Tawakkal Ala Allah- Putting Trust in Allah, the Exalted

Bismillaahir Rah’maanir Rah’eem. All praise to Allah. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved unlettered Prophet, his family, and his noble companions. I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan, and I begin in the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

We trust someone when we recognize their knowledge, power to fulfill our expectations, and genuine concern for our well-being. However, the knowledge and power of any created being are not perfect like that of Allah ﷻ, nor does anyone wish good for us as profoundly as He does. In fact, Allah ﷻ wishes good for us more than we could ever wish for ourselves. Placing trust in Allah ﷻ has always been the hallmark of the people of Islam. They entrust their affairs to Allah ﷻ because they acknowledge His supreme knowledge, power, and benevolence. Unfortunately, in today’s world, people tend to rely on worldly causes and means rather than trusting in Allah ﷻ. There are two types of Tawakkul: one is placing trust in the means, and the other is placing trust in Allah ﷻ. Those who solely rely on the means demonstrate weaker faith (eeman), whereas a Muslim adopts the means while maintaining unwavering trust in Allah ﷻ.

When a child desires the milk bottle, he cries and screams, knowing that his cries and screams won’t directly lead him to the bottle. However, he understands that his mother’s attention will ultimately bring him the milk bottle. Similarly, a believer recognizes that relying on mere means will not grant them their desires, but rather, it is the attention and favor of Allah ﷻ that they seek. The focus of a believer’s efforts is to gain the attention of Allah ﷻ, and therefore, they refrain from resorting to any forbidden means to achieve their goals. They do not fear deprivation from others, as they trust that Allah ﷻ will provide them with what is destined for them.

An incident illustrates this perspective: A man once witnessed a blind crow and pondered how it would find food. While contemplating, an eagle appeared, carrying food in its beak, and feeding the crow. Witnessing this, the man concluded that if Allah ﷻ could provide for the crow in such a manner, surely He would provide for him without any effort on his part. With this conviction, the man spent days without exerting any effort to seek sustenance. Eventually, his hunger became unbearable, leading him to seek the advice of a wise person (hakeem). The hakeem explained to him that Allah ﷻ had demonstrated two examples: one without means, exemplified by the crow, and the other with means, represented by the eagle. The hakeem questioned why the man did not follow the example of the eagle, utilizing the means provided by Allah ﷻ to sustain himself and others. When Allah ﷻ bestows means upon an individual, it is their responsibility to utilize them in accordance with His commands. And when a person lack means, they need not worry, for Allah ﷻ is fully capable of providing for them without any means. With this mindset, a believer can find complete satisfaction in their life and remain at peace. They do not rely solely on the means, but rather, place their trust in Allah ﷻ, recognizing His ability to provide for them in various ways.

When one trusts Allah ﷻ, they receive the love of Allah ﷻ, the creator, as well as the love of His creation. However, if a person relies solely on others, expects things from them, and displays greediness, they will eventually fall in the eyes of those people. In contrast, a person who relies only on Allah ﷻ will find richness in their heart. Nowadays, people are being acknowledged for their trustworthiness, but unfortunately, recognition for trusting Allah ﷻ is often lacking. Understanding the concept of tawakkal (reliance on Allah) can be challenging, except for those who have strong faith (eeman). There is a historical incident involving Muawwiya (may Allah be pleased with him), who once sent a letter to our beloved mother Ayisha (may Allah be pleased with her), seeking her advice. In response, she conveyed two important points. Firstly, she stated that when someone intends to do something and fears no one except seeking the pleasure of Allah ﷻ, then Allah ﷻ Himself will take complete responsibility for their task. Secondly, she emphasized that if a person only cares about what people think of them, prioritizing their fake reputation in society, but fails to fear Allah ﷻ, then Allah ﷻ will leave them to the consequences of their actions, making them dependent on others throughout their life.

