Way of Life

Recently I saw a post about "Way of Life to Reduce Stress and Anxiety" (as far as I remember) mentioning some well-known principles, such as Ikigai and Wabi Sabi (I honestly didn't remember all of them). And I suddenly thought "Hey, if there is something that reduces my stress and anxiety, it is tawakkal". Why wasn't it mentioned?

Tawakkal/tawakkul should also be a way of life. The ones to bring calamity and reduce anxiety in life. Tawakkal is my everyday way of life, simply as I walk out of the door, I would recite:

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ

A powerful sentence, worth reciting on an everyday basis. It says "In the Name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, there is no might or power except by Allah". In Islam, tawakkal is the act of perfect trust in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and Him alone. Anything happens after I pass the door, I believe that there's God Who has bestowed His sustenance on each and every creature on earth, no matter whether it's good or bad. He Has all the power to decide. However, it is my obligation and right to do my best in every circumstance, and I rely on Him to decide what's best for me.

Throughout my life, I have experienced extreme downs and ups, a lot of stress, and anxiety. The power of iman and tawakkal brings me to the point of resilience. With a lot of burns out, I would believe God will help me pass through it. I believe that God is the Source of all creation and all power, I understand that although I'm severely limited as a human being. I always did my best in everything but I leave all the results to God who determines. Regret? Nope (well sometimes a little at first). The thing is that since I believe God determines what's best for me, I accept it with an open hand regardless of how it may turn out to be. 

In one of my posts, The Beauty of Imperfection, I also mentioned tawakkal as my act to embrace the imperfection in life. "When we fully believe that everything happens according to God's will, then how can we be so anxious against the imperfection?"

The Concept

"The accurate understanding of tawakkul is not merely based on the idea of reliance, but also on the human’s recognition of being imperfect creation of God which would naturally limit their ability to overcome life’s challenges alone without God." (Muslim.sg)

Not only humans, but every creature does tawakkal. In one of the hadith, it is mentioned by prophet Muhammad shallallhu 'alaihi wasallam: "If you placed your trust in Allaah, a true trusting in Allaah, Allaah would provide for you just like he provides for the birds. It goes out in the morning hungry and returns in the evening full" (as recorded in Tirmidhi & Ahmad)

If we rely on God so much, then why should we bother to pursue and work hard for things in life?

A simple example in real life is: I will have an exam. I know for sure if I study, the probability of getting a high mark increases, and also the other way around if I don't study. However, there are uncertain things we may not be able to foresee. Even if I study, I may be sick on the day of the exam, or the teacher without a heads-up includes such very difficult questions we can't answer. So I put my trust in God in what happens next after I study hard. Whether it's good or bad. The day of the exam comes. Since I believe it's what's best, I have no burden to think "it should have been different".

If I were to breakdown what's tawakkal for me, I think the concepts (or probably steps) of tawakkal are:

1. Efforts

Tawakkal doesn't necessarily mean leaving our efforts behind. In fact, the effort is the first step of tawakkal. We call it ikhtiar. Even the birds, as mentioned in the hadith, do ikhtiar. They fly in the morning in search of food with all of the skills they have and return home evening full after all the rizq Allah has given to them.

In one of the hadith, Anas ibn Malik reported: A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, should I tie my camel and trust in Allah, or should I leave her untied and trust in Allah?” The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Tie her and trust in Allah.”

The thing about ikhtiar is, it's a means to respect and adhere to the causal law that God Himself created in the universe because God’s will does not happen magically. Although the supernatural and miracles are not impossible to God, His will is first manifested through the causal law and His servants’ effort. (muslim.sg)

Key takeaway: ikhtiar is the first thing you need to do in tawakkal. Not a mediocre one, but an excellent one (ihsan and itqan). Besides, God will judge your efforts. He may give what's best for you based on your efforts and give hasanaat along with it.

2. Limitations

It is important to understand that the concept of tawakkal includes the awareness of human limitations. It is that humans can do nothing without God's power. God is the source of power, and biidznillah (with God's permission), we would be able to do this and that, these and those.

"There's no power nor might except with Allah's"

Limitations in our everyday life, as the easiest ones to understand, are uncertainties. I remember one of my lecturers said, this world is full of uncertainties. There's no such exact thing could happen. Or in technical language, "there's no such perfect model that could predict things with 100% accuracy".

