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حسبي اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
Allah is sufficient for me, there is no God but He; on Him do I rely, and He is the Lord of Mighty power.
I start this article with this dua from Sura Al-Tawba. This is one of the duas, which are duas the righteous predecessors made mentioned in the Quran by Allah SWT. Allah SWT teaches us through theses prayers , so we could draw upon the experiences of those who constantly turned to Allah SWT when facing situations in life which were testing or at other times when they had a period of ease. The constant, in both situations was that they were always deeply connected with Allah and turned to Allah SWT for everything. This article would look at what tawakul is, the virtues of tawakul, levels of tawakul and some examples of tawakul.
Ask yourself this question? What do you think Tawakul: Trusting Allah and reliance on Allah is. How does this tawakul manifest in your everyday life and actions.
The roots of tawakul are deeply embedded in our understanding of what tawheed is. Tawheed is the affirmation that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah and from this derives the knowledge that ‘You alone we worship’. Ibn Qayyem RA mentions four principles of ‘You alone we worship’, in his book Madarij Al-salikeen, to explain this. Believing with certainty in what Allah SWT and His messenger taught us and is pleased with, conviction in what our heart and tongue says, and the translation of this conviction on our limbs, our actions. People of uboodiyah (servitude to Allah) would possess all of these levels. So, what they believe, what they say, and what they do is all in alignment with Allah SWT’s commands. They understand Allah SWT’s Ruboobiya (lordship) and they submit.
Action of the heart is knowing and recognising Allah SWT through his names and attributes, isma wa sifaat, loving Allah SWT, seeking forgiveness from Him, turning to Him, relying on Him, humbling oneself before Allah and submitting to Allah’s will and finding peace and contentment in the heart.
Our heart if it is not fully connected to Allah SWT with utmost certainty and respect, the action of the tongue and the limbs are incomplete and lack the humility required before Allah SWT. Actions of the limbs are for example salah (prayer), reading Quran, helping people, jummah prayers etc. These actions in my humble opinion are a consequence of the submission or prostration of the heart first otherwise they become empty gestures of the limbs devoid of any connection of the heart. That is why Nabi SAAW said that there is a piece of flesh in the body, if it becomes good (reformed) the whole body becomes good and if it gets spoilt the whole body gets spoilt and that is the heart. (Sahih Al Bukhari: 52)
Allah Ta’aala says about his righteous slaves.
< And the slaves of the Most Beneficent (Allah) are those who walk on the earth with humility and sedateness, and when the foolish address them (with bad words) they reply with mild words of gentleness. And those who spend the night before their Lord, prostrating and standing. And those who say, ‘Our Lord avert from us the torment of the Hellfire, verily its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment’
Allah Ta’aala says: وتوكل على الله و كفى الله وكيلا”
<And rely upon Allah and sufficient is Allah as a disposer of affairs.>
Ibn Qayyem RA gives many definitions of what tawakul is in his book Madarij Al-Salikeen.
Ibn Qayyem says Tawakul is recognising that Allah SWT is to be trusted at all times in ease and hardships.
Imam Ahmed stated that tawakul is an action of the heart.
Yahya Bin Muadh states that tawakul is to be understood as three characteristics which the awliya of Allah (friends of Allah) possess, trusting Allah SWT, turning to Allah, and knowing that Allah is sufficient in all affairs. In other words, trust in Allah, submission then entrusting.
Other definitions are that it’s the cleansing of the heart from associating partners with Allah SWT. Some said that tawakul is submission to Allah SWT’s commands and decree, to be devoted in worship and to have full trust in Allah SWT. Tawakul is also being pleased with Allah’s pleasure and having good thoughts of Allah SWT.
At the beginning of this article, I posed the question what does tawakul mean, the above definitions give us some insight about what tawakul is. Which definition stood out for you?
Why is it important to develop the trait of tawakul.
Ibn Qayyem RA explains many virtues or benefits of tawakul;
Tawakul is a means of provision.
Often, we understand provision (rizq) as material provisions. But provisions is a comprehensive term which includes everything that could benefit eg knowledge is a spiritual provision.
