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Posted 15 July 2006 - 03:21 PM
B i s m i l l a a h i r R a h m a a n i r R a h e e m
Alhamdulillaahi wa kafaa, wa salaamu `alaa `ibaadihilladzeen-astafaa
Assalaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuhu
The Islamic Personality
Part 10
Tawakkul
Whoever relies on Allaah (has Tawakkul), He is sufficient for him.
(At-Talaaq 65:3)
Alhamdulillaahi wa kafaa, wa salaamu `alaa `ibaadihilladzeen-astafaa
Assalaamu `Alaykum wa Rahmatullaahi wa Barakaatuhu
The Islamic Personality
Part 10
Tawakkul
Whoever relies on Allaah (has Tawakkul), He is sufficient for him.
(At-Talaaq 65:3)
by Ayub A. Hamid
_______________________________________________________________
Tawakkul is another attribute that results from a true Eemaan (faith) in Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala and the hereafter and continual remembrance of both. It is an attitude that emanates from the conviction that:
Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala has put me in this world temporarily for a test and all of my good and bad circumstances are part of the test.
The test is about my performance in given circumstances, not about how good or bad my circumstances are. Regardless of what circumstances I encounter, the test is about how well I exhaust all my efforts in achieving the objective of the Deen Allaah has prescribed for me for His pleasure.
These convictions produce a winning state of mind and a believer feels that because I truly believe in Allaah and am doing what He wants me to do, He is with me, watching me, and accepting my efforts; and He is not going to let my endeavours go in vain, let me fail or leave me unsupported. No one can do anything to me that is not part of His plan for me as His slave. Regardless of what transpires in this world, the ultimate success is mine, as long as I am truly committed to His work. If I keep the right attitude, come what may, I will be successful:
The Messenger of Allaah, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam said, "How wonderful it is for a believer that he always ends up with goodness: If he suffers and remains steadfast, it is rewarding; if good things happen and he thanks Allaah, that is also rewarding." (Suhaib in the Muslim)
It is a totally liberating, very empowering state of mind that a true believer attains because of his trust in and reliance on the power, authority, help and support of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala and because of the contentment he feels in serving Allaah without being concerned about the results that Allaah provides for his untiring efforts. This kind of resolute trust in and reliance on Allaah – Tawakkul – provides such a tranquility to one’s heart, such a courage in one’s psyche and such a resilience in one’s nature that a believer cannot be scared, pressured into giving up, made to compromise, compelled to give in, bought out of his Islamic mission, or forced into submission by any enemy, tyrant, power or authority. For those who have Tawakkul, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala says:
[b]Whoever relies on Allaah (has Tawakkul), He is sufficient for him (At-Talaaq 65:3)
Thus, Tawakkul is a natural corollary of true faith and is one of the evidences (Shahaadah) of faith. A person with true faith will always rely on Allaah / have Tawakkul. Lack of Tawakkul indicates lack of true faith. This was true for previous Ummahs as it is for us:
The believers are only those who: when Allaah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful; when His verses are recited to them, they increase their faith; and only on their Lord they rely (have Tawakkul). (Al-Anfaal 8:2)
When Moosa `alayhissalaam invited Banee Israaeel to enter Palestine, they refused to do so, being scared of the strength of the enemy. Two of the believers endowed with true faith spoke up and said,
Enter upon them through the gate, for when you enter it, you will be the dominant. And rely upon Allaah (have Tawakkul), if you are believers. (Al-Maaidah 5:23)
Also:
But no one believed in Moosa except the offspring (youth) of his people, because of the fear of Fir’awn and his establishment that they would persecute them; and indeed, Fir’awn was arrogant in the land and indeed, he was of the transgressors.
And Moosa said, “O my people, if you have believed in Allaah, then rely on Him (have Tawakkul in Him), if you are Muslims.”
So they said, “Upon Allaah do we rely (have Tawakkul). Our Lord! Do not make us (object of) trial (persecution) of the unjust/wrongdoers. And save us by Your mercy from the disbelievers.” (Younus 10:83-85)
As is evident from the verses quoted above as well as those quoted below, Tawakkul is closely related to the untiring struggle that a Muslim undertakes to achieve both the personal and collective goals of Deen -- Iqaamah of Deen in personal life to achieve personal excellence as a Muslim and in collective life to achieve the establishment and dominance of the Islamic system of peace and justice.
