Allah, should I tie my camel and trust in Allah, or should I leave her untied and trust in Allah?”

The Prophet ﷺ replied:

اعْقِلْهَا وَتَوَكَّلْ

“Tie her and trust in Allah.”

The Prophet ﷺ himself practiced what he preached in testing times. This very clear account was depicted during his arduous migration to Madinah, accompanied by Abu Bakr RA. With his life on the line, the Prophet ﷺ sought refuge for three nights in a cave.

As they were traced by trackers, Abu Bakr, fearing for the Prophet’s life over his own life, tearfully remarked: “If any of them looks down at his feet, he will see us.” Fittingly, the calm and collected Prophet ﷺ displayed the highest level of tawakkul despite the incapacitating moment. He alleviated Abu Bakr’s fears with these simple yet reassuring words:

يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ، مَا ظَنُكَ بِاثْنَينِ اللهُ ثَالِثُهُمَا

“O Abu Bakr! What do you think about two with Allah as their third.”

Allah backs up this incident by telling us:

إِذْ هُمَا فِى ٱلْغَارِ إِذْ يَقُولُ لِصَـٰحِبِهِۦ لَا تَحْزَنْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَنَا ۖ فَأَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ سَكِينَتَهُۥ عَلَيْهِ وَأَيَّدَهُۥ بِجُنُودٍۢ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ٱلسُّفْلَىٰ ۗ وَكَلِمَةُ ٱللَّهِ هِىَ ٱلْعُلْيَا ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

While they both were in the cave, he reassured his companion, “Do not worry; Allah is certainly with us.” So, Allah sent down His serenity upon the Prophet, supported him with forces you ˹believers˺ did not see, and made the word of the disbelievers lowest, while the Word of Allah is supreme. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise. (9:40)

The concept of لا تحزن (Don't worry) and لا تخاف (Don't fear) signifies the heart’s true dependence in Allah ﷻ, irrespective of condition or outcome. On this historic occasion, the greatest of mankind completely handed over all affairs to Allah ﷻ, assured that the support of his Master is indeed with His righteous servants. True enough, the dynamic duo were saved by Allah’s grace.

We find the theme of tawakkul consistently being reinforced by the Prophet ﷺ to his Companions, in his efforts of reminding them to seek Allah’s protection and mercy at all times. Prior to stepping out of one’s home, he ﷺ taught this significant du'a:

‏ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ‏

In the name of Allah, I trust in Allah; there is no might and no power but in Allah.

It is upon stating this that the angels will say, “You are guided, defended and protected.” Meanwhile, the devils will stay away and they will say:

كَيْفَ لَكَ بِرَجُلٍ قَدْ هُدِيَ وَكُفِيَ وَوُقِيَ

“How can you deal with a man who has been guided, defended and protected?”

Another lesson derived from those who lived their life fully relying on Allah ﷻ, is that Paradise is within their grasp. On an occasion, the Prophet ﷺ relayed that 70,000 members of his ummah will enter Paradise without being asked about their accounts. He ﷺ revealed:

هُمُ الَّذِينَ لاَ يَتَطَيَّرُونَ، وَلاَ يَسْتَرْقُونَ، وَلاَ يَكْتَوُونَ، وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ‏‏

“These (70,000) are the people who do not draw an evil omen from (birds) and do not get treated by branding themselves and do not treat with ruqya, relying only in their Lord.” — and we know from this narration in Sahih al-Bukhari, a Companion named Ukasha ibn Muhsin RA, is amongst the lucky ones after he pounced on the opportunity and made a request upon the Prophet’s address. 

These accounts illustrate how trust and tawakkul are not only coping mechanisms in this life but a huge motivating factor that determines the best results for us in the next life. In recognizing this truth, all that’s left to do is to put our best foot forward and leave the rest to Allah ﷻ.

‍