Umar ibn al khattab reported: The messenger of Allah, peace and blessings upon him, said, “If you were to rely upon Allah with reliance due to Him, He would provide for you just as he provides for the birds. They go out in the morning with empty stomachs and return full.” (Sunan Al-Tirmidhi)
Tawakul upon Allah is a means of salvation.
< say, nothing will afflict us except for what Allah has ordained for us. He is our Great Guradian.> (9:51)
And Nuh AS said to his people, ‘O my people, if my residence and my reminding of the signs of Allah has become burdensome upon you, then I have relied upon Allah” (10:71)
Tawakul removes harm of shaitan
Allah Ta’aala says, < Indeed from my believing servants- no authority will you have over them, except for those who follow you of the deviators.> ( Sura Hijr; 42)
Imam Al Saeedi stated that a person who has trust in Allah and recites Aoozu billah min Al-shaytan ni-rajeem and reflects with his heart upon its meaning will indeed be protected. If one wishes to repel the whispers of shaytan the best method is to ignore these whispers and not give it attention or sound.
The strongest of all repellents is putting one’s trust in Allah SWT
One who leaves the house and says: ‘ Bismillahi wa alayhi tawakaltu wa hawla wa la quwata ill billah’ and then adds Hudeeta , wa kufeeta, wa wuqeeta, would be guided and protected from shaitan. The devils start running away and say how can you deal with a person who recites this.
Tawakul removes doubts and negative thoughts and hoplessness
Nabi SAAW said the doubts roam past the chest of all people, but Allah removes these doubts if we have tawakul in Allah.
Tawakal increases iman
Tawakul is the characteristic of believers and strengthens our faith. Iman would be incomplete if there was no tawakul on Allah.
Tawakul is means by which we could enter Jannah
Tawakul is a fruit from the fruits of certainty
Believers who worship Allah in hardships and remain firm as a result of having certainty and are ones who say Allah is sufficient for me. Allah SWT says in Sura Al-Imran ayah 170 that they returned with grace and bounty form Allah.”
So, from this we understand the ones who trust gain Allah’s love.
Tawakul is the greatest shield to repel evil from others in the form of oppression.
Now that we understand some of the benefits of having tawakul on Allah SWT we could also understand why we turn to Allah and seek forgiveness when facing trials. If we put our trust in Allah SWT, does it mean we would always get what we desire. Allah SWT is the All Knowing All wise He gives to whomsoever He wills and withholds from whomsoever He wills. All human beings are tested in this world individually and nations are tested communally.
Allah SWT has given us many examples in the stories of the Quran to guide us and provide us with valuable insights and lessons. The prophets were humans just like us and we can relate to their trials. Some of those trials come back to us when we go against Allah’s commands and do things displeasing to Allah SWT.
Previous nations lost their faith or deviated from the religion, and this led to consequences in the form of punishment from Allah SWT.
Ibn Qayyem RA talks about a principle in his book Zaad Al -Maadth , wherby we understand how harm comes to us and its reasons. He stipulates that Allah SWT created everything in perfection and it was free from harm at the beginning of creation. It was perfect in its benefits, but later harm entered in animals and fruits. For example, Truffles, some fruit by its nature grows on a fungus and has healing properties but its harm depends on how we consume it.
These defects entered for numerous reasons, such as it’s coming into contact or mixing of things. If they were not tampered with and left as Allah SWT intended, then they would not have become corrupted. Similarly, the actions of human beings towards the prophets brought about diseases, droughts, extreme weathers and famines. Our actions led to removal of these blessings from earth.
In Sura Rum ayah:41 Allah SWT informs us < Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by (reason of) what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of (the consequences of) what they have done that perhaps they will return (to righteousness)>
Ibn Qayyem says to understand the reality of world events this verse should be applied. These events occur in all times and gradually remove the blessings from things. As people sin or oppress others and invent new things which go against Allah’s teachings, Allah SWT in His wisdom brings new types of defects in their nutrition, appearance, bodies etc. These defects become a necessary consequence of the actions,
Imam Ahmed reported in his musnad,” There was found in the treasure house of Banu Umayyah a grain of wheat the size of a date stone in a container, on which was written, this will grow in times of injustice”
This means that provisions will become smaller, dearer and have less barakah. Allah SWT tells us in the Quran
< Whatever affliction befalls you is because of what your own hands have committed… and He pardons much>
From this we must reflect upon our short comings. Not all disasters are punishments sometimes Allah tests us with trials to bring out the best in us
A very interesting explanation put forward by Ibn Qayyem RA, was that when nations were punished for example people of Aad and Thamud, Noah, Lut, it was due to their evil deeds. Some remnants of these punishments were left on earth, and whenever anyone repeats these sins, they will be afflicted again. For example, Nabi SAAW said the plague was remnants of the punishments which was sent to Bani Israel. Another example is of tornados and winds now and again, which destroys cities due to the remnants of the winds which were leashed on people of Aad for seven days and seven nights.
