TRUSTING IN GOD (TAWAKKUL)
Mokhtar Stork
Trusting in Allah (Tawakkal) is part and parcel of Faith and Belief (Iman). Understanding how it functions is important. One simply cannot place 'blind' trust in something or some action, which could lead to death.
Several Malaysian newspaper reports revealed that Tabliqh Jema’ah
was responsible for the initial spread of Coronavirus in Malaysia. A gathering
at Masjid Jamek Sri Petaling in Kuala Lumpur took place from Feb 27 to March 1,
drawing 16,000 followers, including those who traveled from overseas. [https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/coronavirus-malaysian-police-to-track-down-4000-participants-of-mosque-event-for-covid].
TWO TYPES OF TAWAKKAL
There are two
forms of trusting in Allah. The first: Anas Ibnu Malik (r.a.) reported:
A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, should I tie my
camel and trust in Allah, or should I leave her untied and trust in Allah?” The
Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Tie her and trust in Allah,” (Tirmidhi).
The second: ‘Umar (r.a.)
said, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) say:
‘If you were to rely upon Allah with the reliance, He is due, you would be
given provision like the birds: They go out hungry in the morning and come back
with full bellies in the evening.” (Sunan Ibnu Majah)
TABLIQH JEMA'AH
It is terribly erroneous to
simply trust in Allah without
taking into account your state of Iman (faith). It is a misconception to believe
that just because you believe in it in a theoretical sense it will work out
right, you are wrong. As such, the Tabliqh was right is conveying the message of
reliance in Allah (Ilmul Yaqeen) but lacked wisdom (hikmah) in presenting at
the level of Haqqul Yaqeen, which required total conviction and which has to
be developed with time.
According
to the Shari’ah, “tying your camel” means taking the necessary precautions
alongside placing your trust in Allah. In relation to COVID-19, wearing a mask
and observing social distance, represents ‘tying your camel’. However, do keep in mind that there is no guarantee that locking your car will keep it safe. It merely means you have complied with the necessary obligatory requirements over security and safety.
On the whole, Tabliqh Jema'ah is good for one who has no Islamic knowledge. However, it has several defects: The FIRST: The organisation only deals with one aspect of Islam, namely, calling people to goodness, it does not speak out against injustices done. The Qur'anic verse requires both. SECOND: There is no such thing as serving Allah for 40 days or a week because the Qur'an states: "Say, “Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my life, and my death are all for Allah—Lord of all worlds," (Surah Nahl 6:162). THIRD: The founding fathers of Tabliqh Jema'ah were Sufi Saints. From being a spiritual entity it became physicalised. FOURTH: The book it uses as a reference contains countless weak Hadith (Da'if).
Finally, Making this approach compulsory or as an imposition on anyone is wrong. It is up to an individual to join or not, and every individual has to act responsibly. One cannot go running around in servitude, neglecting other obligations required under the Shari'ah, such as looking after and providing for one's family etc. [REDONE: Mokhtar Stork 31 Oct 2026]