Personal struggle and Tawakkul:
Indeed, there is no authority for him (Shaytaan) over those who believe and rely upon their Lord (have Tawakkul). (An-Nahl 16:99)
If Shaytaan tries to sow doubts in the mind of a believer, a believer with Tawakkul is protected by Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala:
The Messenger of Allaah, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam said, “The human mind keeps wandering and branching away into different valleys. If someone follows his mind in all those wanderings, Allaah does not care which valley ruins that person. On the other hand, whoever has Tawakkul in Allaah, He will be sufficient to save him from those wanderings.” (Ibn Maajah from ‘Amr Ibn Al-’Aas)
A person without Tawakkul will fall prey to many un-Islamic practices in the face of adversity that a true believer with Tawakkul on Allaah will avoid at every cost. Those who have Tawakkul will be appropriately rewarded in the Hereafter:
Seventy thousand of my Ummah will enter Jannah without reckoning. They will be those who did not seek cure through mantras, who did not take omens and who had Tawakkul in their Lord. (Bukhaaree and Muslim from Ibn ‘Abbaas)
Islamic work and Tawakkul:
A person with tawakkul on Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala will bravely, unflinchingly and steadfastly continue working for Islamic objectives regardless of the impediments, threats and hardships encountered. When Nooĥ (Noah)`alayhissalaam was rebuked and threatened, this is how he responded:
And recite to them the news of Nooĥ when he said to his people: O my people, if my stay (among you) and my reminding (you) Aayaat (verses in the Qur`aan) of Allaah is hard on you, then I have put my Tawakkul (trust / reliance) in Allaah. So devise your plan and (call upon) your Shurakaa (any entity equated with Allaah) and let not your plan be obscure to you. Then carry it out upon me and do not give me respite. (Younus 10:71)
During resistance from his people, the Messenger Hood (Hud) `alayhissalaam said to them:
I put my Tawakkul in (I rely on) Allaah, my Lord and your Lord. There is not a creature but He holds its forelock (controls it). (Hood 11:56)
Shu’aib (Jethro)`alayhissalaam said to his people:
I do not want to do the things from which I stop you. I only desire reform as much as I am able. My potential and inclination is only through Allaah, upon Him I rely (in him I have Tawakkul) and to Him I turn. (Hood 11:88)
Ibraaheem (Abraham) `alayhissalaam and his people’s struggle and Tawakkul are presented as a model:
Indeed there has been for you an excellent model in Ibraaheem and those with him, when they said to their people: “Verily we disassociate from you and whatever you worship other than Allaah. We have rejected you and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allaah alone… Our Lord upon You we have relied (have Tawakkul), to You we have turned and to You is the destination. Our Lord, do not make us (object of) persecution for the disbelievers, and forgive us, our Lord. Indeed, only You are the All-Mighty, the Wise.” (Al-Mumtahinah 60:5-6)
In fact, that has been the way of all prophets, messengers `alayhimussalaam and Islamic workers:
Their messengers said to them: True, we are human like yourselves, but Allaah bestows His grace on whom He pleases of His slaves. It is not for us to bring you a miracle except by Allaah’s permission. And on Allaah should the believers rely (have Tawakkul). How should we not rely upon (have Tawakkul in) Allaah when He has indeed guided us in our ways? Certainly we would persevere against the persecution that you may inflict on us . And upon Allaah must the reliant rely (have Tawakkul). (Ibraaheem 14:11-12)
For our Ummah (Muslim community):
Thus have We sent you to a community, before whom other communities have passed away, in order that you recite to them what We have revealed to you, but they disbelieve in the Most Gracious. Say: He is my Lord; there is no deity except Him; upon Him I rely (in Him I have Tawakkul) and to him is my return in repentance. (Ar-Ra’d 13:30)
When commenting on Uhad, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala said,
When two parties among you were about to lose courage, while Allaah was their ally; and upon Allaah must the believers rely (have Tawakkul). (Aali-‘Imraan 3:122)
And when you have made a decision, then rely upon Allaah (have Tawakkul). Verily, Allaah loves those who rely on Him. If Allaah helps you, no one can overcome you; but if He forsakes you, who is there who can help you after Him. And upon Allaah must the believers rely (have Tawakkul). (Aali-‘Imraan 3:159-160)
On the Prophet, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam’s concern for enemies’ attacks over his marriage to Zainab radhiallahu `anha on Allaah’s command, Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala admonished:
O Prophet! Fear Allaah and do not obey disbelievers or hypocrites, certainly Allaah is All-Knowing, All-Wise; follow what is revealed to you from your Lord, certainly Allaah is fully aware of what you do; and, (have Tawakkul) rely on Allaah, He is sufficient as a Trustee. (Al-Ahzaab 33:1-3)
If at any point, a believer feels powerless or hopeless, he should refresh his faith and tawakkul in Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala and continue his personal or Islamic struggle with hope and a winning attitude. The Prophet, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam said:
Allaah Ta`alaa condemns powerlessness / hopelessness. It is incumbent upon you to take a stand with hope and intelligent resolve.
If you are overpowered in a matter, then say, “Sufficient is Allaah for my means and He is the best supporter.” (Reported by Aboo Dawood
from ‘Owf Bin Maalik)
Otherwise, a true believer knows that the best of the successes is for him in the hereafter, if he relies only on Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala:
As for those who emigrated for Allaah after they had been persecuted, We will certainly settle them in this world nicely, but their reward of the Hereafter will be greater, if only they knew. They are those who persevered and relied in their Lord. (An-Nahl 16:41-42)
With the degeneration of the Ummah, Tawakkul has also taken on wrong connotations. Some people think that Tawakkul entails only sitting like monks and doing nothing, hoping that Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala will do something. That meaning is from Shaytaan to make Muslims inactive and indolent. The real Tawakkul, as evidenced by the verses of the Qur-aan quoted above, is such a strong conviction of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala’s approval and mercy being with you in your Islamic struggle that no problem in the world is able to dampen your spirit or make you feel defeated or helpless.
