In Arabic the word ‘tewekkul' is a word that is derived from the root of ‘vekalet'-being attorney or representative- and it has the meanings of to refer one's own business, to appoint someone as representative to have his work performed, and relying and binding of the heart to its attorney. Someone in whose heart the belief of there is no Actor other than Allah is settled, a born servant who knows that He is aware of all situations of His born servants, put his trust in Allah with all his heart and does not rely on anybody other than Him. Allah The Most High declared:
“(Both) the Jews and the Christians say: "We are sons of Allah and His beloved." Say: "Why then doth He punish you for your sins? Nay ye are but men of the men He hath created: He forgiveth whom He pleaseth and He punisheth whom He pleaseth: and to Allah belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between: and unto Him is the final goal (of all)." (1)
“No reason have we why we should not put our trust on Allah. Indeed He has guided us to the Ways we (follow). We shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us: for those who put their trust should put their trust on Allah.” (2)
“And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if anyone puts his trust in Allah sufficient is (Allah) for him. For Allah will surely accomplish His purpose: verily for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion.” (3)
and He informs us that His friends prayed Him as
“There is for you an excellent example (to follow) in Abraham and those with him when they said to their people: "We are clear of you and of whatever ye worship besides Allah: we have rejected you and there has arisen between us and you enmity and hatred forever unless ye believe in Allah and Him alone": But not when Abraham said to his father: "I will pray for forgiveness for thee though I have no power (to get) aught on thy behalf from Allah." (They prayed): "Our Lord! in Thee do we trust and to Thee do we turn in repentance: to Thee is (our) final Goal.” (4)
He commanded to His Messanger to say:
“Say: "He is (Allah) Most Gracious: we have believed in Him and on Him have we put our trust: so soon will ye know which (of us) it is that is in manifest error.” ( 5)
Again Allah declared adressing to His Messanger that:
“So put thy trust in Allah: for thou art on (the Path of) manifest Truth.” (6)
“And put thy trust in Allah and enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.” ( 7)
“ It is part of the Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them. Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted they would have broken away from about thee; so pass over (their faults) and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs (of moment). Then when thou hast taken a decision put thy trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).” (8)
“It is part of the Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them. Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted they would have broken away from about thee; so pass over (their faults) and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in affairs (of moment). Then when thou hast taken a decision put thy trust in Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him).” ( 9)
Also in the holy verses He mentioned that His friends said:
“No reason have we why we should not put our trust on Allah. Indeed He has guided us to the Ways we (follow). We shall certainly bear with patience all the hurt you may cause us: for those who put their trust should put their trust on Allah.” (10)
and He informed that The Companions of The Prophet said:
“Men said to them: "A great army is gathering against you": and frightened them: but it (only) increased their faith. They said: "For us Allah sufficeth and He is the best disposer of affairs” (11)
and also He informed us about them :
“ For believers are those who when Allah is mentioned feel a tremor in their hearts and when they hear His signs rehearsed find their faith strengthened and put (all) their trust in their Lord.” (12)
In the many verses of the Noble Quran resignation is encouraged. Buhari and Muslim confirmed that The Apostle of Allah prayed as follows: O My Allah! I gave myself up to You, I have believed in you , I have turned to You , and I fought for Your Sake , I take refuge with Your Glory, there is no god but only You. For the Sake of Your Glory, do not leave me in error, You are the Alive who does not pass away, spirits and humans die. (13)
Hadrat Omar communicated that The Prophet-may Allah commend and salute him- said as follows: If you are resigned yourselves to Allah properly, He would feed you as He does for birds. The birds that go out being their maw are empty in the morning, returns full in the evening. (14)
A half of the religion is resignation and the other one is inabe-renouncing the world-. Because religion is asking for help and to worshiping Allah. Resignation is asking for help, inabe is worship. Hadrat Sevban to whom The Apostle of Allah said “do not ask anything from people”, after hearing these words even didn't want that someone to take and give his whip to him when it fell from his hand. (He used to come down from his beast and take it.” (15)
Hasan Basri said: Whoever is resigned, contended, before his asking it, desired things come to him themselves.
