Tawakkul from Kitaab At-Tawheed, Chapter: 31

Shaykh Muhammad bin AbdulWahhaab

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), says:

" And whoever places his trust in Allah, Sufficient is He for him, for Allah will surely accomplish His Purpose: For verily, Allah has appointed for all things a due proportion" (Qur'an 65:3)

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), Most Glorified, Most High, informs us in this verse that whoever trusted in Him and depended upon Him to fulfill his needs and wants, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) will suffice him in every matter, whether worldly or religious, for Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) will surely accomplish His Purpose and nothing escapes Him and no request is difficult for Him; and in order that those who ask him be not impatient, He informs us that He has appointed for everything a time and a place, which none can delay nor bring forward.

Benefits Derived From This Verse

1. Evidence of the virtue of trust in Allah and dependence upon Him, Alone.

2. That trust and dependence are among the most important factors in achieving that which is beneficial and avoiding that which is harmful.

3. The obligation to believe in Allah's Ordainment and His Decree.

4. The Completeness and Perfection of Allah's Decree and His Wisdom.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter

That the verse proves the obligation of dependence upon Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and trust in Him, for Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) protects His slave and is Sufficient for him, when he depends upon his Rabb.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of Tawheed

That the verse proves that trust and dependence are forms of worship and directing worship to other than Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) is an act of shirk.

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Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), says:

" [There were] those to whom people said: "The people are gathering against you, so fear them." But it only increased their faith; they said: "For us Allah is Sufficient and He is the best Disposer of affairs" (Qur'an 3:173)

When Abu Sufyaan and his disbelieving people returned from the Battle of Uhud, they began to gather an army from among them for another attack on the Muslims. On the road, they passed by a group of riders from Bani `Abdul Qais and Abu Sufyaan advised them to inform Prophet Muhammad (saas ) and his Companions that Quraish were preparing to assault them with an overwhelming force, but this threat did not discourage them; rather, they were strengthened in their faith and they trusted in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), and He was Sufficient for them against their enemies, for He is the One Who is trusted above all others and He never fails the Believers.

Benefits Derived From This Verse

1. That one of the signs of true faith is steadfastness in the face of adversity.

2. That psychological warfare cannot harm the Believers.

3. That faith increases and decreases.

4. The preferability of of the Believer's saying: "Hasbunallaahu wa N'imal wakeel," [i.e. Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) is Sufficient for us and He is the best Disposer of affairs].

5. That taking whatever measures are required in order to achieve one's objectives is not in contradiction with trust in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and dependence upon Him, rather it is a requirement for that trust and dependence to be correct.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter

That the verse proves the obligation to trust in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), to depend upon Him, Alone, and to suffice oneself with Him.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of Tawheed

That it proves that trust and dependence are forms of worship and directing worship to other than Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) is shirk.

Final Words on this Subject

It is reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas (ra ) that he said:

" Allah is Sufficient for us and He is the best Disposer of affairs" (Qur'an 3:173)

Ibraheem (as ) said it when he was thrown in the fire; and Muhammad (saas ) said it when it was said to him:

" The people are gathering against you, so fear them." But it only increased their faith; they said: "For us Allah is Sufficient and He is the best Disposer of affairs" (Qur'an 3:173)

Important Note

Tawakkul means dependence of the heart on Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), believing Him to be Sufficient against all others for His slaves. Tawakkul (dependence) upon Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) is of three kinds: (i) Depending upon one of Allah's creatures to do something which none is able to do except the Creator: This is major shirk; (ii) depending upon one of Allah's creatures to do something which is within his capabilities but in the belief that he is able to do so independent of Allah's Will: This is minor shirk; depending upon one of Allah's creatures to do something in the knowledge that it will only happen if Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) wills it: This is permissible, such as depending upon someone in business transactions to fulfill his side of the bargain etc.

Tawakkul is half of the Religion and the other half of it is turning in repentance to Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa). And tawakkul does not negate taking precautions; instead, it is a requirement in order for the tawakkul to be accepted and for one's faith to be complete.

Footnotes

1. Bani Israa`eel: The People of Israel.

2. Dependence upon and trust in Allah (swt), known as tawakkul in Arabic.

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Allah's Words: [And Depend Upon Allah if You Truly Believe]

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), Most Glorified, Most High, informs us in this verse that two believing men from Bani Israa`eel ¹ advised their people and requested that they enter the city of Jerusalem, promising them that they would receive Allah's Help if they did so, because they believed in Allah's Promise which they had heard from the mouth of their Prophet, Moosa (as ), and they asked them to depend upon Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and trust in² Him that He would fulfill His Promise and not to be intimidated by the strength of the enemy forces, for victory is in Allah's Hands - He grants it to whom He (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) wills and He withholds it from whom He wills, and He has promised the Believers victory and He never breaks His Promise.

Benefits Derived From This Verse

1. The obligation of mutual advice and encouragement by the members of the army.

2. That faith and trust in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) are the most important factors in attaining victory.

3. That trust in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) is a condition of the acceptance of faith.

4. The obligation to trust in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and no other.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter

That the verse proves the obligation of sincere dependence on Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and trust in Him, Alone.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of Tawheed

That the verse proves that depending on Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and trusting in Him is a form of worship, and directing an act of worship to other than Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) is shirk.

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Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), says:

" For Believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts and when His verses are recited to them, they [the verses] increase their faith and they put their trust in their Rabb, Alone" (Qur'an 8:2)

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), Most Glorified, Most High, informs us in this verse that the true Believers are those who, when they fear Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), fear His punishment, and as a result, obey all of His Commands and abstain from all that He has forbidden; and when verses from the Noble Qur'an are recited to them, their faith and belief are increased and they depend upon Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and trust in Him, Alone; and they entrust all matters to Him, doing all that is beneficial to them and abandoning that which is harmful to them.

Benefits Derived From This Verse

1. That fear of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and trust in Him are characteristics of the Believers.

2. That faith increases and decreases.

3. The obligation to depend upon Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and trust in Him, Alone.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter

That the verse proves the obligation to trust in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and depend upon Him, Alone.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of Tawheed

That it proves that trust and dependence are acts of worship and directing worship to other than Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) is shirk.

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Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), says:

" Oh, Prophet! Sufficient for you is Allah, and for those who follow you among the Believers" (Qur'an 8:64)

In this verse, Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) gives glad tidings to His Prophet, Muhammad (saas ) and his believing followers and promises them victory over their enemies and He commands them implicitly to trust in Him, Alone, for He (saas ) is sufficient for them against their enemies.

Benefits Derived From This Verse

1. That Allah is Sufficient for those who trust in Him and depend upon Him, Alone.

2. That faith is an essential element in achieving victory.

3. The obligation of faith, by loving Allah, Alone.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of the Chapter

That it proves the obligation of faith, by loving Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), which includes trust in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) and no other.

Relevance of This Verse to the Subject of Tawheed

That the verse proves that trust and dependence are forms of worship and directing worship to other than Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa) is shirk.

Important Note

We have said that love includes trust and dependence because whoever has faith in Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'alaa), Alone, must, of a necessity, depend upon and trust in Him Alone.

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