Trusting in Allah’s divine decree
Tawakkul, at its heart is knowing Allah and trusting His plan for you, without complacency. We should try to work towards pleasing Allah in all actions, even in the most everyday of tasks. We go to the gym to maintain the body that Allah entrusted to us, we cook for our families to please Allah, we work honest jobs and avoid all of the haram that has become commonplace in obedience to Allah.
When we do good deeds, we should trust that Al-Aleem – The All-Knower – has a plan for us and that Al-Shakoor – The Most Appreciative – for them to result in impact and reward. We should also not be complacent, working to do our part, and leaving the results to Allah.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “…Be eager for what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not be frustrated. If something befalls you, then do not say: If only I had done something else! Rather say: Allah has decreed what He wills. Verily, the phrase ‘if only’ opens the way for the work of Satan.”
How to achieve tawakkul
There are many ways to seek tawakkul, but what is key is to remember to be guided by Allah. Here are some ways to embed God-consciousness into our lifestyle, and for the good deeds we do for His sake to be accepted.
1 Dua
Praying for your good deeds to be accepted, and especially praying to Al-Wakeel – The Disposer of Affairs – for increased tawakkul. Pray for mindfulness of Allah and that your deeds are always in the effort to please Him.
2 Athkar
There are certain duas that The Messenger ﷺ encouraged us to repeat to increase our blessings and Allah’s protection of us, while also offering a frequent reminder to trust only Allah with our success and safety. Some examples of these are morning athkar, and when leaving the home we should recite: “In the Name of Allah, I have placed my trust in Allah, there is no might and no power except by Allah.” (Abu Dawud)
3 Tasbeeh, tahmeed, tahleel, takbeer
In other words, subhanallah, alhamdulilah, La ilaha ilAllah, Allahu akbar. Use these athkar to remind your heart, tongue, and mind that all things are from Allah, and He is All-Powerful.
4 Fasting
The Messenger ﷺ said, “(Allah said), ‘Every good deed of Adam’s son is for him except fasting; it is for Me. and I shall reward (the fasting person) for it.’ Verily, the smell of the mouth of a fasting person is better to Allah than the smell of musk.”
5 Sadaqah
Giving from our wealth reminds us that all provision is from Al-Razzaq – the Sustainer – and it reminds me of our duty to purify our wealth, to spend only on halal.
Charity purifies us, and builds a sense of community with the ummah, while pleasing Allah with our compassion and obedience.
The Messenger ﷺ said, “Charity does not in any way decrease the wealth and the servant who forgives, Allah adds to his respect; and the one who shows humility, Allah elevates him in the estimation (of the people).” (Muslim)
Choose to give your charity with The Waqf Fund, and your donation will never be spent, only invested, while profits continue to help families year after year and even after your lifetime.
Place your trust in Allah above all others, including yourself. Tawakkul is an acknowledgment of reality, which in itself is freeing. All we have to do is try, trusting in Allah’s plan. The rest is out of our hands, which in itself is a mercy from The Most Merciful.
