And Whoever Relies upon Allah, He Will Be Sufficient for Him

ومن يتوكل على الله فهو حسبه

And Whoever Relies upon Allah, He Will Be Sufficient for Him

Translated by: Reza Ervani bin Asmanu

This article “And Whoever Relies upon Allah, He Will Be Sufficient for Him” is included in the Tadabbur al Quran in English Category

في سورة الطلاق أو سورة النساء الصغرى – كما تسمى – وردت أربع آيات كريمة، ربطت بين الفعل والجزاء، ورتبت النتيجة على أسبابها ومقدماتها؛

In Surah at-Talaq, or the “Minor Surah an-Nisa” as it is called, there are four noble verses that link action with reward, and arrange the outcome based on its causes and premises.

الآية الأولى، قوله تعالى:

The first verse is the word of Allah the Almighty:

{وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا * وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ} [الطلاق: 2-3]

“And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he does not expect.” [at-Talaq: 2-3]

والثانية، قوله سبحانه:

Second, His words, Glory be to Him:

{وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ} [الطلاق: 3]

“And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him.” [at-Talaq: 3]

والثالثة، قوله عز وجل:

Third, His words, the Mighty and Sublime:

{وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا} [الطلاق: 4]

“And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him from his matter ease.” [at-Talaq: 4]

والرابعة، قوله تعالى:

And fourth, His words, the Almighty:

{وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرًا} [الطلاق: 5]

“And whoever fears Allah – He will remove from him his misdeeds and make great for him his reward.” [at-Talaq: 5]

ولنا مع هذه الآيات بضع وقفات: الأولى: أن الجزاء في ثلاث من هذه الآيات رُتب على تقوى الله؛ وتقوى الله في معهود الشرع، فعل ما أمر الله به واجتناب ما نهى عنه، وهي رأس الأمر كله، وفي وصية رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لبعض صحابته، قوله عليه الصلاة والسلام:

We have several points of reflection regarding these verses: First: The reward in three of these verses is structured based on the taqwa (piety/consciousness) of Allah. Taqwa in the context of Sharia is doing what Allah has commanded and avoiding what He has forbidden, and it is the root of all matters. In the testament of the Messenger of Allah shallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam to some of his companions, he ‘alaihis shalaatu was salaam said:

(اتَّقِ اللَّهَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ)

“Fear Allah wherever you may be.” (Narrated by Ahmad and at-Tirmidziy)

الثانية: جاء قوله تعالى: {وَمَنْ يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ} تكملة لأمر التقوى؛ فإذا كانت تقوى الله سبب لتفريج الكربات، ورفع الملمات، وكشف المهمات، فإن في توكل المسلم على ربه سبحانه، ويقينه أنه سبحانه يصرف عنه كل سوء وشر، ما يجعل له مخرجًا مما هو فيه، وييسر له من أسباب الرزق من حيث لا يدري؛ وأكد هذا المعنى ما جاء في الآية نفسها، وهو قوله تعالى:

Second: The word of Allah the Almighty: {And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him} comes as a completion of the matter of taqwa. If taqwa towards Allah is a cause for relief from distress (kurbat), the lifting of calamities, and the resolution of important matters, then in a Muslim’s tawakkul (reliance) upon his Lord Subhaanahu and his certainty that He is the One who averts all evil and harm from him, there is that which provides a way out (makhrajan) from what he faces, and eases for him the means of provision from where he does not know. This meaning is reinforced by what is in the verse itself, namely His words, the Almighty:

{إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ} [الطلاق: 3]

“Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose.” [at-Talaq: 3]

أي: لا تستبعدوا وقوع ما وعدكم الله حين ترون أسباب ذلك مفقودة، فإن الله إذا وعد وعدًا فقد أراده، وإذا أراد أمرًا يسر وهيأ أسبابه. وقد وردت عدة أحاديث تشد من أزر هذا المعنى؛ من ذلك ما رواه أبو ذر رضي الله عنه، قال: قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: ( إني لأعلم آية لو أخذ بها الناس لكفتهم، ثم تلا قوله تعالى:

This means: Do not consider the occurrence of what Allah promised you as improbable when you see the means for it are missing, for when Allah makes a promise, He has intended it, and if He intends a matter, He eases and prepares its means. Several hadith have been narrated that strengthen this meaning; among them is what was narrated by Abu Dharr radhiyallaahu ‘anhu, who said: The Prophet shallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Indeed, I know a verse which, if people were to take it [as a guide], it would be sufficient for them.” Then he recited the word of Allah the Almighty:

{وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا * وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ} [الطلاق: 2-3]

“And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out, and will provide for him from where he does not expect.” [at-Talaq: 2-3]

فما زال يكررها ويعيدها ). ورواه الإمام أحمد في “مسنده” عن ثوبان رضي الله عنه، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم:

