Explanation of the Hadeeth: ''Were You To Depend upon Allaah with True Dependence...''

 

Explanation of the Hadeeth from 'Umar, رضي الله تعالى عنه that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: 

"Were you to depend upon Allaah with true dependence, He would have provided for you like He provides for the bird; early in the morning he leaves hungry, but returns at the end of the day with a full stomach."

(At-Tirmithi no. 2344, Ibn Majah no.4I64, Ahmad 1/30,52, Ibn Hibban no. 2548 and Al-Hakim 4/318) & was recorded by Imaam Ahmad, At-Tirmithi, An-Nisa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, and Al-Hakim, and At-Tirmithi said, "This Hadeeth is Hasan Sahih."

The (Arabic) word (in the Hadeeth is) "Tawakkul," means to depend sincerely in one's heart upon Allaah Almighty, for bringing blessings & warding off harms, for this world & the Hereafter. If people were to sincerely trust & depend upon Allaah to bring them that which benefits them & to keep away that which harms them, & if they take reasonable, practical steps themselves, Allaah will send their provision to them by the simplest of means. Just as Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى gives the bird provision when it simply leaves in the morning, seeking its sustenance, & returns at the end of the day. Yes, it does go out to search, but it is an easy effort. Tawakkul in reality does not deny actually working & striving for provision, for Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى has decreed that we should work & it is from His ways that He gives people when they strive. 

In fact, Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى ordered us to both depend upon Him & to work, to take the necessary steps needed to achieve our goals, & so the act of striving for our sustenance is an act of physical worship while trusting & depending upon Allaah is faith in Him. He said: 

وَعلَى اللّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ

"And in Allaah let believers put their Trust"

[Ibrahim 14:11]

He made Tawakkul like Taqwa which is to establish the means that have been ordered, while depending upon Allaah. Dependence without working & striving is mere impotence, even though, when one does this, he may appear to depend on Allaah to a certain degree. No one, then, should transform his trust into mere impotence & weakness. One should rather deem his trust in Allaah to be like working & striving: it is one of the necessary steps one must take to achieve his goal. 

And with Allaah is the facilitation to do what is right. May Allaah send peace & blessings upon Muhammad   صلى الله عليه وسلم , his family & his Companions.

Permanent Committee for Research and Verdicts
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 7, Pages 172-174