This was originally written on October 26, 2017. As a side note, my hosting and domain name were deleted by GoDaddy because I was unable to afford the cost of the hosting for a while. However, I was finally able to get my site back, and have a more affordable hosting panel. I will be reposing my blogs back to the site and let you know when they were originally written. Jazakallah khair for reading, and reaching out during this time to find out what happened to my site.
One of the main tenets of making dua is tawakkul. This is different from yaqeen, because yaqeen means having certainty that your dua will be answered. Tawakkul, however, is a more deeper subject. It’s about trusting in Allah SWT’s plan for you.
The subject of Tawakkul is going to take up more than one blog post so I am putting this into three different parts. This way, you are able to take your time to read and really reflect on this topic, because it is one of the most important aspects in Islam, and it is how you will be able to see the manifestations of your duas.
Tawakkul means TRUST. Purely deep, devotional trust in Allah SWT.
Not in a person, animal, or an object. But in Allah SWT only. He is Wahdahu La Shariek.
Tawakkul means that we as humans rely only on Allah SWT alone for all of our needs. We do not ask anyone else to provide for our needs. Allah SWT is the ONLY one who provides for us. Allah SWT has asked us to trust in him. As Allah SWT says in the Qur’an,
“And in Allah alone, should the faithful (ever) put their trust” Surah Al Imran: 122.
Another verse in the Qur’an states the following,
“Verily, Allah love those who put (all) their trust (in Allah)” Surah Al Imran: 59.
There are many, many verses in the Qur’an and in Hadith that discuss the concept of Tawakkul. I will explain other verses and hadith in the next two blog posts I write on this topic as I go deeper.
Points of Reflection:
When we make dua, we are making it only to Allah SWT. Not to anyone else. This is the concept of Oneness of Allah SWT.
If we keep our reliance on the fact that it is Allah SWT who is fulfilling our duas and bringing us His favors, we inspire the tawakkul within us. We shouldn’t have to ask or beg anyone else to help us because it is Allah SWT who helps us, brings us sustenance, and provides for us each and every day. By having the utmost, heartfelt trust that Allah SWT is the one we turn to and Who will give us what we are asking for (whether in the exact way, or in a way unexpected but better for us), our duas are manifested more than if we made dua without the trust and reliance upon our Creator.
I often reflect on the topic of Tawakkul. I think about nature. How does a tree bear fruit in its season? I have an orange tree in my backyard – the only tree we have. Each year, this tree gives us fruit. Right now, I see the oranges are green, and turning yellow. By December/January, the fruit will be orange. However, one might ask, how is this tree getting water and sustenance? We don’t give the tree water at all (because we are in a drought, we really can’t even water our yard – thank you California), yet, Allah SWT provides it the sun and the rain for sustenance and gives it enough that the tree is healthy, growing and bearing so much fruit that we will end up giving it to our friends and neighbors (it’s always good to share!). Allah SWT provided for this tree, gave it everything it needs, and more to bear the fruit.
The birds come to our backyard – my mom loves to throw the rice outside for the birds to come and eat. She’s been doing this for over 15 years now.
Actually, feeding animals is a form of sadaqah. Just an FYI for those of you who don’t know. Just as feeding someone, and providing water to someone can be considered a form of sadaqah, so it is to feed animals.
Anyhow, the birds come to our yard when they see the rice. They know it is Allah SWT who has provided them food for themselves and their little chicks. My mom’s heart was moved by Allah SWT to feed the birds, and be the source of their sustenance. The crows come and eat, and so do other animals that come crawling out at night (even skunks). The birds and these other animals have knowledge and trust innately that Allah SWT will provide for them, and all they do is go out and hunt for food with trust that they will come back with it. This is called Tawakkul!
Think about the fact that Allah SWT brings us daylight every day – the sun comes up and we have trust that Allah SWT will bring the sun to us and daylight every day. This is Tawakkul – trusting highly that Allah SWT brings us both day and night. Imagine if we couldn’t even trust that. Astaghfarullah!
Often, I think about how help comes our way when we need it most, and how Allah SWT puts it in someone’s heart, or our heart to help someone, feed someone, shelter someone, or love someone.
I remember the many times that Allah SWT put it in my heart to do something for someone who needed it and I would do it. I wouldn’t understand why, but I would do it because it was Allah SWT’s Will. Everything happens according to His Will. Without it, not even a leaf falls to the ground.
Even if someone does not want to help you, their heart will still be made to help you, because that’s how Allah SWT works – He works in mysterious ways! 😉
I remember when I was in need of a new used car. I had a 1995 Toyota Camry and it was extremely old at this point. The value of the car was much less than how much it would cost to fix it all the time. The blue book value was $500, and I needed almost $1000 of repairs. My uncle had just recently bought himself a Mini Cooper, and I needed a new (a used but new for me) car. I didn’t have the money to afford it. I had made dua for years to get another car. YEARS!
