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.