When we oppress people and cheat them out of zakat, charity or fail to have ihsan, the consequence is Allah withholds rains from the sky resulting in famines and droughts. When people cheat the poor it would lead to oppression by unjust rulers, who have no mercy and it affects even those who are innocent in the society. This is how Allah shows us our deeds in different forms. General diseases could take the form of anxiety and sadness in the souls which doesn’t leave them, this could be on an individual level or societal. Protection from shaytan may be withheld, and devils are left free to attack the souls of a believer by changing their creation. This could be due to their evil and rejecting guidance. If we focus on current world situations, we observe that people have lost the ability to differentiate between right and wrong and are in a state of confusion. Such a person follows the crowds without thinking or turning to guidance given by Allah SWT.
Ayesha, may Allah be pleased with her, also narrated,” The Messenger of Allah said: “At the end of this ummah, there will be collapse, transformation and wrongdoings. I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, will they be destroyed whilst there are also righteous among them?’ He said, ‘Yes when evil is dominant’.
When we look around our societies we see oppression everywhere, corruption is rife and disobedience to Allah is common practice. We must fear Allah and rectify and purify our souls and prevent evil actions from becoming the acceptable norms in the societies. The danger of not speaking out against oppression and evil is that everyone could suffer from the punishments sent by Allah SWT.
Above explanations should help us ponder upon why tests and trials occur. When a trial comes how should we respond? We should take the means that Allah SWT has provided and study the life of the prophets to infer lessons and take guidance on how to deal with it by taking the necessary means. We do not sit idly and do nothing. Because we have tawakul upon Allah our hearts must remain steadfast knowing that nothing happens without the will of Allah SWT.
Ibn Qayyem RA mentions 8 levels of tawakul or 8 steps and we must go through them to reach higher levels in order to be from the people who do tawakul:
Step number one is to have knowledge of Allah and his attributes that He is ever living and all wise. Merciful and forgiving etc. Allah decides in his wisdom as He pleases. The one who created the heavens, and the earth is towards whom all affairs return.
Those who negate the wisdom of Allah in all affairs cannot have correct tawakul.
Second level is to understand establishing the means, the reasons of cause and effect regarding actions and the reasons behind it, if one doesn’t, then his tawakul is frail. The one who negates working hard and striving has rejected sunnah of taking the means. For example, if you are thirsty, you drink the water.
The means are not what we rely on, our reliance must be on Allah SWT. If we desire something and we do not achieve it and this saddens us or leads to depression than it indicates the means have entered the heart However if we keep the means in our hands then it increases our iman and tawakul. Tawakul must be in the heart.
Third step is that the heart is firm upon tawheed. Reality of tawakul is that it is free from shirk. Thefirmness>heart does not shake when facing trials, it has firmness.
The fourth level of tawakul is the heart having tranquility so that if a person is faced with a mighty enemy over whom he has no power. He sees a fortress and a door is opened and he enters its safety. The fortress is like the heart. Allah takes away their fear and this is the state of one who does Tawakul.
Fifth step is to have positive thoughts of Allah SWT and to work hard to do good deeds. The one who has good thoughts of Allah leads him to Tawakul, to trust in Allah SWT. Eg In a Hadith Qudsi Allah SWT says ‘I am as my slave thinks of me.’
When we have trials, our response should not be to give up on doing good deeds. In fact, we must increase in worship and good deeds because Ibn Baz says if we do not then this is a sign of having bad thoughts about Allah SWT as such a person has forgotten the promise of Allah SWT that Allah SWT is with those who have patience. This weakens the tawakul and leads to failure.
