Reality of TAWAKKAL (Trust in Allah)

TAWAKKAL (Trust in Allah)

Allah Ta'ala says:

“Believers should trust only in Allah."(3:122)

 Hadhrat Ibn Abbas (RA) narrated that Rasulullah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said:

" Seventy thousand persons of my Ummat will enter Jannat without Hisaab (accountability). These are those people who do not indulge in incantation (magical formulas-mantar etc.) and do not take ill omen and trust in their Cherisher (Allah)." (Bukhari and Muslim)

REALlTY OF TAWAKKAL  AND CORRECTION OF MISTAKES

A misunderstanding:

 These days Tawakkal is generally believed to mean that, you sit down (in isolation) after leaving all the efforts (Asbaab). This meaning is completely wrong. All the Aayat of the Qur'an and the Ahaadith are full of affirmations in favour of endeavour and exertion (Tadbeer and Asbaab), so,  Tawakkal can never have this meaning. Even if one gets something to eat from somewhere without making a personal effort, then still does he not have to even make effort to put it into the mouth and chew it, and does he not have to  make an effort to even swallow it? These all are also Asbaab and Tadabeer of obtaining food, then where is the Tawakkal?. With this (meaning), this inference becomes mandatory that uptill now no Nabi or Wali has had Tawakkal. Who can believe such an inference!

THE NATURE OF TAWAKKAL

Reposing implicit trust of the heart in only the Creator is called tawakkal.

          The meaning of tawakkal is expressed by the term taukeel (to make or appoint a wakeel or a counselor, agent, representative). When one lacks the understanding and ability for something then another is appointed to execute the task. Such appointment of an agent to act on one's behalf is the meaning of taukeel. For example, a person hires a lawyer to fight a legal case and then he leaves altogether to follow the case, but despite this he thinks that his success in the court case depends upon the capability, eloquence and the efforts of his lawyer, he does not attribute it to his own efforts and endeavours. Exactly same should be thought in this case of Tawakkal that one should undertake all Asbaab and Tadbeer, within the limits Shari 'ah, but should not consider them as effective by themselves. One should believe that his work can get accomplished only by the order and the grace of Allah and infact the effectiveness of any endeavor is only due to the order (and will) of Allah.  Man has not even the least concern with it. For example, the seed has been sown in the field. This is its Tadbeer. However, to get rains at proper time, the growth of seedling and its protection from natural calamities  are  not in man's authority.  So it is obligatory to believe that the success is the result of grace of Allah and this is Tawakkal.  

           Tawakkal then is to act in accordance with Allah's Scheme i.e. to adopt the principles and laws of the Shari'at, and to resign one's self unto Him. In every act or task, the means required for the task will be employed within the confines of the Shari'at and one's trust will be placed in Allah Ta'ala.

THE FUNDAMENTALS (ARKAAN) OF TAWAKKAL

Tawakkal has three fundamental principles: Ma'rifat, Haalat and Amal.

MA'RIFAT (understanding) :

          This consists of Tauheed of Allah Ta'ala which means: Besides Allah there is no object of worship; He is Incomparable; He has no partner; All sovereignty belongs to Him ; All praise and glory belongs to Him; He has power over all things. This conception of Tauheed acknowledges that Allah Ta'ala possesses such perfect power and wisdom which make Him worthy of all praise and glory. Sincere and honest belief in this conception of Tauheed grounds true Imaan in the heart. The effect of Imaan grounding itself in the heart is Tawakkal. The condition essential for achieving this tawakkal is sincere acknowledgment of Tauheed. The meaning of sincere acknowledgment is that this Tauheed pervades the heart so much that there remains no room in one's heart to entertain any other concept.

HAALAT (State):

     

          The Haal (inner state) of Tawakkal is to resign oneself to Allah Ta'ala. Assign all affairs to Him and maintain the heart in the state of peace and tranquillity. It envisages diversion from all and everything other than Allah Ta'ala. Upon Allah Ta'ala being made the Wakeel one resigns in full confidence. Allah Ta'ala, the Wakeel is full of Wisdom and is the Benefactor and Protector of the one who has reposed tawakkal in him. There is therefore no need for the heart to toss in doubt and uncertainty. He will not allow your enemy to vanquish you. In this way when one fully realizes that rizq (sustenance), maut (death), hayaat (life) and all affairs of creation are within the direct power and control of Allah Ta'ala, then there is absolutely no cause for the heart to labour in uncertainty and suffer any lack of confidence.

AMAL (Action) :

          The ignorant labour under the misconception that Tawakkal entails abstention from effort, the means and material agencies. This idea of tawakkal is highly erroneous.
Tawakkal does not advocate shunning or abstaining from the material agencies which Allah Ta'ala has created and made subservient to man. Shunning the legitimate use of the material means and agencies for legitimate purposes and needs is not lawful according to the Shari'at.

ACQUIRING TAWAKKAL

          The way to acquire Tawakkal is by contemplating the bounties of Allah Ta'ala, His Promises and one's past success.

  

Anxiety due to uncertainity is not against Tawakkal:

 Whenever people face some natural anxiety as regards to obtaining of their subsistence, it’s not due to their lack of trust in the promise of Allah but the cause of this anxiety is that the methods and the time of success are not defined. Undefined (and uncertain) situation naturally begets anxiety.  

Karamat vs Tawakkal:

 Some people of Tawakkal (Muta- Wakkileen) have been granted things without putting any effort (without asbaab). This is Karamat (Miracle) which is not from mandatory manifestations of Tawakkal and is not included in the Haqiqat (reality) of Tawakkal. Understand it properly.

(Taken From Furu-ul-Iman and Shariah and Tariqah by Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi R.A.)