Trust in God

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مَثَلَ ما رُوِيَ عن أَبِي حَمْزَةَ الصُّوفِيِّ أَنَّهُ وَقَعَ في بِئرٍ فَجاءَ رَجُلانِ فَطَمَّاها

Like the story narrated about Abu Hamza al-Sufi, who fell into a well, and then two men came and filled it up.

فَلَمْ يَنْطِقْ حَمْلًا لِنَفْسِهِ عَلَى التَّوَكُّلِ بِزَعْمِهِ

Thus, he did not speak, believing that remaining silent was trusting in God, according to his claim.

وَسُكُوتُ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ فِي مِثْلِ هَذَا المَقَامِ إِعَانَةٌ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ وَذَلِكَ لا يَحِلُّ

And this man's silence in such a situation is aiding his own harm, which is not permissible.

وَلَوْ فَهِمَ مَعْنَى التَّوَكُّلِ لَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُ لا يُنَافِي اِسْتِغَاثَتَهُ فِي تِلْكَ الحَالِ

If he understood the true meaning of trust in God, he would realize that it does not conflict with calling for help in such a situation.

كَمَا لَمْ يَخْرُجْ رَسُولُ اللهِ مِنَ التَّوَكُّلِ بِإِخْفَائِهِ الخُرُوجَ مِن مَكَّةَ وَاسْتِئْجَارِهِ دَلِيلًا وَاسْتِكَتَامِهِ

Just as the Messenger of Allah did not abandon trust in God by concealing his departure from Mecca, hiring a guide, and ensuring his secrecy.

واستكفائه ذلك الأمر واستتار في الغار،

And his seeking help for that matter and his concealment in the cave,

وَقَوْلُهُ لِسُرَاقَةَ أَخْفِ عَنَّا فَ التَّوَكُّلُ المَمْدُوحُ لا يُنَالُ بِفِعْلِ مَحْذُورٍ

And his saying to Suraqa, 'Conceal us,' as commendable trust in God is not achieved by committing forbidden acts,

وَسُكُوتُ هَذَا الوَاقِعِ فِي البِئْرِ مَحْظُورٌ عَلَيْهِ

And the silence of this man in the well is prohibited for him,

وَبَيَانُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ اللهَ قَدْ خَلَقَ لِلْآدَمِيِّ آلَةً يُدَافِعُ بِهَا عَن نَفْسِهِ الضَّرَرَ وَآلَةً يَجْتَلِبُ بِهَا النَّفْعَ

And the explanation for this is that Allah has created for humans tools to defend themselves from harm and tools to bring about benefit,

فَإِذَا عَطَّلَهَا مُدَّعِيًا لِلتَّوَكُّلِ كَانَ جَهْلًا بِالتَّوَكُّلِ وَرَدًّا لِحِكْمَةِ الوَاضِعِ لِأَنَّ التَّوَكُّلَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ اِعْتِمَادُ القَلْبِ عَلَى اللهِ سُبْحَانَهُ وَلَيْسَ مِن ضَرُورَتِهِ قَطْعُ الأَسْبَابِ

So if someone neglects them claiming reliance on God, it is ignorance of true trust and a rejection of the Creator's wisdom, because reliance is the heart's dependence on Allah, Exalted is He, and does not require abandoning means.

وَلَوْ أَنَّ إِنْسَانًا جَاعَ فَلَمْ يَأْكُلْ أَوِ احْتَاجَ فَلَمْ يَسْأَلْ أَوْ عَرِيَ فَلَمْ يَلْبَسْ فَمَاتَ دَخَلَ النَّارَ

And if a person goes hungry and does not eat, or is in need and does not ask, or is unclothed and does not dress, and dies, he enters the Fire,

لِأَنَّهُ قَدْ دُلَّ عَلَى طَرِيقِ السَّلَامَةِ فَإِذَا تَقَاعَدَ عَنْهَا أَعَانَ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ

Because he has been shown the path of safety, so if he turns away from it, he aids in his own harm,

وَقَدْ أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْبَاقِي قَالَ

And Muhammad bin Abdul Baqi told us, saying,

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ ابْنُ قَالَ

Muhammad Ibn informed us, saying,

أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللهِ قَالَ

Abu Nu`aim Ahmad bin Abdullah informed us, saying,

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ العَبَّاسِ بْنُ أَيُّوبَ

Muhammad bin Al-Abbas bin Ayyub narrated to us,

قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ يُونُسَ الرُّقِّيِّ قَالَ

He said that Abdur Rahman bin Yunus Al-Raqqi narrated to us, saying,

حَدَّثَنَا مُطَرِّفُ بْنُ مَازِنَ عَنِ الثَّوْرِيِّ قَالَ

Mutarrif bin Mazin narrated to us from Al-Thawri, saying,

مَنْ جَاعَ فَلَمْ يَسْأَلْ حَتَّى مَاتَ دَخَلَ النَّارَ

Whoever goes hungry and does not ask until he dies, enters the Fire.

قُلْتُ وَلَا اِلْتِفَاتَ إِلَى أَبِي حَمْزَةَ فِي حِكَايَتِهِ فَجَاءَ أَسَدٌ فَأَخْرَجَنِي

I said, there is no attention to Abu Hamza in his story where a lion came and rescued me,

فَإِنَّهُ إِنْ صَحَّ ذَلِكَ فَقَدْ يَقَعُ مِثْلُهُ اتِّفَاقًا

For if that is true, then a similar occurrence might happen by coincidence,

وَقَدْ يَكُونُ لُطْفًا مِنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى بِالْعَبْدِ الْجَاهِلِ

And it may be a kindness from Almighty Allah to the ignorant servant,

وَلَا يُنْكَرُ أَنْ يَكُونَ اللهُ تَعَالَى لَطَفَ بِهِ

And it is not denied that Almighty Allah showed kindness to him,

إِنَّمَا يُنْكَرُ فِعْلُهُ الَّذِي هُوَ كَسْبُهُ

What is denied is his action, which is his own doing,

وَهُوَ إِعَانَتُهُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ الَّتِي هِيَ وَدِيعَةُ اللهِ تَعَالَى عِنْدَهُ وَقَدْ أُمِرَ بِحِفْظِهَا

And it is his aiding against his self, which is the trust of Allah, Exalted is He, placed with him, and he has been commanded to preserve it.