This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Abu Hamza Abdul Khaliq Siddiqi's book Sahi Fazail-e-Amaal.
The people of faith should rely solely on Allah, with the belief and certainty that there is no helper or supporter besides Him. Whoever trusts in Allah becomes beloved to Allah, and what can be said about one who becomes beloved to Allah? Accordingly, the Lord of Glory and Honor has said:
﴿فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لَانفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَاعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ﴾
"Because of Allah’s mercy, you are gentle with them. And if you had been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in affairs. And when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely upon Him."
Reference: (3-Al Imran:159)
Allama Fakhr al-Din Razi (may Allah have mercy on him) comments on this noble verse, stating: "This noble verse indicates that relying on apparent means does not contradict reliance (tawakkul), provided that the means are used but trust and confidence are not placed in them; rather, trust is placed in the Exalted Allah."
Reference: Tafsir Kabir, under the verse Fabama...
⋆ According to Allama Iqbal
The meaning of reliance is to keep your dagger sharp,
Then leave the decision about its sharpness to Allah.
Allah, the Owner of the Kingdom, the Saki of Kawthar, the Imam of the Messengers, the Seal of the Prophets, peace be upon him, was commanded to rely solely on Allah in all his invitational and non-invitational affairs. He is the Ever-Living and Sustainer from eternity and will remain so forever. Every creature will perish, but the Lord of Glory’s unique Being will remain alive and established; therefore, He alone is worthy of trust and confidence. For enduring the hardships and difficulties faced in the propagation of religion and remaining steadfast, recite the glorification of Allah, perform prayer, and keep repeating the remembrance of Allah. Allah Almighty has said:
﴿وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى الْحَيِّ الَّذِي لَا يَمُوتُ وَسَبِّحْ بِحَمْدِهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِهِ بِذُنُوبِ عِبَادِهِ خَبِيرًا﴾
"Put your trust in the Ever-Living who does not die, and exalt Him with praise. He is fully aware of the sins of His servants."
Reference: (25-Al Furqan:58)
Whoever relies solely on Allah in all matters and does not neglect his duties and obligations, Allah is his helper and supporter in every situation. Allah, the Lord of Honor, has said:
﴿وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا﴾
"And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent."
Reference: (64-At Talaq:3)
The characteristic of the believers is described as that they rely only on their Lord in every situation; they neither hope from anyone other than Allah nor fear anyone else. They do not entrust their affairs to anyone other than Allah. Allah Almighty says:
﴿ إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَإِذَا تُلِيَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتُهُ زَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَانًا وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ﴾
"The believers are only those who, when Allah is mentioned, their hearts become fearful, and when His verses are recited to them, it increases them in faith; and upon their Lord they rely."
Reference: (8-Al Anfal:2)
Further, it is stated:
﴿وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوا إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ﴾
"And if you are believers, then rely upon Allah alone."
Reference: (5-Al Maidah:23)
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) used to supplicate:
اللهم لك أسلمت وبك آمنت ، وعليك توكلت ، وإليك أنبت ، وبك خاصمت . اللهم أعوذ بعزتك، لا إله إلا أنت أن تضلني ، أنت الحي الذى لا يموت ، والجن والإنس يموتون
"O Allah! I have entrusted myself to You, and I have believed in You, and I have relied upon You, and I have turned to You, and I seek the solution to my disputed matters from Your justice. O Allah! I seek refuge in Your honor, there is no deity except You, from being led astray from the straight path. You are Ever-Living and Sustainer, who never dies, while all mankind and jinn will enter the embrace of death."
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tawheed, No: 7383 - Sahih Muslim, Book of Remembrance and Supplication, No: 6899.
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates:
”حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل، قالها إبراهيم عليه السلام حين ألقي فى النار، وقالها محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم حين قالوا: إن الناس قد جمعوا لكم فاخشوهم فزادهم إيمانا وقالوا: حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل.“
Sayyiduna Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said ”حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل“ ("Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best Disposer of affairs") when he was thrown into the fire, and Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace be upon him) also said this phrase when the disbelievers said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them!" This increased their faith, and they said:
حسبنا الله ونعم الوكيل .
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tafsir Surah Al Imran, Chapter: Indeed the people have gathered against you, so fear them, No: 4563, 4564.
Allama Dawood Raz Dehlvi (may Allah have mercy on him) explains this hadith, writing: "This blessed phrase is a full expression of monotheism and reliance. Therefore, it is an excellent phrase that can strengthen resolve and courage during times of hardship. Reciting it regularly as a practice brings divine help and its blessings make every difficulty easy. Allah Almighty has taught this to His Messenger (peace be upon him) Himself, as mentioned in the verse ﴿فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ﴾."
Reference: (9-At Tawbah:129)
Reference: Sharh Sahih Bukhari by Allama Dawood Raz Dehlvi: 129/6.
When reliance is on Allah Almighty, one should not worry about sustenance, because Allah has taken responsibility for it. It is narrated from the Commander of the Faithful, Sayyiduna Umar ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
لو أنكم تتوكلون على الله حق توكله لرزقتم كما يرزق الطير ، تغدو خماصا وتروح بطانا
"If you rely upon Allah as you should, He will provide for you as He provides for the birds: they go out hungry in the morning and return full in the evening."
Reference: Sunan Tirmidhi, Chapters on Asceticism, Chapter on Reliance on Allah, No: 2344 – Sahih al-Jami’ al-Saghir, No: 5254
The use of apparent means is only for peace of heart; otherwise, Allah Almighty does not need any apparent means. An example is the situation during the migration when the people of Makkah wanted to kill the Prophet (peace be upon him). He and Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) secretly left Makkah and hid in the Cave of Thawr for three days. The enemies pursued them and took every human precaution to find them, but Allah protected His Prophet (peace be upon him) and safely brought him to Madinah. Imam Bukhari and Muslim narrate from Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that:
نظرت إلى أقدام المشركين على رؤوسنا ونحن فى الغار ، فقلت: يا رسول الله لو أن أحدهم نظر إلى قدميه أبصرنا تحت قدميه ، فقال: يا أبا بكر. ما ظنك باثنين الله ثالثهما ؟
"When we were in the cave, I saw the footsteps of the polytheists above our heads. I said: O Messenger of Allah! If one of the enemies looks down at his feet, he will see us. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: O Abu Bakr! What do you think of the two with whom the third is Allah?"
Reference: Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tafsir, Chapter on the saying: Two, take them into the cave, No: 4663 – Sahih Muslim, Book of Virtues of the Companions, Chapter on the Virtues of Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), No: 6169.
If a person even abandons the use of apparent means, that is the perfection of reliance. Such people will enter Paradise without reckoning. It is narrated from Sayyiduna Imran ibn Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
يدخل الجنة من أمتي سبعون ألفا بغير حساب قالوا: من هم يا رسول الله؟ قال: هم الذين يسترقون، ولا يتطيرون، ولا يكتون ، وعلى ربهم يتوكلون
"Seventy thousand people of my nation will enter Paradise without reckoning." The Companions asked: O Messenger of Allah! Who are they? He said: They are those who do not ask for ruqyah (healing), do not believe in bad omens, and do not get branded, but rely solely on their Lord."
Reference: Sahih Muslim, Book of Faith, No: 218
