Sabr is not Suffering in Silence #3

Transcript PART 3

View Transcript Part 1 | Part 2  [View Notes at the bottom by SketchyUmmah.com]

Tawakkal (Reliance on God)

A lot of time what keeps a woman or a man in an abusive relationship is that they are afraid or they don’t know how they are going to provide for themselves.

They are afraid of the provision of being cut off, or afraid of something happening to them or to their children.

Basically, it’s a fear of the unknown. It’s a fear of how I’m going to get out. It is this feeling of being trapped, of not seeing a way out and it is a feeling of not knowing where your provision will come from.

Look what Allah, exalted is He, says about this issue:

{And for those who fear Allah, He (ever) prepares a way out. And He provides for him from (sources) he never could imagine. And if any one 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.} (At-Talaq 65; 2, 3)

 

So, whoever is making Allah (SWT) their object of fear, for that person Allah will make for them a way out. So this is the first part: we have to have taqwa of Allah; fear of only Him. So the first concern is usually how do I get out, I’m trapped and don’t see a way out. And yet Allah here is saying if you fear Allah first and foremost, if you put your focus on Him, if you have taqwa of Him, if He is what your life is revolving around, and if you turn your entire self to Allah (SWT), Allah will make a way out for you.

And look at the second part: {And We will provide for him from places that he never imagine.}

So, the two concerns- the two fears: how am I going to get out- what is the way out and, the second one, provision. Here Allah is saying when it comes to Tawakkul we have to be careful because when Allah says something it’s an absolute certainty. It’s not me saying something. It’s not your friend saying something. You know we can say things and we can break our word and our promises. But this is a promise of Allah, Exalted is He, and Allah never breaks His promise.

Trust God

So Allah here is saying that if you put your fear in Him, if Allah is what you are most conscious of, and you turn your whole self to Him, give it to Him, then Allah will make a way out for you and provide you from places you never imagine. And that is Tawakkul.

Like Prophet Moses, peace be upon him, when he was standing in front of the Red Sea he looked very trapped. He, with a group of slaves, had Pharaoh, at that time he was the superpower, and his army behind him and in front of him is the Red sea. How can anyone be more trapped than Prophet Moses was at this point?

None of us are more trapped than Moses was at that point. And yet he, Moses, did not lose his trust in Allah. He did not even flinch. He had complete faith and complete trust in Allah that Allah will take care of him and of those who were with him, and Allah would guide him through. And when the people around him, those with the weak faith, said to him we are going to be overtaken, we are doomed basically now, they were very scared because they saw this situation as hopeless as they were trapped, and yet Moses, peace be upon him, saw beyond that, beyond the illusion of being trapped, and instead saw Allah, exalted is He. He said to the people:

{(Moses) said: ‘By no means! My Lord is with me! Soon will He guide me!} (Ash-Shu’ara 26; 62)

What happened to Moses is that he was told by God to strike the sea and Allah split the sea in half and there was a path made for Moses and his companions and they went right through.

So think and reflect about this story and realize it’s not just a story. Anything that Allah (SWT) tells us in the Quran, any story that is told, is not just for us to entertain ourselves and to tell to our children before they sleep, but rather it is intended as a lesson for us. So that when we are put in a similar situation, yes we are not going to stand in front of the Red sea with Pharaoh behind us, but we will get put in some situations in our life where we feel trapped. And we will get put in situations in our lives where we see no way out and where it looks impossible. Absolutely you will be put in those situations. And so in those situations we are given inspiration from the story of Prophet Moses; how to break out of that situation and how we should respond in that situation.

Turn to God

This is a lesson for us. When we are in that place when every door looks closed, everything looks impossible, everybody may be against us; when we just don’t see any way out, if you put your trust in Allah as Moses did, He will make a way out for you from a place that you never ever imagined. Did any one imagine that a sea, an entire body of water, would split in half?

{Then We told Moses by inspiration: “Strike the sea with your rod.” So it divided, and each separate part became like the huge, firm mass of a mountain.} (Ash-Shu’ara 26; 63)

It was something that no one could imagine. And yes at times we think that the miracles happen only for the prophets. Yes, but you see here Allah is telling us the story not just to say oh, wow! Look at the miracle that Allah did for Prophet Moses! Yes, we can say that, but there’s something beyond that. Allah is actually telling us that He will do the same thing for us. That’s why later on in a few verses after this very story Allah says:

{Verily in this is a Sign: but most of them do not believe.} (Ash-Shu’ara 26; 67)

Don’t Give Up

So Allah is saying that this is a sign, but most people don’t get it. Most people don’t realize. This is a sign but we are not really understanding it. Here Allah is telling us, is telling YOU that just as Moses did, if you put your trust in Him, He can make a way out of any situation for you.

Allah can split the Red sea. Similarly Allah can make a way out for you from a place you never imagine and can provide for you and your family from ways that you never thought of. This is Allah, exalted is He. We have to remember Allah is in charge. No other person is in charge. People might try to threaten you, but ultimately your fate and my fate are only in the hands of Allah (SWT). Remember the Hadith Qudsi in which Allah tells us:

“Know that if the nation were to gather together in order to benefit you with something, they could not benefit you with anything except what Allah (SWT) had already written for you.

And if they were to gather together to harm you with something, they could not harm you with anything except with what Allah (SWT) had already written for you.”

This is extremely important for us to understand: Allah is the One in charge, no one else is. No one else is in charge of your provision, no one else can harm you, no one else can help you. Only Allah is in charge and we have to seek refuge in Him.

And honestly that’s the point. When Allah (SWT) sends us hardships or tests, the intent of this is to bring us back to Him. The intent is to bring us closer to Him so that we seek refuge in Him. When the storm comes that’s when we seek refuge.

Seek refuge in Allah. And if you do this truly Allah will take care of you and your family.