What is tawakkul? What is the meaning of ‘dependence’ on Allah?

The people who call themselves Sufi, have made it a profession to live up on other people. They consider this to be putting ones trust in Allah, they don’t do trade or travel or they take no means, no efforts to earn for themselves, and depend on other people to support them considering this to be true dependence on Allah, tawakkul. However, what we find from the Prophet Muhammed’s (ﷺ) example is that he prohibited begging and prohibited people from depending on other people without a genuine need. A man came to him on one occasion and asked permission to get some charity but Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) said, it is better that one cut wood, and carry it on his back to the market than to beg someone who may or may not give him[1]. Putting one’s trust in Allah involves efforts first. The putting of the trust is not just putting oneself in that situation without taking necessary efforts and saying Allah will provide. The people who do this, take it from the hadeeth of Prophet Mohammed (ﷺ) which is authentic in which he said, “If you trust in Allah, as he should be trusted, he would provide for you the way he provides the birds who leave their nest in the morning with empty stomach and return at dusk with their stomachs full.”[2] This hadeeth does not support their claim that the birds leave their nests with empty stomachs and come back full without having made any effort. But the fact is that the bird, when it goes out it makes an effort, it goes in search of food, it doesn’t just fly in the air and fly back and expect to find the food in the nest. If it was true as these people claim then, it would expect to find the food in the nest and no bird will go flying here and there searching, struggling to find something to eat. Instead it makes an effort, and Allah provides for it, and this is the true concept of trusting in Allah.

On one occasion, a man came to Prophet Mohammed (ﷺ) in the masjid to speak to him. He then remembered that he hadn’t tied his camel outside the masjid. He asked the Prophet (ﷺ) whether he should go and tie the camel or should he just trust in Allah. The Prophet (ﷺ) told him to tie the camel first and then place his trust in Allah.[3] Since the man was under the mistaken impression that tying the camel was not trusting in Allah, so he had a choice, either tie the camel which means trusting in himself for doing this thing or just trusting in Allah that the camel wouldn’t run away, so Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) told him to tie the camel and trust in Allah.

This is the way of the Muslims, they take and utilize the means that are available to the utmost and then they put their trust in Allah for the remainder. After having done the utmost, then what comes as a result of that is with Allah. And we are content with what Allah provides.

References:

[1] Sahih Bukhari: Book of limited share, cropping and water: Hadith 2245

[2] Sunan Tirmidhi: Vol 4: Hadith 2344: classed as sahih, hasan by Imaam Tirmidhi

[3] Narrated by Anas bin Malik, Sunan Tirmidhi: Vol 4, Hadith 2517, classed as Hasan by Imaam Al-Albani