Tawakkal is indeed an incredible concept, and when one learns to trust Allah ﷻ, they can find true contentment in life and overcome depression and fear. However, in today’s world, many Muslims tend to place their trust in worldly means instead of relying on Allah ﷻ. If we were to rely solely on means, the non-believers have far surpassed us in terms of possessing resources such as technology and weapons. In fact, they may be a century ahead of us in this regard. Yet, if we observe their lives, we find that they are the largest consumers of antidepressant drugs compared to us. This indicates that life is not defined by the material means alone, but rather by the Lord of those means. We trust someone when we truly know and understand them. Similarly, we will come to recognize Allah ﷻ when we draw closer to Him. The closeness or nearness to Allah ﷻ can be attained through two things. In a hadith, it is mentioned that a person draws closer to Allah ﷻ through performing obligatory acts, and when they engage in additional voluntary acts (nafil), Allah ﷻ becomes their eyes, ears, tongue, and feet. Therefore, we should increase our voluntary acts of worship to draw nearer to Allah ﷻ and attain His recognition (maarifat). Additionally, in another hadith, it is stated that on the Day of Judgment, Allah ﷻ will question a servant as to why they did not feed and clothe Him. The servant will be astonished and ask how it is possible to provide sustenance to the Lord of the heavens and the earth. Allah ﷻ will respond by saying that when His destitute servant came to their door seeking food and clothing, they turned them away. Thus, by increasing our voluntary acts of worship and by aiding those in need, we can attain the closeness and nearness (kurb) of Allah ﷻ.

When two deaths occur in a hospital—one of a disbeliever and the other of a believer—the relative of the disbeliever becomes disturbed and worried, thinking that if they had shown the deceased to another doctor, they might have been able to save them. On the other hand, a believer understands that even if a hundred doctors had come together to save their relative from death, they would not have succeeded unless it was decreed by Allah ﷻ according to His infinite wisdom. The believer remains content with the divine decree (qadr) of Allah ﷻ. Both the disbeliever and the believer employed the same means of medical treatment, yet the outcome had a different impact on them. In today’s world, people are surrounded by problems more than ever and they require assistance, yet they often try to find solutions by themselves, utilizing all the means at their disposal. When a person is deprived of any means, they become disappointed and lose hope. There is a prevailing sense of loneliness within individuals today, causing them to neglect their spouses, children, and parents, resulting in their isolation.

A person may believe that their life will improve once they have a child. However, once they have a child, they start thinking that enrolling the child in a good school will bring them happiness. They strive to achieve that goal, and then they desire their child to obtain a good degree and secure a good job. However, in the end, we often see the person in the same state as before they had a child, realizing that they haven’t achieved much through all these means. We have allowed numerous screens of sin to distance us from Allah ﷻ, preventing us from recognizing Him and placing our trust (tawakkal) in Him ﷻ. If a person performs righteous acts but still fails to recognize Allah ﷻ, they should understand that there is a barrier of sin between them and Allah ﷻ, hindering their recognition of Him.

When we contemplate the tawakkal (reliance on Allah) of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), we witness his immense trust in Allah ﷻ as he left his wife and infant son in the desolate valley of Makkah. Even his wife demonstrated remarkable faith. Ibrahim (peace be upon him) had been commanded not to speak, and as he began to walk away, leaving his beloved wife and son in a land devoid of signs of life and far from any human presence, his wife ran after him, questioning why he was leaving them there. He remained silent. She asked again, and he remained silent. Once more, she inquired, and he continued to remain silent. Finally, she asked if this silence was indeed the command of Allah ﷻ, and he confirmed by nodding his head. What an exceptional recognition she had of Allah ﷻ, for she immediately responded, “Then Allah won’t abandon us.” She was a nursing mother, and when there was no water, a mother’s breast is deprived of milk. It is easier to endure hunger and thirst oneself than to witness one’s child suffering. However, this mother recognized Allah ﷻ and placed her trust in Him.

In a hadith, it is narrated that when a person says, “Bismillahi tawakkaltu ala Allah, laa hawla wa laa quwwata illah billah” (In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, there is no power or strength except with Allah) upon leaving their house, they are told, “You are guided, taken care of, and protected.” As a result, the devil distances himself from that person. The devil then says to other devils, “What can you do against a person who is guided, taken care of, and protected?” Thus, the devil becomes disappointed and loses hope in leading them astray. There is an incident involving a companion (may peace be upon him) who asked the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) whether he should trust in Allah and leave his camel untied. The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised him to tie his camel and trust in Allah ﷻ. This highlights that as Muslims, we should make use of the means and blessings provided by Allah ﷻ, but ultimately, we should turn to Allah ﷻ alone and place our complete trust in Him. Therefore, it is important for us to adopt the means available to us in our daily lives, while maintaining unwavering trust in Allah ﷻ as the ultimate source of guidance, protection, and support.

-Sheikh Maulana Abdus Sattar (DB)