There was a discussion about the issue of putting one’s trust in Allah (tawakkul) and taking measures; the trust of some of the righteous is like that of Maryam, to whom summer fruits used to come in the winter and vice versa without her taking any measures; rather she focused completely on worship. Please advise us about that, may Allah bless you.
Praise be to Allaah.
Putting one’s trust in Allah involves two things:
(i)
Depending on Allah and
believing that He is the One Who causes measures to be effective; His decree
comes to pass; He has decreed all things, counted them out and ordained
them, may He be glorified and exalted.
(ii)
Taking appropriate measures;
putting one’s trust in Allah does not mean refraining from taking measures;
rather part of putting one’s trust in Allah is taking appropriate measures
and striving to do so. The one who refrains from doing so has gone against
the laws and decree of Allah. Allah has commanded us to take appropriate
measures and He encourages us to do so; He commanded His Messenger
(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to do that.
So it is not permissible for the believer to refrain from
taking appropriate measures; in fact he is not truly putting his trust in
Allah unless he takes appropriate measures. Hence it is prescribed to get
married in order to have a child, and it is enjoined to have intercourse. If
someone were to say: I shall not get married and I shall wait to have a
child without getting married, he would be regarded as insane; this is not
the way of those who are wise and rational. Similarly, he should not sit in
his house or in the mosque seeking charity and waiting for provision to come
to him; rather he should strive hard and work to seek to earn halaal
provision.
Maryam (may Allah have mercy on her) did not forgo taking
measures. Allah said to her (interpretation of the meaning):
“And shake the trunk of date-palm towards you, it will let
fall fresh ripe-dates upon you” [Maryam 19:25]. So
she shook the palm tree and took appropriate measures until the dates fell.
Her action is not contrary to taking measures and the fact that she found
provision with her and that Allah honoured her and gave her some provision
does not indicate that she refrained from taking appropriate measures;
rather she devoted herself to worship and also took appropriate measures.
If Allah bestows upon some of His close friends some miracles
(karaamaat), this is by His grace and bounty, but that does not
indicate that we should forgo taking appropriate measures. It is proven that
the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Strive to do
that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allaah, and do not feel
helpless.” Narrated by Muslim, 2664. And Allah, may He be glorified and
exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): “You (Alone) we worship,
and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)” [al-Faatihah 1:5].
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him).
