Allah , the Almighty and the Most High has created us of the best stature and granted us many abilities so that we may look after our needs and those of our relatives and fellow Muslims. He has invited us to explore the earth and use it for our subsistence:

“It is He Who has made the earth subservient to you, so walk in the path thereof and eat of His provision, and to Him will be the resurrection,” [Surah Al-Mulk; 67:15]

Allah has made it clear in this very verse, as well as in other verses, that had He not made this earth manageable to us, we would not be able to explore it nor benefit from it.

Understanding Tawakkul Through Surah Al-Mulk

This chapter of the Qur’an is actually – in my humble opinion – a yardstick for understanding tawakkul (trust and complete reliance on Allah ). Surah Al-Mulk starts and finishes with the same message: to Allah belongs all that is in the universe and nothing would happen without His Mercy and constant watchful care. Allah says in the first verse,

“Blessed be He in Whose hands is the Dominion, and He is able to do all things.”

He then says in the last verse,

“Say: Have you thought, ‘if your water were to disappear into the earth, who then can supply you with clear-flowing water?'”

Yes, we can surely explore the earth, look for regions holding water, and successfully discover fountain sources and streams. But without Allah’s Permission and facilitation, we will not be able to reach this water. Furthermore, what would happen if – all of a sudden – Allah made the sources and springs of our water supply disappear in the deep underground of the earth? Blessed and Glorified be He! No one will bring it back but He.

The Balance Between Striving and Divine Provision

There is a hintful touch in the verse mentioned earlier. Allah says, “…so walk in the path thereof.” Then He says, “…and eat of His provision.” So Allah is telling us that though you are encouraged to strive and work hard, what you produce is not yours; what you earn is not yours. Rather, your production, your earnings, and all your subsistence come from Allah . 

He made it available to you out of His Mercy and Care for you. Hence, if Allah wills, your work and efforts will be fruitless. Similar verses where Allah ascribes subsistence solely to Him are found in many places in the Qur’an. Allah says, “…So seek from Allah (Alone) subsistence and worship Him (Alone), and be grateful to Him. To Him (Alone) will be your return.” [Surah Al-‘Ankabut; 29:17]

Those who misunderstand the Plan of Allah and His Wisdom areconfused by this double command of Allah – to strive and work on the one hand, and rely on Allah to make the actions possible and goals attainable, on the other.

Initially, this question was presented before the Prophet . The Companions asked: Should we quit working and rely on Al-Qadar (Allah’s predetermined decree)? The Prophet answered: “You should initiate and do things. Everyone shall be facilitated towards that for which he was created.” Consequently, the Companions of the Prophet moved on and initiated righteous deeds while putting their trust in Allah . [Bukhari & Muslim]

The work that is referred to here is not that of the acts of worship (Salah, Zakah, Sawm, Haj, etc). Rather, it is the work pertaining to our subsistence. Furthermore, we do not refer to haram (forbidden) work and haram subsistence – for we believe, inshaAllah, that the reader is conscious of that. It is the halal (permissible) work and the halal livelihood that we are concerned about here, for it is more tempting to the believer. 

What are the guidelines and limits of the halal work? How much dedication do we give it? Do we attribute the source of subsistence to our work or to Allah’s Bounties? And do we associate the loss and deprivation of wealth, health, and success with our loss of job, or with Allah’s universal plan?

Islam’s Position on Work and Self-Reliance

Islam does not condone passiveness, but it also strongly rejects laziness and dependency on others. [PC: Do Nhu (unsplash)]

Islam is a dynamic religion. Not only does it not condone passiveness, but it also strongly rejects laziness and dependency on others. The Prophet said: “Begging is forbidden except when there is great debt, suffering, injury, or abasing poverty.” [Abu Dawud and Al-Bayhaqi] He also said: “It is much better for one of you to take his rope and go to chop some wood (for his livelihood) than to beg from people, whether they give him anything or deny him.” [Al-Bukhari, Ibn Majah, and others] 

The Prophet himself worked hard for his living. He spent his boyhood as a shepherd and took to trade in manhood. He carried people’s goods to Syria and other places and shared the profits with them.