3. Reliance

After we are truly aware that humans have limitations, it's left to rely on God for the result. There's always uncertainty in life. Uncertainty is the point where we put our reliance on God. The last thing we may want to do is to pray, ask for help from God, and make the best du'a at the best time and best place. For all affairs, Allah Almighty is capable, sufficient, and knowing. I remember one of my friends said to me, "And when we are powerless, we can't do anything anymore. Why not ask the One who Has the most power?". Along with reliance, it is important to note that Allah is knowing what's best for us.

وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَهُواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّواْ شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَ

“But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.” (QS. Al-Baqarah: 216)

4. Patience and Acceptance

After all those steps above, how could we not accept what comes after us? God is knowing what's best for us, even if we don't like it. There is always good in everything that happened to us if we wish to accept it with patience.

Our Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him.” (Narrated by Imam Muslim).

If a good thing happens, we say "Alhamdulillah". If musibah is what comes after us, we say "Innalillah".

The Importance of Tawakkal

It is important for Muslims to practice tawakkal. In QS. Al-Maidah, it's mentioned that tawakkal isn't an option, but rather a requirement for true believers.

وَعَلَى اللّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُواْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ...

"...Put your trust in Allah if you are ˹truly˺ believers.” (QS. Al-Maidah: 23)

At the very basic, tawakkal is the form of tauhid. We believe He is All-Capable, He is the Best Sustainer and He is All-knowing, sufficient to rely on (remember asmaul husna). Hence, we put our reliance on Him.

وَّيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُۗ وَمَنْ يَّتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللّٰهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهٗ ۗاِنَّ اللّٰهَ بَالِغُ اَمْرِهٖۗ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللّٰهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا

In Holy Quran, Allah Almighty says: “And will provide for him from where he does not expect. 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.” (QS. At-Talaq :3).

In another surah, it is mentioned:

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًۭا

"And put your trust in Allah, for Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs." (QS. Al-Ahzab: 3)

Tawakkal is a kind of light for our hearts and a way for us to seek the closeness of God in a way that nothing else can accomplish. The element of this quality of the heart is based on two very important pillars: dependence on God and trust in God.

وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ...

"...and upon Allah let the believers rely." (QS. Ibrahim: 11)

And as a human, I think it is natural for us to seek something to lean on. Instead of relying on something incapable of uncertainties, we rely on something more powerful. Humans can be disappointing, but how could we be disappointed by God's choices (Allah knows best). But it is important to remember that relying on God doesn't necessarily mean we don't rely on humans at all. It works both ways in different intensities, in which relying on humans is sometimes an effort for us to rely on God, in a way that we believe God makes it capable for us through other humans. But all the way up we believe that it is only God that is All-capable and everything happens after God's power.

An example is: going to the doctor when we're sick. When we're sick, we are required to seek help from the doctor. We rely on the doctor knowing that the doctor is one of the possibilities God can make capable for us to be cured. Biidznillah, if Allah may, you are cured in syaa Allah.

The Benefits of Tawakkal

One of the major benefits for me is reducing depression, anxiety, and stress. In a way that I never need to worry and be discouraged about difficult situations. I still do worry about stuff tho, sometimes (I am still imperfect). But I couldn't imagine the intensities of depression I would be without tawakkal. Relying on God creates such full satisfaction and peace for me. Helping me through difficult situations and low moods.

Relying on God saves me from being too dependent on others and mature to solve problems without harming anyone as well. One of my major traits is I easily trust and depend on someone (way too much). I could tell from experience, depending too much on others will lead to disappointment. It makes sense though since we create trust in something incapable. When the incapable human being that we depend on can't live up to our expectations, we feel upset. But with tawakkal, I couldn't appeal. Sometimes something doesn't go as I expected, but our trust in God's decision makes it possible for us to rest easy.

We live up to our daily life with maximal effort. Knowing that tawakkal is obtained by giving the best effort (ihsan and itqan), we do that on day to day basis. There's no such laziness because God has bestowed His sustenance on each and every creature on earth if we are willing to seek it.

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Sources:

- Al-Qur'anul kariim

- http://www.quranreading.com/blog/importance-and-benefits-of-tawakkul-trust-and-reliance-on-allah/

- https://muslim.sg/articles/tawakkul-meaning

- https://muslim-or-id.webpkgcache.com/doc/-/s/muslim.or.id/42819-salah-paham-tentang-memahami-tawakal.html

Barakallahu fiikum. Waallaahu a'lam.