The Definition and Secret of Tawakkul
Tawakkul (trusting in Allah) is when a person, recognizing their own weakness (‘‘admiyyat‘), entrusts all their power and strength to Allah. True tawakkul means abandoning the notion that transient beings and causes are nurturing, and instead completely connecting the heart to Allah. Shaykh Najm al-Din Kubra defined tawakkul as “remaining detached from all means and precautions, like a person who is deceased, trusting in Allah.” The verse, “And Allah suffices as a disposer of affairs” (Talak 39:36), is the clearest evidence of the boundless peace and Divine guarantee that tawakkul brings to the heart.
The Balance Between Work and Tawakkul
In Islam, tawakkul does not mean laziness or abandoning work. On the path of perfecting faith, a servant first resorts to means, seeks sustenance through lawful ways; but with their heart, they must know that it is Allah who provides sustenance, not their efforts. The Prophets themselves worked and exerted effort in this world, yet they practiced tawakkul by leaving the results to Allah. Clinging to means is the responsibility of the body, while trusting in the Creator of those means is the responsibility of the heart. When a servant performs their work with a sincere intention and then surrenders the outcome to Allah, they are freed from worldly anxieties and fear of poverty.
Seeing the True Agent Beyond Means
The pinnacle of tawakkul is setting aside outward means and witnessing the absolute will behind every affair. Imam Ghazali (may Allah sanctify his secret) explains this with a profound analogy: An ant, seeing letters on a piece of paper, would say, ‘These are written by a pen,’ because it does not lift its head to see the finger holding the pen, the hand, the will that moves it, and the true Creator. Most people also look at events in this way, getting stuck with the closest cause. However, those who possess perfect tawakkul see the “Creator of Causes” (Musabbib al-Asbab) behind events and find peace through complete submission, connecting their hearts only to Him.