More on Tawakkul

I was caught up in a situation that I desperately wanted to get out of. I thought of many different possibilities and many different solutions. However, every time I tried to solve the problem, there was another hurdle on the way.

-Nah, I thought to myself. – I’m such a problem solver. I can’t give up. I won’t give up. Let me just try this other way. Do you sometimes find yourself overanalyzing a situation?

Overthinking the matters all because you want to solve this problem you’re facing? So, you will be like, “Let me think over it again. One more phone call, one more email, discuss the matters with so and so. If I just think hard enough, if I just plan it better, if I just check everything well ahead of time, do the risk assessments, and everything. And then everything will work out. InshaAllah”

We all do that. Then we don’t get the outcome we expected. And again. And again. Until finally you surrender to Allah and start believing there must be some khayr for you in how things unfolded.

When I accepted, surrendered and uttered “I hand everything over to Allah. And I trust His plan” there was so much tranquility that came with that thinking. It felt like medicine that I finally applied to my aching soul. When you surrender to the will of God, there is something so relieving in that. There is something so freeing in that. Is this tawakkul? And this is what I was supposed to be doing all along?

Often we think we are in charge of our affairs. “Alhamdulillah, everything is under control” we utter to ourselves. Yes, everything IS under control, but under ALLAH’s control. We all know this but can’t often internalize it quick enough when caught up in a difficult situation, subhanAllah.Know that you have no control over anything or anyone. And everything happens by the will of God. Whatever God has destined for you, will come to be. There’s no stopping. And whatever He hasn’t destined for you, nothing can make it happen.

No matter how hard you think, how hard you plan and how hard you work, ultimately if it’s not written for you, you won’t have it. Yes, we have been ordered to tie the knot. And yes, we have to do what we have to do, within our means and making use of the resources available to us. But, to unburden your mental state and to free your soul, tie the knot, and don’t forget to put your trust in God.

Tie the knot and then let go of your list of worries because the One Who is in Control knows exactly what you need at what time.

You must convince your heart that whatever Allah has decreed is most appropriate and most beneficial for you (Ghazali)

“No disaster strikes except by permission of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah – He will guide his heart. And Allah is Knowing of all things.” (Surat At-Taghabun, 11)