Reliance on Allah: Similitude of the Birds
"Do they not see the birds above them with wings outspread and folded in? None holds them aloft except the Most Merciful. Indeed He is of all things, Seeing." [Qur'an 67:19]
The Prophet (saw) said: "Were you to put your complete trust in Allah, He would provide for you as the birds. They leave their nests hungry in the morning and return filled in the evening" [At-Tirmidhi]
It was my first day in law school and it was as if I was dipped in a pool of toxic waste only to come out half-dead and disoriented. Wasted as I can be, I was relying on my last remaining chakra to drag my lifeless body home. It wasn't like the movies I came to enjoy, I thought, all those glamour of the courtroom dramas in "A Few Good Men" or "Philadelphia" were nowhere to be found. This is a boot camp and I was enticed to it for the wrong reasons. But my father always taught me to keep it a virtue to finish what I started, so I had to stay. It was a daunting test I had to bear and it wasn't easy at all. What has all these mumbo jumbo about my past got to do with reliance on Allah, you might ask. Well the point when I learned the Islamic principle of Tawakkul changed everything. It changed my outlook in life, it changed how I viewed my challenges, and it changed me.
I've heard the concept before, but it was always the distorted version of it, that's why I never really got to appreciate it for its real essense. But after reading the right materials and listening to the right people, it started to sink in. People unfortunately made use of the term as an excuse for not having the guts to face the challenges in life. They seclude themselves in worship alone, leave the matters of the dunya to Allah without any efforts on their part, and calls it Tawakkul. The result is not a pretty sight.
I've heard the concept before, but it was always the distorted version of it, that's why I never really got to appreciate it for its real essense. But after reading the right materials and listening to the right people, it started to sink in. People unfortunately made use of the term as an excuse for not having the guts to face the challenges in life. They seclude themselves in worship alone, leave the matters of the dunya to Allah without any efforts on their part, and calls it Tawakkul. The result is not a pretty sight.
The analogy of the birds, for the people who reflect and contemplate, brings forth the full spectrum of what Tawakkul really means. You see, the hadith mentions of the bird leaving early in the morning from their nests. They weren't at home lying in their couch holding a remote control watching TV nor did they forget their portion of the dunya by just focusing on worship alone. They were out there and working the whole day and of course worshiped Allah in their own natural fashion. They did their part, all that was expected of them, and they were taken care of by The Divine. However, despite all their toil and struggle, they weren't counting on their own abilities and skills alone for their provision. Their trust and reliance never lost focus. They were conscious of their Provider, that's why they prosper. That's in complete antithesis to the mindset of most people today. Kibr or their bloated ego has brought them to the delusion that it is their own actions alone that deserves credit for their blessings in life. Hence, when failure befalls them, they shatter in misery.
Learning this principle changed how I experience law school. I no longer go to school with an apprehensive heart nor do I go home with a depleted spirit. I march forth with reliance on my Lord and exert all the efforts I could give, and I glide back home with tranquility in my heart and gratitude to Him. The ends afterall are with the Qadr of Allah, I just have to do my part and remain steadfast in my faith. I'll use my portion of this dunya to bring me to my ultimate ambition - Jannah. Insha Allah...
Learning this principle changed how I experience law school. I no longer go to school with an apprehensive heart nor do I go home with a depleted spirit. I march forth with reliance on my Lord and exert all the efforts I could give, and I glide back home with tranquility in my heart and gratitude to Him. The ends afterall are with the Qadr of Allah, I just have to do my part and remain steadfast in my faith. I'll use my portion of this dunya to bring me to my ultimate ambition - Jannah. Insha Allah...