The life of the Prophet, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam was a superb example of Islamic tawakkul. In every move he made and at every stage of his mission, he used the best tactics and strategies at human disposal, and then fully relied on Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala without having even a bit of worry of the consequences. For example, while migrating to Madeenah, he took all the precautions that were humanly possible for his safe departure from Makkah and safe arrival in Madeenah: Planning the migration secretly, leaving when least expected, asking ‘Ali to sleep in his bed so that his departure is not noticed, selecting a hiding place on an opposite direction to Madeenah, arranging of survival provisions for three days of hiding and a week of travelling, arranging of a faithful guide, arranging for the camels to be brought only when leaving the hiding place, selection of route least travelled, etc. But once he had done whatever was humanly possible, he had such trust in Allaah that he was never worried about the consequences even when everything seemed to fall apart. It was the remarkable demonstration of his Tawakkul, when enemies reached at the mouth of the Thowr cave and Aboo Bakr, radhiallahu `anhu became worried, he calmly assured him, “Do not worry, Allaah is with us.”
Even in basic matters of the world, one has to do his best and then leave the results to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala.
A person asked, “Should I tie my camel and have Tawakkul (trust in Allaah for her protection) or should I leave her untied and have Tawaakul.”
The Messenger, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam replied, “Tie her and then have Tawakkul.” (Reported by Tirmidzi from Anas)
‘Umar Bin Khattaab, radhiallahu `anhu heard the Messenger of Allaah, Sall Allaahu `alayhi wa sallam saying, “If you trust Allaah with right
kind of Tawakkul, He will provide you sustenance as He provides for the birds – they go out in the morning with empty stomachs
and come back in the evening with full stomachs.” (Tirmidzi)
A bird sitting in his nest, praising Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala, will not have his stomach filled. It has to go out to seek food. It is only the one that goes out and does its best to find food, comes back full.
Tawakkul, as described above, is related to one’s efforts and results of those efforts for the matters that fall under the area of human endeavour. A person with right concept of accountability to and tawakkul on Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala puts in his best possible efforts to do what Allaah expects him to do in those matters and does not worry about the results. He positively and constructively deals with whatever he encounters and continues with full force doing his level best regardless of the results or consequences. Another matter closely related to Tawakkul is being content with matters that are beyond our power and influence. There are many things in our life that are decided for us without our input or approval. The examples are the parents we are born to, our genes that determine many things in our life, our physical features, the circumstances of the society we are born in or we live in, etc. The Muslims who understand that our life is a test of how we live and do the best with whatever we got and whatever situations we have been put in, they are fully content and happy with the circumstances, putting all their efforts and energies in making the best of their situations and making the correct Islamic decisions in those situations. They know that their personal success is not dependent on circumstances but in doing their best in the given circumstances. If they find themselves in bad circumstances, they work hard to do better, and keep seeking Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala’s help, mercy and bounty through Du’aa and Istikhaarah to go with their best of the efforts. On the other hand, the losers concentrate on their circumstances and on the things beyond their control. They neither seek Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala’s help, mercy and bounty, nor do they take the circumstances as given and work on performing the best they can in those given situations. They end up being unhappy, miserable complainers always complaining about what they do not have, rather than making the best of what they do have. They end up being the utter losers. This is what was expressed in the following hadeeth:
“One of the factors that indicate blessedness (Sa’aadah) of a person is his being pleased with Allaah’s decision for him, while two of the attitudes
indicating wretchedness / despondence (Shaqaawah) of a person are: his not seeking goodness from Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala or his being
unhappy about Allaah’s decisions for him.” (Sa’ad in Musnad of Ahmad and Jaami’ of At-Tirmidzee)
Alhamdulillaah ~ This is the last installment of "The Islamic Personality."
May Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala bless you and give you wisdom and foresight
to dedicate your abilities and energies for the achievement of personal and collective goals of goodness.
Aameen.
May Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala bless you and give you wisdom and foresight
to dedicate your abilities and energies for the achievement of personal and collective goals of goodness.
Aameen.
Copyright © 2004-2005 Ayub A. Hamid.
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Please Note: This series is providing the teachings of the Qur-aan, not a literal translation.
Instead of literal translation, it gives interpretive meanings of the verses, along with their
contextual details. Please remember that any translation of the Holy Qur-aan is in fact
only an _expression of the translator's understanding of the
Word of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta`aala,
and hence cannot be equated with the Qur-aan itself.
Only the original Arabic text can be called the Holy Qur-aan.