That dua manifested. One day, I told my uncle it would cost more to repair the issues that had just occurred with the Camry, and I really would rather buy another working, and more recent car (1995, compared to 2010). My uncle, being that he is very stingy with his money surprisingly said yes (he didn’t have a happy face about it but Allah SWT made him say YES so this shows how Allah SWT is the turner of hearts). He said I could get a car up to $10,000 limit. I was so elated!! He told me that I had till the end of September (2014) to find a car with that value, and then he would get it for me.
Well, three weeks had passed since then. I had been looking, and looking, but could not find a good newly used car for myself. I didn’t know what to do, and it was already the 29th.
My mom told me not to worry and that she could see a new car coming to me very soon. She had a strong tawakkul that Allah SWT would know when I would get the car and guide me to it.
Well, September 29, around 9am, I was on my iPhone looking for cars valued at $10,000. As I was searching the net, I found a car that was $9,950! Less than $10,000 and it was a 2010 Hyundai Sonata. The color was beautiful (burgundy) and I thought to myself that I needed to call the dealership right away and make an appointment to come see and test drive the car.
I did just that, and as soon as I test drove it, I knew this car was the one I was going to get. It did have 95,000 miles but the previous owner drove it mostly on the freeway and had kept it in like new condition. The price of the car was $14,000 and they had dropped it to $9,950 because it had been in the lot over 30 days and was going to be shipped to another dealership if it was not sold. What are the odds!
My uncle came home from work and I told him about the car. I said that we needed to get it immediately because they couldn’t hold the car for me for too long since others were also coming in to look at it.
We went to the dealership that afternoon, and I got the car!
This is tawakkul – Allah SWT is the turner of hearts. No matter how much you request of a person, if Allah SWT does not will for it to happen, that person will not have the turn of hearts to help you. This is because Allah SWT controls our hearts. If Allah SWT wills, then even if the person does not want to do something, or disregards us, Allah SWT will make that person’s heart turn to help us. This is the power of tawakkul. I read about this in Fazail e Amaal – a book written by Shaikh Ul Hadith Hadrat Mohammad Zakariyya Khandalvi. Upon reading that little excerpt, which I have the picture of below, I was so moved, that I was motivated to write the first part of this blog.
Here is another example of what I am talking about.
Recently, my mom and I were at the supermarket, shopping for groceries when we bumped into one of our family friends; he started talking to my mom and was inquiring her. My mom told him about our situation with my uncle, and everything else in between. Now this man, when he heard what my mom told him, he couldn’t stop thinking about it in his head. A couple of days later, my mom was at home working when she heard a knock and a man yelling her name outside. It turned out to be the same family friend we had bumped into at the supermarket just days earlier. He told my mom he had been thinking about the situation, and about my uncle, and what we have all been going through, and wanted to come help out his fellow Muslim brother and sister. Look at how Allah SWT put it in this man’s heart to come to us and offer his help, and his support? This is how Allah SWT works.
This is called Tawakkul. Putting trust in Allah SWT and knowing that help will arrive through Him. If we had not bumped into our family friend and told him about everything, he would have not come to help and support. But Allah SWT made the situation so that my mom would tell him and he would come help.
One day, I was planning to visit a friend of mine. I had cooked food that day and decided to take her some food for her and her family. Little did I know, she had come home and was thinking about ordering takeout because she did not have the strength to cook food for anyone. Out of nowhere, I come and bring her food that she and her family happily ate. She told me about her not wanting to cook dinner but wasn’t sure what to do and Allah SWT provided for her and her family through me. Somehow, Allah SWT put it in my heart to go visit my friend, and give her the food.
Subhanallah, how Allah SWT works through us to help and to serve others. How Allah SWT is ALWAYS there for us even when no one else is. It is Allah SWT who provides for us, and brings miracles in our lives we do not even think of!
Take a moment to reflect on your tawakkul. This is something most of us do miss out on because we don’t always have the 100% trust that things will turn out how we want, or even better than we thought for us. Yaqeen is a beautiful part of dua, but tawakkul is what really allows our duas to manifest. Tawakkul is the key to our duas coming true. Of course, all duas come true in the time Allah SWT has set for us.
More on Part II when I post about Tawakkul! Enjoy this read, and please share with others. It means so much to me when people read and share what I write, and truly, with Allah SWT as my partner, I write for Him, and to spread the knowledge of Islam, while inspiring others.
-Dr. Aasiyah N. Ghazi