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From Issue: 420 [Read full issue]

Living the Quran

Al Anfal (The Spoils of War)
Chapter 8: Verse 2

True Believers
"For, Believers are those who, when Allah is mentioned, feel a tremor in their hearts, and when they hear His Signs rehearsed, find their faith strengthened, and put (all) their trust in their Lord."

Wajl of the Heart

Aishah, may Allah be pleased with her has said, "Wajl can be likened to the spark of a burning palm-leaf. When one of you feels that, let him resort to supplications." (Ibn Jarir, Alusi, Shawkani, Manar)

Imam Razi writes: "Of 'fear' there are two kinds: fear of punishment and fear of Allah's Greatness and Majesticity. The first is that of the sinner. As for the second kind, there is no escape from it for anyone, be it a Prophet or an angel close to Allah. It is the first kind that is alluded to here. Suddi has said that he is a believer who, when he intends a sin or wrong, is reminded of Allah and told, 'Fear Allah,' then his heart is shaken by fear and he desists." (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir)

True Faith

Umar bin Abdul Aziz wrote to someone: "Faith is (the other name of) superogatories, obligatories and the Law. Whoever observed them fully, completed his faith. Whoever didn't, didn't complete his faith." (Zamakhshari)

Razi adds: "The strength and quantity of faith depends upon the evidences that one has, of which of course, there is no end. It is a shoreless ocean. Everytime one discovers the wisdom behind one creation, he moves on to the wisdom behind the creation of another, and so on, each step causing increase in his faith."

Someone asked Hasan al-Busri, "O Abu Said, are you a believer?" He replied, "There are two kinds of faiths. If you are asking me about belief in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers and in Paradise, Fire, resurrection and reckoning, then, yes I am a believer. But if you are asking me about this verse then I am not too sure if I belong to that category." (Zamakhshari) Therefore, adds Qurtubi, the true believer is one who will be judged (in the Hereafter) as one deserving Paradise. Until then his state is a secret unto all but Allah.

However, when belief and unbelief are mentioned as a basis of membership of the Muslim community or in connection with legal rights and responsibilities as necessary corollaries of that membership, a clear line of demarcation is drawn on the basic minimum of belief regardless of the quality of belief.

Compiled From:
"Tafsir Ishraq Al-Ma'ani" - Syed Iqbal Zaheer, pp. 162-164

Understanding the Prophet's Life

Obedience to Allah in Times of Turmoil

Maqil bin Yasar (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, "The reward of worship performed at a time of trials is equal in reward to an emigration to me.'' [Muslim].

When turmoil is rampant and society is plagued with evils, the worship and obedience of Allah becomes very difficult. The reason being that in such a situation evils are widespread and therefore everyone easily inclines to them. In such circumstances, worship of Allah and compliance of His Orders are merits of great eminence and their reward have been likened to the reward of going for Hijrah (Emigration) to Al-Madinah at that time when this migration was Wajib (obligatory). Emigration was at that time obligatory and to bid farewell to home, property, business and homeland was sacrifice of the highest order. But this sacrifice was worth its reward. A similar reward is promised to those who will be obedient to Allah and worship Him in an age of mischief.

Compiled From:
"Riyad-us-Saliheen"- Abu Zakariya Yahya (Imam Nawawi)

Blindspot!

The Principle of Tawakkul

Tawakkul means trust in Allah and acceptance of His divine decree (qada' and qadar) in every aspect of life. Tawakkul means that the believer's heart has faith in the power, wisdom, and justice of Allah, and believes that it is He who is in control of all things.

The tawakkul of the believer stems from his belief in the unseen and the predicates of the unseen world which Allah, the Lord of Heaven and Earth, controls; He alone has knowledge of it.

A Muslim's understanding of tawakkul is a natural and sensitive understanding which represents one of the most important sources of his or her psychological strength and energy; the source from which spring patience, forbearance, determination, contentment and happiness.

The Muslim's belief in the divine predicates and the methodology of his thought concerning them are that everything will ultimately be for the good, because the true Muslim gives thanks when he is blessed and is patient at the time of trial. Likewise, when he has good fortune in this life, he will be content. And if bad fortune befalls him and he is patient and trusts in Allah, he will find his reward in the Hereafter. The Muslim's belief in the divine predicates is that a Muslim's efforts will ultimately succeed, whatever material successes or failures these efforts may have in this life. It is the belief that ultimately the truth will prevail and the jihad of the Ummah of truth will eventually be victorious; and that falsehood will fail and its supporters will finally be defeated in the conflict between good and evil throughout history, when all shall rise to face Allah.

An important distinction needs to made here. Tawakkul is not the same as tawakul (fatalistic acceptance). Tawakkul is a Muslim's trust and acceptance of the divine predicates which no one can know, or understand, or control, except Allah. The meaning of tawakul, on the other hand, contains elements of inertia, inability, and general incompetence, for it indicates a refusal to strive in accordance with the laws and standards which Allah has laid down for humankind. The fatalism inherent in the concept of tawakul spells both disobedience to the commandments of Allah and defiance of nature, fitrah. Shortcomings in striving to know and use the appropriate means and to follow the natural laws do not stem from trust in Allah, or tawakkul Rather, finding and using appropriate means are the essence of man's responsibility in this life; it is that by which his will is tested, and it is the purpose of his existence. But tawakul is a corruption of this sort of faith. Hence, when a bedouin who had confused tawakkul for tawakul came to the Prophet and asked about this matter, the Prophet explained it clearly: "Take the appropriate action, then put your trust in Allah."

Following the same principle, 'Umar ibn al Khattab answered those who thought that he was fleeing from the decree of Allah when he refused to enter a land which was infected by the plague. They thought that neglecting to find the correct means, or that failing to work according to the natural laws which Allah had imposed upon the universe was true tawakkul and reliance upon Allah. 'Umar's reply was very clear: "I flee from one decree of Allah to another."

If one becomes infected, that is the decree of Allah; and if one seeks to protect oneself from that infection, that too is the decree of Allah. Everything happens by the will of Allah, and striving to use the appropriate means in accordance with the natural laws also stems from the decree of Allah. It is a way of obeying Him. Certainly, it does not imply kufr, or that one is not relying upon Him.

From this clear distinction between the meanings of tawakkul and tawakul, and in the light of what man's fitrah dictates, and Allah's commands to man to be a khalifah on earth and to manage and care for it, we can easily understand that tawakul is unnatural. Certainly, Islam does not teach it. On the contrary, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the Islamic meaning of tawakkul, or with the first Muslims' beliefs. In fact, it contradicts every aspect of the life of the Prophet and his Companions, their jihad, the efforts they expended in accordance with the natural laws, their planning, and their ways of thinking.

Compiled From:
"Crisis in The Muslim Mind" - AbdulHamid A. AbuSulayman, Chapter Three

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