The Prophet used to constantly seek refuge with Allah from laziness as reported by Zayed Ibn Arqam: “O Allah! I seek refuge in You from incapacity, from laziness, from cowardice, from miserliness, from ineptitude, and from the torment of the grave…” [Muslim]

The True Meaning of Tawakkul

However, though we might strive hard to secure our livelihood, we should not attribute our achievements solely to the work we do, but to Allah . We should not put our reliance on our work, our possessions, our wealth, our position, etc. Neither should we rely on our manager, our employer, our friends, and our families. 

The only one on Whom we should rely is Allah . He says in the Quran,

“…And rely on the Living One (Allah), Who will never die, and celebrate His praises and thanks. And sufficient is He to be acquainted with the sins of His slaves.” [Surah Al-Furqan; 25:58]

Whoever attaches his/her heart to his job, or to his/her employer, or to any created beings in order for them to provide him/her with sustenance or to make him/her prosperous and successful, and so on, he/she has submitted to them. And the more one relies on the created beings, the weaker becomes one’s submission to Allah .

So, as much as Allah wants from us to initiate actions and seek and use all permissible means to secure our needs and those of our families, He also wants us not to depend on these means as the source of our sustenance. This is the genuine understanding of tawakkul.

Two Extreme Misunderstandings of Tawakkul

Those who deviated from the right concept of tawakkul have fallen into two extremes. The first group of people are those attracted by the temptations of this world, and have gone so far as to forget their relationship with Allah . Their heart has become so attracted to these temptations that they become subservient to their desires. 

Such people have become – knowingly or unknowingly – slaves of their own desires. Such people will ultimately claim that all their achievements are but the result of their own work and that Allah had no involvement whatsoever. They do not rely on Allah .

Allah says,

“Have you then seen the sort of man who rejects Our signs, yet says: ‘I shall certainly be given wealth and children.'”

Allah then rejects their arrogant claim by saying,

“Has he penetrated to the unseen, or has he taken a promise with Allah?” [Surah Maryam; 19:77-78]

This type of man who rejects Allah and denies His bounties regards himself as “self-sufficient” and thus, cannot be expected to rely on Allah .

The second group of people are those who understood the reliance on Allah as meaning to completely break away from all mundane affairs. They regarded piety and the pursuit of any material interests as contradictory. 

For them, reliance on Allah would mean not taking any initiative to secure one’s subsistence. Consequently, they renounce the world and retire themselves to remote areas or secluded spots and cut themselves from daily life.

Unfortunately, neither of these two groups, have understood the true meaning of tawakkul according to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet . Had they attempted to understand the Book of Allah according to the understanding and implementation of the Prophet and his honorable companions, they would have found that tawakkul is far removed from how they conceived it.

Examples of True Tawakkul In Creation

The Example of the Bee:

Through the instinctive behavior of some of His Creatures and the sublime conduct of His Prophets and righteous slaves, Allah has set out in His Book examples of genuine tawakkul. First, let us look at the fascinating life of the bee.

Allah says:

“And your Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in men’s habitation; then to eat of all the produce of the earth, and follow the way of your Lord made smooth: There issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for men: Verily in this is a sign for those who give thought.” [Surah Al-Nahl; 16:68-69]

Look at the gigantic workload that the bee has to carry out in order to produce its honey. The bee finds the most inaccessible places, in the hills, in the trees, and even among the habitation of men. It assimilates the juice of various kinds of flowers and fruit, and forms within its body the honey which it stores in its cells of wax. The different kinds of food from which it makes its honey give different colors to the honey. 

Now, could not Allah provide for the bees their sustenance without them going through all this labor? Of course, He could! Could not Allah create springs and rivers of honey as he created springs and rivers of water? Of course, He could! 

But by observing the work cycle of the bee and by tasting its sweet and wholesome honey, one can understand and appreciate better the nature and behavior of the bee. A behavior whose ingredients are hard work and complete trust in Allah : And that is the real tawakkul.