According to Mystics the meaning of ‘tewekkul' and its levels:
Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbel said resignation is an act of heart. For some others ‘tewekkul' knows of heart that Allah is sufficient for everything. According to some, it is surrendering heart to Allah The Most High as a dead body surrender to the person who wash it, letting of the born servant himself to the progress of destiny with a complete submission. Sehl said ‘tewekkul' is letting oneself to the Will of Allah. Another meaning of it is contentment to the destiny.
Resignation is the attitude of the Prophet -May Allah commend and salute him- working is his Sunna. Someone who acts in accordance with his behaviors does not neglect his Sunna. So Ebu Said tried to explain this by saying: “'Tewekkul' is making effort without stopping and also binding oneself to Divine preordination without turning a hair.” The words of Sehl are clearer on this subject. Sehl said: Resignation is breaking of the heart its relation with the things other than Allah The Most High. It is to live being indifferent and without binding oneself with any other things. (16)
The Levels of tewekkul:
‘Tewekkul' which is completed with the power of heart and of faith and knowledge is of three levels:
The first level is the trust of born servant to the guarantee and help of Allah, similar to the trust of someone to his attorney.
The second level is being the situation of born servant and Allah is like the relation of mother and child. The child doesn't know anybody other than his mother and doesn't rely on someone else . He entreats her as soon as he saw her and does not leave. The first words that he would say when something happens to him and when the mother is not there is: Oh mum! Because he relies on the guarantee, protection and compassion of mother more than any other thing. So someone whose devotion to Allah comes to that level, who relies on his Lord like a child relies on his mother , is resigned to Allah . The difference of this level with the previous one is that: Someone at this level goes beyond resignation with his devotion. His heart does not see his own ‘tewekkul'-resignation. He only sees the One to whom he is resigned to and he doesn't take notice of other things. But in the first level of ‘tewekkul' there is an obligation. Resigned person has not gone beyond his tewekkul yet; he sees and considers his own act. This feeling up to some degree detains the heart thinking only the One to whom he is resigned.
Sehl to whom people asked about the lowest, middle and highest levels of tewekkul said: “The first one is to abandon desires; the second one is to abandon preference.” And he said for the third one: someone who doesn't arrive on its center can not know it.”
The third degree is the highest one of ‘tewekkul'. Surrendering of the born servant to Allah The Most High in all his life and behaviors like the surrender of a dead body to the washer. Such a born servant considers himself as a dead body which is animated by Eternal Power. How a dead body surrenders itself to its washer, this resigned person surrenders himself to the Will and Acts of Allah like a dead one. Because he knows that he is a channel in which the Power, Knowledge, Will Power and other attributes of Allah flow. This resigned one is not like a child who cries after his mother, entreats , runs after her but he is like a child who knows that his mother will look after him although he doesn't cry, she would hold him although he doesn't entreat her and who knows that she will suckle him although he doesn't want milk. Because at this level a complete trust comes out about Benevolence and Grace of The Lord and that He will give without asking, ‘tewekkul' at this level results in giving up praying. The born servant doesn't ask anything from Allah The Most High anymore. But the second level necessitates not giving up praying but not to ask from anybody other than Allah. But this level requires not asking anything from Him with a complete reliance that Allah will do the most appropriate thing. (17)
-------------------------------------------------
(1) Chapter Mâide, 5/18.
(2) Chapter Ibrahim, 14/12.
(3) Chapter Talak, 65/3.
(4) Chapter Mumtehine, 60/4.
(5) Chapter Mulk, 67/29.
(6) Chapter Neml, 27/79.
(7) Chapter Ahzâb, 33/3.
(8) Chapter Furkan, 25/58.
(9) Chapter Âl-i Imrân, 3/159.
(10) Chapter Ibrahim, 14/12.
(11) Chapter Âl-i Imrân, 3/173.
(12) Chapter Enfâl, 8/2.
(13) Buhâri, Muslim.
(14) Ibn Mâje, Tirmizi, Musned.
(15) Musned
(16) The Treatise of Kushayri
(17) Ihya.