5 Tips
As we conclude our Muharram discussions on finding the balance between Tawakkul and the adoption of means, we look at five tips that will help us find this balance.

1. Don’t be lazy
Tawakkul sometimes is mistaken for “sitting back” and thinking our problems will be solved just by believing Allah will take care of our affairs. But look at what Imaan is. It is not just having faith, as it’s often translated. It’s the combination of faith and acting upon that faith.

The same goes for Tawakkul. Don’t give up on your own efforts. Rather strive and work with the attitude that Allah will take care of your affairs and will help you get through your trials. This proactive attitude is part of Tawakkul.

2. Don’t be arrogant
We should always plan and work based on what Allah has blessed us with in knowledge and intelligence. We should fully use those blessings by thanking Allah for them, without ever feeling proud or arrogant about our abilities. It is Allah who gave us the ability to work, and ultimately it’s the favor of Allah which will make us successful or not.

3. Go for the fruit
Accept whatever happens. We should believe that Allah out of His wisdom may decide to supersede all our plans for reasons that only He knows. This is the fruit of Tawakkul. Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali said, The fruit of tawakkul is the acceptance of Allah’s decree. Whoever leaves his affairs to Allah and then is accepting of what he is given has truly relied on Allah.
We should remind ourselves that believing in Taqdeer (Allah’s divine will and decree) is one of the pillars of our faith. We should tell ourselves that whatever will happen, will happen, and we can only do the best we can.

4. Precaution
Yaqub A.S. took all precautionary measures when he sent his sons to Egypt and advised them to enter from different gates of the city so they wouldn’t look suspicious, yet his measures were still overtaken by the divine decree. But still, he took all the measures he could to avoid any possible risk.

This is where most of us go wrong. We either rely on our efforts and measures and discard our trust in Allah, or we rely on “trust in Allah” and don’t adopt any practical measures to solve our problems.

5. Allah is al-Wakeel
Allah is al-Wakeel, the ultimate and the best trustee. Everything He decrees for us is good for us. He’s the best disposer of affairs. He’s sufficient for all of us. We should constantly remind ourselves that Allah is the ultimate trustee; this will no doubt assist us in building our Tawakkul.

Finally, we should always remember the three steps of Tawakkul…
* Put your trust in Allah Al-Wakeel
* Use your God-granted faculties to put in your best efforts
* Believe in Taqdeer (the divine decree)