And he continued to repeat it again and again. Imam Ahmad narrated in his Musnad from Tsawbaan radhiyallaahu ‘anhu, who said: The Messenger of Allah shallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:

(إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ لَيُحْرَمُ الرِّزْقَ بِالذَّنْبِ يُصِيبُهُ وَلَا يَرُدُّ الْقَدَرَ إِلَّا الدُّعَاءُ وَلَا يَزِيدُ فِي الْعُمْرِ إِلَّا الْبِرُّ)

“Indeed, a servant is deprived of provision because of a sin he commits, and nothing repels the divine decree except supplication, and nothing increases the lifespan except righteousness.” (Narrated by Ahmad)

الثالثة: أن الله سبحانه وعد عباده المتقين الواقفين عند حدوده، بأن يجعل لهم مخرجًا من الضائقات والكربات التي نزلت بهم؛ وقد شبَّه سبحانه ما هم فيه من الحرج بالمكان المغلق على المقيم فيه، وشبَّه ما يمنحهم الله به من اللطف وتيسير الأمور، بجعل منفذ في المكان المغلق، يتخلص منه المتضائق فيه. الرابعة: في قوله تعالى سبحانه: {مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ} احتراس ودفْعٌ لما قد يُتوهم من أن طرق الرزق معطلة ومحجوبة، فأعْلَم سبحانه بهذا، أن الرزق لطف منه، وأنه أعلم كيف يهيئ له أسبابًا، غير مترتبة ولا متوقعة؛ فمعنى قوله تعالى: {مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ} أي: من مكان لا يحتسب منه الرزق، أي لا يظن أنه يُرزق منه.

Third: That Allah Subhaanahu promises His God-fearing servants who stand by His boundaries that He will make for them a way out of the constraints (dhalaa-iqaat) and distress that befall them. Allah Subhaanahu likened the constraint they experience to a closed place for its inhabitant, and likened the kindness and ease of affairs He grants to the making of an exit in that closed place so that the one feeling stifled within it can emerge. Fourth: In the words of Allah Subhaanahu: {from where he does not expect}, there is a safeguard and a dismissal of any illusion that the paths of provision are obstructed or hidden. Thus, Allah Subhaanahu makes it known that provision is a kindness from Him, and He knows best how to prepare its causes in ways that are neither anticipated nor expected. The meaning of His words: {from where he does not expect} is: from a place where he does not calculate the provision to come from, meaning he does not imagine he will be provided for from there.

الخامسة: تفيد الآيات المتقدمة، أن الممتثل لأمر الله والمتقي لما نهى الله عنه، يجعل الله له يسرًا فيما لحقه من عسر؛ واليسر انتفاء الصعوبة، أي: انتفاء المشاق والمكروهات؛ والمقصود من هذا تحقيق الوعد باليسر، فيما شأنه العسر. السادسة: في قوله تعالى: {وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يُكَفِّرْ عَنْهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِ وَيُعْظِمْ لَهُ أَجْرًا} أعيد التحريض هنا على التقوى مرة أخرى، ورتَّب عليه الوعد بما هو أعظم من الرزق، وتفريج الكربات، وتيسير الصعوبات، وذلك بتكفير السيئات، وتعظيم الأجر والثواب.

Fifth: The previous verses indicate that the one who complies with Allah’s command and is wary of what Allah has forbidden, Allah will grant him ease (yusr) in the hardship (‘usr) that befalls him. Ease is the absence of difficulty, meaning the absence of toil and disliked things. The intent here is the fulfillment of the promise of ease in matters that are by nature difficult. Sixth: In the words of Allah the Almighty: {And whoever fears Allah – He will remove from him his misdeeds and make great for him his reward}, the incitement to taqwa is repeated again here, followed by a promise of something even greater than provision, relief from distress, or the easing of matters; namely, the expiation of misdeeds and the magnification of recompense and reward.

وبعد: فإن للتقوى أثرًا أي أثر في حياة المؤمن، فهي مفتاح كل خير، وهي طريق إلى سعادة العبد في الدنيا والآخرة، يكفيك في ذلك، قول الله عز وجل:

In conclusion: Taqwa has a profound impact on the life of a believer, as it is the key to every goodness and the path to a servant’s happiness in this world and the hereafter. Sufficient for you in this regard is the word of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime:

{وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ} [الأعراف: 96]

“And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth.” [al-A’raaf: 96]

كان من دعائه صلى الله عليه وسلم:

And among the supplications (du’a) of the Prophet shallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam was:

(اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ الْهُدَى وَالتُّقَى وَالْعَفَافَ وَالْغِنَى)

“O Allah, I ask You for guidance, piety, chastity, and self-sufficiency.” (Narrated by Muslim)

نسأل الله أن يجعلنا من الملتزمين بشرعه، ومن المتقين لأمره ونهيه. والله أعلم.

We ask Allah to make us among those who are committed to His Sharia, and among those who are wary of His commands and prohibitions. And Allah knows best.

Source: IslamWeb