The Example of the Birds:

Let us look at another creature of Allah : the bird. Allah says,

“Do they not observe the birds above them, spreading their wings and folding them in? None can uphold them except the Most Gracious: Truly it is He that watches over all things,” [Surah Al-Mulk 67:19]

As He did for all of His Creatures, our Lord provided for the birds just those conditions that are best for their lives; He also inspired them to use their physical shapes and unique movements to take off, fly, and land.

“Were you to put your complete trust in Allah, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds. They issue forth hungry in the morning and return filled in the evening.” [PC: Birger Strahl (unsplash)]

Thus, in order to fly, birds would have to move their wings upwards and downwards, spread them, and fold them. However, the birds know that the One Who upholds them in the air, is not their upward and downward move, nor the spreading and folding of their wings, but rather Allah . They have understood that they have to exert effort and rely on Allah alone to uphold them high. As opposed to many rebellious men, birds recognize and exercise total tawakkul in Allah without giving up the work. 

In pursuing this way of life, the birds have become the example to follow for how true tawakkul should be, and how Allah would reward the one who exercises tawakkul as the birds do.

The Prophet said: “Were you to put your complete trust in Allah, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds. They issue forth hungry in the morning and return filled in the evening.” [Al-Tirmidhi]

Did the birds remain in their nest waiting for Allah’s Provision? Of course not! Did they claim that since they were engaged in tasbeeh (praising of Allah ), they would not have to strive for their subsistence? Of course not! So praised is Allah Who inspired the birds to set forth to seek provisions for themselves and for their little ones. Praised is He Who taught them tawakkul so they would not expect provision but from Him.

The Example of Maryam

Now back to the world of mankind, here is an ultimate example of tawakkul. This is the story of an expectant mother who retired with her conceived baby to a remote area. The pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She was alone with no one to attend her. She was hungry and thirsty. She cried: “Ah! would that I had died before this! Would that I had been forgotten and out of sight!” [Surah Maryam, 19:23] But a voice cried to her from beneath the palm tree: “Grieve not! for your Lord has provided a water stream beneath you.” [Surah Maryam, 19:24]

She knew now that Allah would deliver her from her hunger and thirst and release the pain of her pangs. But the Most High wanted her to initiate an action to benefit from His Provisions: “And shake towards yourself the trunk of the palm tree: it will let fall fresh ripe dates upon you.” [Surah Maryam, 19:25] Now that she fulfilled the physical part of her duties – by shaking the tree, she had to fulfill the spiritual part – trusting Allah for deliverance. Allah’s Help was prompt: the fresh dates were now falling upon her: “So eat and drink and be glad!…,” [Surah Maryam, 19:26]

This is the story of Maryam (Mary) whom Allah had destined to be the mother of Prophet ‘Isa (Jesus) . And when she conceived her baby and entered the pains of childbirth with no one to attend her; when she got hungry and thirsty with no visible help for food and drink; when she became weak and anguished; she was asked to shake a palm tree for her provision. 

A weak, tired, hungry, and thirsty pregnant woman shaking a strong, deeply rooted palm tree. Could not Allah send with Jibreel (Angel Gabriel) enough food and drink for her? Could not Allah send down from the heavens a ready-to-eat plate of dates? Or could not Allah say to the dates ‘fall upon Mary!’, upon which they would? After all, is not Allah the only One Who, when He wills a thing, only says to it, “Be” – and it is? Yes, yes, and yes, He is! But Allah’s Way is that the effort has to be made, and the trust has to be complete; the tawakkul has to be fulfilled.

Conclusion

These were only a few examples of Allah’s Creatures putting their trust in Him. The wisest course for us, therefore, is to follow their example. So let us use all lawful means and exert reasonable effort to secure our needs, and let us remain faithful to Allah by putting all our affairs in His Hands and hoping and expecting the best outcome. Let us say like the early believers said:

“Say, ‘He is the Most Beneficent (Allah), in Him we believe, and in Him we put our trust,” [Surah Al-Mulk, 67:29]

O Allah! Make us among those who believe in You and put their trust in You. O Allah! send Your Grace, Honour, and Mercy on Muhammad , his family, his followers, and all those who follow his Path until the Last Day. Ameen!

Related:

–He Catches Me When I Fall: A Journey To Tawakkul

– Emotional Self-Healing: Lessons From The Quran And Sunnah