Nabi said race towards good deeds and seek forgiveness when faced with trials. Worship must be constant in hardship and ease.
The sixth step is submission of the heart to Allah SWT. Ibn Qayyem states that such a person submits wholeheartedly willingly.
The seventh step is entrusting all affairs to Allah SWT. Leaving all matters to Allah SWT, example is like a son who trusts his father according to Ibn Qayyem RA. The one who has this tawakul on Allah’s decree, he submits.
The eighth stage is Ridha being pleased with Allah even if he is harmed or faces trial. This is the fruit of tawakul.
Ibn Qayyem says if a person has sincere dependence then he is pleased with what Allah decides for him. At this level a person tastes the sweetness of tawakul.
We must check our level of trust. Are we pleased with what Allah SWT decides for us?.Currently the world is experiencing extreme levels of oppression, unjust rulers, lies are presented as truth and truth as lies, there is cruelty and lack of mercy. Amidst evil are the voices of good people who stand up against corruption. Corruption is like an infection that spreads and harms many. It’s like a wild fire that if not extinguished , to maintain harmony and peace, would burn everyone. What we must remember is that this world is a place of testing and we must walk the earth humbly and keep raising our voice, forbidding evil and enjoining good.
There are many examples in the Quran based on the lives of the prophets which help us become people of tawakul and are extremely insightful.
Those who trust Allah witness Allah’s help and miracles. Allah SWT split the sea for Musa AS and Bani Israel to save them. When Hajar was left with her thirsty baby in the desert by prophet Ibrahim following Allah’s command and there was no water she trusted Allah SWT, she strove to seek and use the means and ran several times between mountains of Safa and Marwa. Allah aided her by sending angel Jibraeel to strike the earth to bring out water. And to this day people are benefitting from the zam zam water in Makkah. She trusted on Allah and Allah rewarded her. Yunus (Jonas)(AS ) when was swallowed by the whale ,in the belly of the whale he prayed and put his trust in Allah SWT and was delivered by Allah SWT. In Sura Mujadila when a woman complained of her husband Allah SWT heard her plea. Allah SWT is closer than our jugular vein. He is always near it is the servants who forget and go far.
These are a few examples from the Quran, but we find many examples in our everyday life too. Duas answered instantly when asked with utmost sincerity. The sincerity is rewarded in each moment as Allah SWT wills.
When we are always conscious of Allah SWT and in a state of remembrance (dhikr) then we notice the fruits of sincere action. Our perspective broadens and we understand that when Allah SWT withholds from us His plans are always greater and better for us. In the current situation in the world, we have a fine example in the people of Palestine, who in face of death and calamities, oppression, atrocities remain steadfast on their faith and have put their trust in Allah SWT. Indeed, Allah is with those who are patient. The resilience and tawakul of the Palestinians is an example for all of mankind. We are believers and believe in life after death and accountability and a destination to Allah SWT and ultimate success. May Allah SWT descend peace and victory for all those who are oppressed in this world and accept their sacrifices and raise them in ranks. Ameen.
In the face of trials remain firm, keep your heart soft and compassionate. A soft heart is capable of absorbing much more and remains fertile to grow and benefit others. Allah SWT has designed us to have emotions Musa (AS ) mother when she placed her son in the river Nile in a basket, experienced her heart to be inflamed and overwhelmed with the burden of her decision. However, when she trusted Allah SWT, peace and tranquility descended upon her heart. We must face our challenges in life and make dua to Allah SWT and hand over matters to Allah SWT. However, our emotions need to remain in control and must not control our ultimate actions.
In the face of challenges, we must remain patient. Each person is tested differently according to their ability. Those who are struggling with wars, famines, loss of livelihoods, fear are in an intense test and those who are in ease are also in a test to step up and help the less fortunate. We are all on a journey towards Allah SWT and we shouldn’t allow the ease we are in to become complacent.
To Allah we belong and to Allah SWT is our return.
References:
- The Glorious Quran
- Mandarij Al- Salikeen by Ibn Qayyem Al- jawziya
- Importance of seeking forgiveness Kalam Ullah .com
- The levels and components of At-tawakul from works of imam ibn Qayyem by Uways At-Taweel
