❖ Adopting Means and Relying on Allah: Shar‘i Guidance and Islamic Teachings ❖
Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
During the Gulf War, some people adopted protective measures while others avoided them, claiming they were relying on Allah.
Does adopting worldly means contradict true tawakkul (reliance on Allah)?
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā baʿd!
A true believer must:
✔ Keep their heart attached to Allah,
✔ Rely solely on Him for gaining benefit and repelling harm,
✔ Believe that Allah alone is the Sovereign of the heavens and the earth.
Qur’anic Evidence:
﴿وَلِلَّهِ غَيبُ السَّمـٰوٰتِ وَالأَرضِ وَإِلَيهِ يُرجَعُ الأَمرُ كُلُّهُ فَاعبُدهُ وَتَوَكَّل عَلَيهِ﴾
(Hūd: 123)
“To Allah belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth. To Him alone all affairs return, so worship Him and place your trust in Him.”
Mūsā (عليه السلام) said to his people:
﴿فَعَلَيهِ تَوَكَّلوا﴾
(Yūnus: 84–86)
“Put your trust in Him if you are truly Muslims...”
Likewise, Allah commands:
﴿وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَليَتَوَكَّلِ المُؤمِنونَ﴾ (Āl ʿImrān: 160)
﴿وَمَن يَتَوَكَّل عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسبُهُ﴾ (al-Ṭalāq: 3)
“Whoever places his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him.”
A believer is:
➤ Obligated to place hope and reliance upon Allah,
➤ While also adopting Sharʿī, practical, and natural means that Allah has permitted or commanded.
✔ Adopting means is not against tawḥīd or tawakkul.
Rather, it is an expression of one’s faith in Allah’s wisdom and obedience to His divine laws.
The Prophet ﷺ, despite being Sayyid al-Mutawakkilīn (Master of the Trusting), would take all necessary precautions:
❀ He ﷺ used to recite Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ and Muʿawwidhatayn and perform ruqyah before sleeping.
❀ He ﷺ wore armor in battles.
❀ When threatened by enemies, he ﷺ supervised the digging of a trench (Khandaq) around Madinah.
Allah praised the protective measures of past prophets:
﴿وَعَلَّمنـهُ صَنعَةَ لَبوسٍ لَكُم لِتُحصِنَكُم مِن بَأسِكُم﴾ (al-Anbiyāʾ: 80)
“We taught him the skill of making armor to protect you in battle…”
🛡 The armor of Dāwūd (عليه السلام) was a means of protection, taught and permitted by Allah Himself.
Those living in conflict zones are allowed to:
◈ Use protective masks against harmful gases
◈ Take precautions to block toxins from entering homes
◈ Store food and essentials, anticipating shortages
Such actions are wise, permitted, and even recommended, especially when risk is high.
Even when all means are in place:
➤ One’s heart should never rely on the means themselves.
➤ Rather, firm belief must remain that:
✔ Benefit and harm rest solely with Allah,
✔ Means are only tools, granted by Allah and effective only by His will,
✔ Gratitude should be shown for these means as blessings from Allah, not as independent powers.
May Allah protect us from trials and destruction,
Grant us sincere īmān and tawakkul,
And enable us to adopt the lawful means in a way that earns His pleasure.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām❖ Question:
During the Gulf War, some people adopted protective measures while others avoided them, claiming they were relying on Allah.
Does adopting worldly means contradict true tawakkul (reliance on Allah)?
✔ Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā baʿd!
❖ Introduction: The Believer’s Duty
A true believer must:
✔ Keep their heart attached to Allah,
✔ Rely solely on Him for gaining benefit and repelling harm,
✔ Believe that Allah alone is the Sovereign of the heavens and the earth.
Qur’anic Evidence:﴿وَلِلَّهِ غَيبُ السَّمـٰوٰتِ وَالأَرضِ وَإِلَيهِ يُرجَعُ الأَمرُ كُلُّهُ فَاعبُدهُ وَتَوَكَّل عَلَيهِ﴾
(Hūd: 123)
“To Allah belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth. To Him alone all affairs return, so worship Him and place your trust in Him.”
❖ The Prophetic Way: Trust Alongside Action
Mūsā (عليه السلام) said to his people:﴿فَعَلَيهِ تَوَكَّلوا﴾
(Yūnus: 84–86)
“Put your trust in Him if you are truly Muslims...”
Likewise, Allah commands:﴿وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَليَتَوَكَّلِ المُؤمِنونَ﴾ (Āl ʿImrān: 160)
﴿وَمَن يَتَوَكَّل عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسبُهُ﴾ (al-Ṭalāq: 3)
“Whoever places his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him.”
❖ Tawakkul with Asbāb (Means): Islamic Balance
A believer is:
➤ Obligated to place hope and reliance upon Allah,
➤ While also adopting Sharʿī, practical, and natural means that Allah has permitted or commanded.
✔ Adopting means is not against tawḥīd or tawakkul.
Rather, it is an expression of one’s faith in Allah’s wisdom and obedience to His divine laws.
❖ The Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ:
The Prophet ﷺ, despite being Sayyid al-Mutawakkilīn (Master of the Trusting), would take all necessary precautions:
❀ He ﷺ used to recite Sūrat al-Ikhlāṣ and Muʿawwidhatayn and perform ruqyah before sleeping.
❀ He ﷺ wore armor in battles.
❀ When threatened by enemies, he ﷺ supervised the digging of a trench (Khandaq) around Madinah.
❖ Means Are a Blessing from Allah
Allah praised the protective measures of past prophets:﴿وَعَلَّمنـهُ صَنعَةَ لَبوسٍ لَكُم لِتُحصِنَكُم مِن بَأسِكُم﴾ (al-Anbiyāʾ: 80)
“We taught him the skill of making armor to protect you in battle…”
🛡 The armor of Dāwūd (عليه السلام) was a means of protection, taught and permitted by Allah Himself.
❖ Safety Measures in Times of War:
Those living in conflict zones are allowed to:
◈ Use protective masks against harmful gases
◈ Take precautions to block toxins from entering homes
◈ Store food and essentials, anticipating shortages
Such actions are wise, permitted, and even recommended, especially when risk is high.❖ The Key Principle: The Heart Must Trust Allah
Even when all means are in place:
➤ One’s heart should never rely on the means themselves.
➤ Rather, firm belief must remain that:
✔ Benefit and harm rest solely with Allah,
✔ Means are only tools, granted by Allah and effective only by His will,
✔ Gratitude should be shown for these means as blessings from Allah, not as independent powers.
❖ Supplication:
May Allah protect us from trials and destruction,
Grant us sincere īmān and tawakkul,
And enable us to adopt the lawful means in a way that earns His pleasure.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
