Levels of Tawakkul
Levels of Tawakkul
There is much more that can be stated about Tawakkul but for the purposes of succinctness, we will now move onto the levels of Tawakkul. There are said to be levels of Tawakkul and these are easier to understand if we remember that Tawhid itself is the basis for Tawakkul. As for the levels of Tawakkul, then the first level is to know Allah by His qualities and attributes, such as the fact that he is all capable and sufficient to rely on; that He is the Sustainer and that He is All–Knowing and that things can only happen with His Will and Decree.
The second pillar is to believe that every matter has a cause or a means. Some people give up utilizing these means due to their ignorance, and think that this is reliance on Allah (The Most High). This causes people to become like those who wait for ‘the miracle to drop from the sky’ without striving towards it in any way. Such people wait for Allah to send down their provisions, feed them and take care of their concerns and affairs while they do nothing. In Arabic, this is called “tawaakul” (تواكل); the difference may be one letter, but it is significant enough; we should not be complacent or stagnant; we should do everything that’s available to us to reach our goals.
The third level is to remain firm in relying on Allah alone. Indeed, a person’s reliance on Allah cannot be fulfilled until one relies on Him alone. Support for this level can be found in the verse,
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| ‘If Allah helps you, none can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in Allah (Alone) let the believers put their trust’.[5] |
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The fourth level is to depend on Allah wholeheartedly and feel tranquility when doing so, to the extent that one does not feel anxious or confused about their provision.
Some people do not feel secure until they utilize these means, and if Allah decrees that these means are not available they feel overwrought. Such people’s reliance on Allah is incomplete, because true reliance is when a person does not care if means are available or not, because they know that all matters are in the Hands of Allah. All Allah (The Most High) has to do for a matter to occur is say:
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| ‘Be! And it becomes’ [6]. |
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Of course, a person will have to utilise all the means available to them also.
The highest level of Tawakkul, towards which we should all strive of course, is to realize that the essence of reliance on Allah is to entrust all matters to him willingly, without feeling forced to do so.
Benefits of Tawakkul
In closing this article on Tawakkul, it is worth pondering the benefits of Tawakkul. There are many, the first of which is of course that as mentioned earlier, it is part of the completion of one’s faith. Secondly and on a more practical note, knowing that our responsibility for what happens is limited is very comforting. We know that as long as we are trying our utmost, we can rely on Him, safe in the knowledge that whatever trial we are going through, Allah has decreed it for us and we will by His Leave be able to bear it. That is the meaning of the verse,
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| ‘Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope’.[7] |
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Moreover, Tawakkul also gives us a good understanding of the balance to be had between putting our trust and reliance on Allah (The Most High) willingly on the one hand, and our individual responsibility in using the means available on the other.
Another consequence of Tawakkul is that it invites us to connect to a powerful Ally: this is the Lord Himself, Allah (The Most High). The more we rely on Him, the greater the chances that we will try to please Him by following the guidance He has given us.
The third consequence of Tawakkul is that we are not depressed by what we have lost or intoxicated by our success. As Allah (The Most High) states
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| ‘In order that you may not grieve at the things over that you fail to get, nor rejoice over that which has been given to you. And Allah likes not every prideful boaster.’[8] |
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In closing, the one who entrusts Allah (The Most High) does so with the certainty that what Allah (Almighty) decrees is best for them, even if it is apparently the opposite of what they believe to be good. Such a person is content with the decrees of Allah (The Most High) as they know whatever is decreed is best for them, whether the benefit is apparent or not.
Relying on Allah (Almighty) can instil an enormous amount of peace and contentment in a person, and we ask Allah (Almighty) that He helps us all attain the highest degree of Tawakkul, in order that by His Permission, we may benefit from that in this world, and in the eternal world of the Hereafter.
Footnotes
Taken from Islam21c.com
[5] Quran, 3:160.
[6] Quran, 36:82.
[7] Quran, 2:286.
[8] Quran, 57:23.
