Reliance on Allah

As I look forward to an impossible week, I am realising, that nothing is impossible if made possible by Allah. It reminded of the story of Surah Fil. As I did a bit of research on its background through Sheikh Google, I found that this apparently simple surah has left different marks on different people's minds. From power of Allah to wisdom in Allah's actions, it is all there! However, what strikes me the most - is the power of effects of 'Tawakkul' - trust and reliance in Allah.

When Abraha defeated everyone on his way to Mecca, stood with his huge army of elephants and men, there was no reason why Abdul Muttalib should not have worried. He was one of the only men, the powerless ones, against an army equipped with everything to destroy the Kaaba. Yet, he was determined that Allah will save His house. He trusted Allah to take care of the future, no matter how ridiculous it may have seemed to everyone else at that particular time.

The prophet said: "If you had all relied on Allah (SWT) as you should rely on Him, then He would have provided for you as He provides for the birds, who wake up hungry in the morning and return with full stomachs at dusk." [At-Tirmidhi]

There are several ways to start/increase your reliance on Allah:

1. Realise Who Allah is. If you want to truly rely on Him, you must acknowledge and accept the fact that He has the greatest power, no one can overcome Him. The fact that He knows everything about you every single moment, inside and out, the fact that He holds the power to change anything and everything in any moment.

2. Be true to yourself. As well as accepting Allah's attributes, you need to accept yours too. You need to figure out exactly what Allah has given you and exactly what you need. Doing that would allow you to be thankful for what he has already given you and allow you to ask Him without any false pride.

3. Try to stay away from sins as much as possible. Once you have realised how much you need Allah, the only way you can keep harmful guilty feelings at bay is by staying away from things that will instil those feelings in your heart. Every time you feel like doing something that you know in your heart you should not, renew your trust in Allah by asking Him to keep you away from it, and do something that He would love.

4. Ask for forgiveness for past sins. Allah LOVES those who repent (2:222) - and what can increase your reliance on Allah more than His love? A very good reminder for the benefits of repentance is expressed by Imam Ibn Taymiyyah: A calamity that makes you turn to Allah is better for you then a blessing which makes you forget the remembrance of Allah.

5. Do your morning and evening dhikr regularly. One of the dhikr that I love is the following: "Allah is sufficient for me. There is none worthy of worship but Him. I have placed my trust in Him. He is the Lord of the Majestic throne." (9:129) It is said that Allah grants whoever recites this seven times in the morning or evening whatever he desires from this world or the next. (Abu Dawud) The arabic of this particular dhikr isn't too hard - it is in Fortress of the Muslim. Alternatively, you can look up 9:129.

Keep myself and yourself in your duas so that Allah makes us sincere in our way towards Him and allows us to have Tawakkul.