Sultan Bahoo The Life and Teachings/Tawakkal (Trust upon Allah)

Having complete trust upon Allah is called ‘Tawakkal’. It is the first and foremost demand of true faith and Divine Love of Allah that everything and every matter is handed over to Allah, even one’s own self. Tawakkal is considered the foundation of ‘Faqr’ and it is the first lesson taught by the Spiritual Mentor. It is also the most prominent sign of a True Seeker of Allah that he trusts upon Allah for all his matters.

In the Holy Quran, Allah has drawn attention of the believers repeatedly towards this. He says:

“Have Tawakkal (trust) in Him if you are a Muslim.” (Surah Younas-84)

When the entire Ummah of Hazrat Noah Alayh Salam left him and became his enemy, then he Alayh Salam said: ''“I have my Tawakkal in Allah alone. You carry on making your plans (against me).”'' (Surah Younas-71)

When Hazrat Ya’qoob Alayh Salam was about to send Benjamin to Egypt, he took vow from his brothers and said: ''“Decree rests with Allah alone. In Him have I put my Tawakkal and all those who trust, must have trust in Him alone.”'' (Surah Yousuf-67)

In Surah Talaq, it has been said, “He who has Tawakkal in Allah, Allah alone is sufficient for him.”

In Surah-al-Imran, it has been said, ''“If Allah helps you, no one can overpower you and if He abandons you, then who can help you? And the true believers should have Tawakkal in Allah only.”''

Rizq (sustenance) is not limited to a particular place, person or source. Allah can provide it to anyone, anywhere, through any source. Those who migrate from one place to another and persevere, Allah makes arrangements for providing them their food by virtue of their Tawakkal, the way He provides for birds and animals everywhere. For getting the livelihood, man should have Tawakkal in Allah. Allah says about having trust in Him with regard to sustenance:

"And He provides him sustenance from a source which he can never think of and whoever keeps Tawakkal in Allah, then He is sufficient for him. Surely, Allah does what He wills. Allah has certainly made a measure for everything." (Surah Talaq-3)

The person who resigns to the will of Allah, Allah provides him his Rizq from such a source, about which he has not even thought of. That is why, for those who keep Tawakkal in Allah in the matters of Rizq, Allah is enough.

Another tradition from Hazrat Umer Razi Allah Anhu follows that he heard Rasool Allah Sall’Allahu Alayhi Wa’alihi Wasallam saying: “If you have Tawakkal in Allah, the way you should truly have it, then you would get your food like birds do, as they set out empty-stomach and return satiated in the evening.” (Ibn-e-Maja)

According to a tradition from Hazrat Abu Hurairah Razi Allah Anhu, Nabi Akram Sall’Allahu Alayhi Wa’alihi Wasallam said, “Allah says: If My men truly trust in Me, then I would shower rain upon them during the night and would make the sun to rise during the day and would not let them hear even the sound of thunder.” (Musnad Imam Ahmed)

Hazrat Shaikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Razi Allah Anhu says: “You should not worry about your livelihood because it searches for you more than you search for it. When you have received today’s Rizq, then do not worry about tomorrow’s. The way you have left worrying about yesterday, as it has passed, similarly, you cannot judge whether tomorrow would come or not. So, focus on today.” (Al-Fatah Rabbani Majlis-17)

The man who trusts upon Allah does not worry about his daily bread or income. Most people get their Rizq as a result of their effort and hard work but the Rizq of the special and chosen ones is provided by Allah Himself. (Shams-ul-Fuqara)

Hazrat Sakhi Sultan Bahoo Rehmat-ul-Allah Alayh has also considered Tawakkal as the core foundation of ‘Faqr’. The seeker who does not have Tawakkal, cannot travel the path of Faqr. He Rehmat-ul-Allah Alayh says:

Tawakkal means renouncing all the treasures of the world, inspite of having complete authority over them, just to benefit the Muslims. (Aqal-e-Beydar)

"The Divine Light of Tawakkal is a water which, when drunk by Fuqara, gives them complete (spiritual and physical) health and tranquillity.” (Kaleed-ul-Tauheed Kalan)

Although Rizq comes through different sources, yet these sources too were created on the day of creation by Allah, the Causer of the causes. (Kaleed-ul-Tauheed Kalan)

The whole world is running after causes and sources with all their main and might, only a few people are attentive towards the Causer of the causes (Allah). (Kaleed-ul-Tauheed Kalan)

Sultan-ul-Arifeen Hazrat Sakhi Sultan Bahoo Rehmat-ul-Allah Alayh says in his Punjabi couplets: "One should walk upright on the path of Faqr with perfect belief and trust upon Allah. One should not be afraid to face the grief which ultimately brings happiness. One should remember the Divine Promise given in the Holy Quran that with every difficulty, there is surely a relief. Allah is indifferent and free of all needs. One should beg Him for His Union."

The Seeker of Allah should have Tawakkal in Allah at every moment, in every action and matter. It is better for him to hand over all his matters to Allah and not to interfere with the Will of Allah, as is said in the Quran: “I hand over my matters to Allah, certainly, He watches over His people.” (Surah Al-Momin 44)