Tawakkul Part 1
Section 2 of 14 · Faraid in Islam · Ustadh Mahmud Kurkcu
An Outlet from Whence One Does Not Reckon
Tawakkul in Allah (swt) is spoken of again as part of Sūrat al-Ṭalāq, in the end of one verse and the whole of the next:
فَإِذَا بَلَغْنَ أَجَلَهُنَّ فَأَمْسِكُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ فَارِقُوهُنَّ بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَأَشْهِدُوا۟ ذَوَىْ عَدْلٍ مِّنكُمْ وَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلشَّهَـٰدَةَ لِلَّهِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ يُوعَظُ بِهِۦ مَن كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بَـٰلِغُ أَمْرِهِۦ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ ٱللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدْرًا
“So, when they (the divorced women) have (almost) reached their term, then either retain them with fairness, or part with them with fairness. And make two just men from among you witnesses (of your either decision). And (O witnesses,) keep your testimony upright for the sake of Allah. That is what anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day is exhorted to do. Whoever fears Allah, He brings forth a way out for him, and provides him (with what he needs) from where he does not even imagine. And whoever places his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Surely Allah is to accomplish His purpose. Allah has set a measure for every thing.” (65:2–3)
And whoever is careful of his duty to Allah (swt) — in his Islamic practice, in the direction of his heart and his mental state, in his devotion, his ṭāʿah, in taqwā toward Allah (swt) — Allah will make for him an outlet, and give him rizq, sustenance, from whence he does not reckon; and whoever trusts in Allah (swt), indeed Allah is sufficient for him; surely Allah attains His purpose; Allah has indeed appointed a measure for everything. Everything is controlled by the qadr of Allah (swt); nobody can ever go outside the measure Allah (swt) has fixed. Nothing happens without a purpose; everything has a wisdom, a ḥikmah; everything has a purpose in life. Allah created everything in this manner, within this linear existence, this continuum of time and space. When the qadr of Allah (swt) comes into effect — what is called qaḍāʾ — nothing can stop it, nothing can change it. Human beings are part of that process, with certain limitations, where they have some will, where they make some choices — but by and large, over ninety to ninety-five per cent is entirely the doing of Allah (swt); the remaining ten per cent or so Allah allows a person to do, though He is the one who creates the actions, the deeds, and the intentions within the heart.
Again, Allah (swt) addresses His Prophet (peace be upon him) in the Qurʾān:
فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلْقَلْبِ لَٱنفَضُّوا۟ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ
“So, (O Prophet) it is through mercy from Allah that you are gentle to them. Had you been rough and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you. So, pardon them, and seek Forgiveness for them. Consult them in the matter and, once you have taken a decision, place your trust in Allah. Surely, Allah loves those who place their trust in Him.” (3:159)
And when you have decided, O Muḥammad (peace be upon him), be steadfast: put your trust in Allah (swt); keep going; do not change your mind, do not be wishy-washy, once you have decided for the sake of Allah (swt). Surely Allah loves those who trust in Him, who put their trust in Him — al-mutawakkilūn. So what is this tawakkul, this reliance on Allah (swt), after fulfilling the conditions, the laws, the causes, the means, the asbāb, that Allah (swt) has set? Reliance on Allah, making tawakkul in Allah, is farḍ, an obligation, upon every Muslim.