Every coming day in our life brings worry and anxiety when we are passing through the hard days. What do we usually do at the onset of a calamity? Do we believe in Allah completely and our hearts are at rest because this is Allah's plan? For most people, the correct answer will be no. This is because our attitudes and behavior are different.
When Allah takes away a single blessing back out of numerous, we start crying and weeping. We question Allah why you have to take this back? It was dear to me and I was in the need of that very blessing. Why are you lengthening my hard time? When my heart will feel rest? This is our condition in most cases. We lose hope and become disappointed.
Does Allah guide us about this behavior? Absolutely Not! He guides us through Quran and Sunnah to have Tawakkal in Him whenever there is a difficulty. Tawakkal is not about trusting Allah in just difficult times but it is for every moment of our life.
Tawakkal is the name of putting your trust, reliance, and dependence on Allah and believing that He will do what is best for us? There are many incidents of our lives when Allah's Rehmah was in disguise. I am sure that you must have experienced this at least once in your life. In the same way, Tawakkal is to put your trust to find Rehmah, Barakah, and goodness behind that veil of difficulty.
Difficult moments come in everyone's life. It even came in the lives of Prophets and messengers. But their action and trust were matchless. They went to fight the battle of Badar knowing that Allah is there for their help. They did Tawakkal and ultimately Allah rewarded them with marvelous victory in the battle of Badar.
Hazrat Musa (PBUH) with his army was heading towards the sea. He had no option of escape. Two opposing forces were there, in front of him Sea and on the back army of ever-brutal person, The Pharaoh. He put his trust in Allah and kept moving towards the Sea. When he put his stick in the water, Sea made available a land path to pass for the army of Musa (PBUH). What made Musa successful? His trust and reliance on no one but Allah.
Tawakkal is the same action as Prophets and messengers did in the past. It strengthens our level of Eman (Faith). It makes us put our trust in Allah without seeking any other option.
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return." Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided. (Surah Baqra:155-157)
Some of us keep doing utmost effort when there is no certainty even, there are some who even don’t try where there are no lies and doubts. Similarly, some keep doing without even bringing the idea in their mind that Someone holds authority above them and their counterparts completely believe in Allah without doing anything. All these examples do not suit a Muslim.
Some people confuse the term Tawakkal with doing nothing and then believing that Allah will help them. This is not the action of Tawakkal. We can call it negligence and laziness. Islam doesn’t allow this. Tawakkal means to do all your efforts in your reach and then believe that Allah will bestow what is good in your favor.
Anas ibn Malik reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, should I tie my camel and trust in Allah, or should I leave her untied and trust in Allah?” The Prophet, peace, and blessings are upon him, said, “Tie her and trust in Allah.”
If you want to do Tawakkal then tie the knot first. Don’t be among the people who sit idle and hope that Allah will do something for them. Why Allah will do something while you are sitting idle. He puts Barakah in your efforts and you are not doing effort even. He is Adil and a friend of a hard worker. He is not a friend of those who sit idle.
And will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.
Put your faith in your Rub and do your struggle.
