Tawakkul

Updated on Sep 24, 2024

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Tawakkul (Arabic: تَوَكُّل‎‎) is an arabic word which literally means reliance-on or trust-in and it is one of the most important topics in Islamic ethic, because it related to the essential part of monotheism.Therefore, He, who does not believe in the existence and absolute power of Allah, will find it so difficult to trust or rely on Him (Allah). In fact, the real meaning of tawakkul lies in the word “La-ilaaha -illallah, wa laa- hawla wa laa quwwata illa billaahil ‘Alliyil Adheem”, or the word “Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illa billah”. Thus the aboved words should only be expressed by the person who realized and believed that; he is not an independent entity and he is in need of independent entity and absolute power in all of his affairs.

Etymology

The word tawakkul is an arabic verbs#Verbal noun (maṣdar)|masdar (verbal noun)]] derived from the fifth form of the (Arabic root وكلw-k-l) or وکالت (wakalat), meaning "taking for oneself a representative" or “appointing someone as one’s trustee (wakil) .

Meaning of Tawakkul

Tawakkul in the Arabic language, is the word for the Islamic concept of reliance on God or "trusting in God's plan".

It is also refers to as "perfect trust in God and reliance on Him alone."

Tawakkul as a theological concept was formalized by Shaqiq al-Balkhi (d. 810), who defined it as a spiritual state or hal. Tawakkul is also considered a natural result of extreme zuhd. Zuhd can be described as being based on tawakkul or "trust in God alongside love of poverty."

An author wrote that someone that trusts in God is like a baby seeking its mother's breast and always finds it. He says that just like the infant, the one who trusts God is always led to God.

Reality of tawakkul

The word used in Qur’an is “Tawakkal”, which is derived from “Tawakkul”. This is not an excuse for idleness. “Tawakkul means that you should bind the camel with its rope, then say that you have trust in God that He will protect your camel. You should not have confidence in the rope only, because many a camel has been stolen together with its rope; and, likewise, you should not neglect the rope, because binding with the rope is a part of Tawakkul”. So this is the spirit of Tawakkul. We are to try our best; and then we should have trust in the God that He will make our work succeed. It is a sheer nonsense to sit idle and say that Allah will do all our work for us. He says in Qur’an: “And that man can have nothing but what he strives for” (Qur’an, 80 : 39).

Ranks of tawakkul

It has been said that there are three ranks of tawakkul: the trust of the believers, the trust of the select, and the trust of the select of the select.. Each of these ranks are achieved through active reformation of the mind and self. The truth of the believers is simply living one day at a time and not worrying what tomorrow will bring you; simply trusting in what God has planned. The trust of the select is trusting God with no motives or desires. It is casting aside all wants. And finally the trust of the select of the select is giving yourself over to God completely so that His desires become yours.. In other words, "trust in God is to be satisfied with and rely on God Most High." It is said that because God created everything and therefore everything belongs to him, it is selfish to want anything other than what God wants or not want something God gives to you.

Interpretation

Since early times in Islam there has been debate as to the extent of tawakkul as a virtue in everyday life. This debate centered around questions such as whether or not tawakkul allowed for God to use intermediary causes, and the degree of reliance on God. Views of extreme and total dependence on God to the point of pure fatalism were popular among rejectionist ascetics. Thinkers such as Bisṭāmī instead advocate the virtue of "kasab", or "earning a living".

See Another Islamic Word

Insha'Allah

References

Tawakkul Wikipedia

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