In a room full of insects

Q- If Tawakkul ( putting trust in Allah) does not mean that you should jump into a pool of water while you can not swim, nor put yourself in danger by a physical movement without previous training, nor sit in a room full of insects without using insecticide and expose oneself to a affliction of a disease, nor live a drawer opened exposing its contents to loss, then what is the meaning of tawakkul? We appreciate  your guidance, and many thanks to you.

A- Tawakkul means that a person should put their trust in Allah (Subhanna wa ta'ala) alone. It is an obligatory act and one of the tenets of Iman (faith). Allah (Subhanna wa ta'ala) says in Surah Al-Ma’idah, 5: 23

"…and put your trust in Allâh if you are believers indeed."

Tawakkul in one of the powerful moral means helping to achieve goals and fulfill purposes.

However a Muslim should combine it with other means, whether they are acts of  'Ibadah (worship) like dua' (suplication), salah (prayer), sadaqah ( voluntary charity) or maintaining the ties of kinship, or other material means which Allah has predestined that their effects follow from their causes like the examples mentioned by the questioner here. We should have tawakkul to follow the way of Allah's  Messenger (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam) in this regard as he was the best person who had tawakkul. He used to consider other appropiate material means along with his tawakkul. So whoever ignores the material means thinking that it is sufficient for them to have tawakkul, contradict the way of Allah's Messenger (Salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam). This type of tawakkul is not permisible. Rather it is, recklessness and not  a Shar'y (Islamic lawful) tawakkul.

May Allah grant us success! May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!

Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta