TAUHID AND TAWAKKAL

Tawakkal-or God reliance is a stage of religion and a state of progress of the believers. Rather it is the highest state of those who are near God. The knowledge about God reliance is very subtle and the cause of it is that if one looks at the causes and ingredients of an action, he sets up partnership with God. In other words, if a man believes that anything has got power over the actions of a man, he can't be counted as a true monotheist. On the other hand, if the intermediary causes are deducted, it is casting aspersion on the Prophet's ways and dishonour on Shariat. If one disbelieves the causes of an action there is misuse of intellect and as such one is drowned in the abyss of ignorance. so the real meaning of God-reliance is every subtle. The meaning of God reliance is intellect Shariat and Tauhid, the intermingling of three elements in a proportionate manner.

MERITS OF GOD-RELIANCE

Quran : If you are believers rely on God-5 : 23. God says Persons of God reliance rely on God. (3) God says : God is sufficient for one who rely on God-3: 65. (4) God says : Surely God loves those who rely on Him-3: 159. He who reaches this stage is loved by God who is his surety. God protects one for whom God is surety. He loves him and protects him. (5) God says Is not God sufficient for His servant ? He who searches for sufficiency from other than God has got no reliance on God and knows the above verse as false as this verse was questioned for reply with truth.

(6) God says : Has not a time come over a man when he was not a thing to be mentioned ? (7) God says :

He who relies on God, God is most powerful and wise. He is so powerful that He does not put one to disgrace who comes to His refuge and He does not destroy him who comes to His care. He is so just that he who relies on Him does no reduce or destroy his efforts. (8) God says : What you worship besides God is mere servants like You. In other words, all things other than God have got needs like you. (9) God says : What you worship besides God has got no power to give you sustenance. So search sustenance from God and worship Him only. (10) God says : All hidden treasures of heaven and earth are only for God, but the hypocrites do not 4:195TAUHID AND TAWAKKAL Vol-IV 4:196understand. (11) God says : He conducts every affair and nobody intercedes except with His permission.

Hadis-(1) The Prophet said : I saw all of my followers at the time of pilgrimage. I saw my followers filling up all plains and mountains. I was asked : Are you satisfied. I said : Only 70,000 Muslims will go to Paradise without account even though their numbers are many. He was asked : 0 Messenger of God, who are they? He said : They are those who do no work looking at good or bad signs, who don't rely on spells and charms and rely only on their Lord. The companion Okasha stood up and said : 0 Messenger of God pray so that I may be one of them. The Prophet said : 0 God, make him one of them. Another companion stood up and said : Pray so that my be one of them. The Prophet said Okasha kept you behind and went forward. (2) The Prophet said If you can rely on God with due reliance. He will provide you with sustenance in such a manner as He provides birds and beasts. They leave their nests early in the morning and return in the evening filling up their bellies. (3) The Prophets said : He who returns to God after cutting off all connections, God is sufficient for him in his every action and He provides him from such a source which is beyond his conception. He who is addieted to the world, God hands him over to the world, (4) The Prophet said He who is pleased in not depending on men should hold fast more to what is near God than what is near men. (5) It has been narrated that when the family members of the Prophet became, hungry, he used to say : Stand up for prayer. He used to say : My Lord ordered me only for this, God says : Enjoing family members for prayer and stand steadfast to it. (6) The Prophet said He who takes refuge to enchantment and charms does not rely on God. (7) It has been narrated that when the Prophet Abraham was thrown into the fire, Gabriel said to him: Have you got any necessity ? He said : I have got no necessity from you God's word is sufficient : God is sufficient for me and how good is He as an object of refuge, when arrangements were being made to throw him into fire, he informed Gabriel of this. God then sent to him revelation : Abraham is he who fulfilled his promise-53 : 37. (8)

God revealed to David, 0 David, there is no such a man who seeks refuge to Me after forsaking the refuges of all men that I will not find out a way to save him even though all in heaven and earth stand against him.

Sayings of sages. Sayeed-bin-Zubair : One scorpion stung me. My mother took oath from me that l must go to a charmer and heal myself. I stretched out my hand which was not stung to the charmer. Ibrahim Khawas read this verse : Rely on One who is ever-living and who will not die. He said : Is there any refuge to men after this verse ? (2) Some one said to a sage in his dream : He who relies firmly on God seeks his own sustenance. (3) A certain sage said : Search for livelihood should not divert you from compulsory duties or else the affairs of your next world will be spoiled. You will not get wealth except what has been destined for you. (4) Ihya-bin-Muaz said : When sustenance comes to a man without asking, it is a proof that sustenance gets orders to search for man. (5) Hazrat Ibrahim-bin-Adham said:

I asked a certain Christian monk : Wherefrom do you get your livelihood ? He said : It is not known to me, but I ask my Lord wherefrom He gives my provision. (6) Hasan-bin-Haram asked the saint Wais Qarni :

In which country do you order me to live? He hinted at Syria, Ibn-Haram said : How shall I earn my livelihood there ? Wais Qarni said : Alas for one who has got doubt in mind and who does not get any benefit from advice. (7) A certain sage said : When I am satisfied with God as agent, I got guidance to all good.

WHAT IS TAUHID? Know 0 readers, that God-reliance is a door out of the doors of faith. All the doors of faith are not kept in order except with knowledge, condition and action. Out of these three elements, God-reliance is born. Knowledge is the basis, action is its fruit. Another name of conditions is God reliance. It is called faith in, dictionary, as the meaning of faith is corroboration. What is corroborated by heart is called knowledge. If it is firm, it is called certainly of faith or sure faith. It has got many doors, but it is placed on two doors-(1) Tauhid and God reliance.

TAUHID MEANS- (1) To believe that there is no deity but God, He is one, there is no partner for him, (2) to believe in His power and (3) to believe in His kindness and skill. The faith of one is perfect who believes that there is no deity but God, He is one, there is no partner for Him, there is His sovereignty, all praise is due to Him, He is powerful over all things. This is the basis of God reliance. In other words, Tauhid is a vast ocean which has got no limit.

4:197FOUR STAGES Of TAUHID; The first stage is like outer cover of a coconut, the second stage is the inner cover of a coconut, the third stage is the kernel of a coconut and the fourth stage is the oil of the kernel. The first stage of Tauhid is to utter by tongue "There is no deity but God". The second stage is to confirm it by heart. The third stage is like kernel which can be seen by inner light or by way of Kashf. This is the stage of those who are near God. The fourth stage is like oil in kernel. He sees nothing but God. This is the stage of the truthful or it is called Fana-fi-Tauhid or to lose oneself in Tauhid. Even he forgets himself. In the first stage, a man is saved from sword by uttering only Kalima Tauhid. In the second stage, he believes the internal meaning. Such a class of the faithful are saved front e punishment of the next world. In the third stage, he sees nobody except God as the cause of action and the fourth stage is the utmost limit of Tauhid. In the second stage, breast is expanded by the light of Islam as God says. God expands the breasts of one for Islam whom I-Ie wants to guide. God says : He whose breast God expands for Islam remains upon light from his Loard.

Question. How can one in the highest stage not see but One, the source of all actions, while he sees the heaven and earth and all the things of the material world ? How can one become many?

Answer. Know, 0 dear readers that this affair appertains to the secret mysteries of the spiritual world and it is not allowed to write these secrets. Arefs said that to disclose God's secrets is infidelity and there is no connection of worldly knowledge with them. It is true that in the preliminary observation it is difficult to know many as one, but it is possible to explain them. The same thing becomes many things from one consideration and becomes one from another consideration. Body, life, hands, feet, bones etc., if looked at separately become many things of the same man and if looked froth another angle becomes one man composed of many thins. There are many person who see the same one man but do not think of his different organs at that time. The difference between these two things is that he thinks that he saw the whole man if he sees the face only of a drowning than. So only sight of an organ leads one to think that he saw the whole. man, Similarly is the case of the Creator and the created. They appear in many forms. One one consideration, they are one and on another consideration they are many.

4:198The first 'stage of Tauhid is not absolved from hypocrisy and the name of the second stage is faith which is current among ordinary Muslims. The basis of God-reliance is established upon the third state of Tauhid, as mere faith in Tauhid cannot bring the condition of God-reliance. In this stage there is belief that except God, there is no doer of actions. God created creation provision, wealth good and bad, life and death, poverty and solvency, He has got no partner. When it is clear to you, you will not look towards others.

Rather you will fear Him, hope in Him, have faith in Him and rely on Him as He is singular in actions and everything besides God is subject to His discipline. You have got no authority to change an atom of the creation of God. When the doors of spiritual kingdom will be opened to you it will be clear to you, more clear than external eye sight.

The devil turns you from this stage of Tauhid to such a place where you have got doubts for two reasons. The first reason is to look at the freedom of will of man and the second reason is to look to the lifeless things, as you look to the fall of rain for growth of corns or crops, hope for rain from clouds and hope fro wind for plying of boats. In these things, there is setting up of Shirk or partnership with God. For this reason, God says : When they get on board a boat, they invoke God with sincere heart, but when He takes them to the shore, they set up Shirk. This means that they say : If the velocity of hurricanes would not have come to a stand still, we would not have been saved.

He who knows the secrets, knows that the hurricane is nothing but a terrible wind conducted by One who has got control over everything. So if one considers wind as the cause of deliverance. He is like one who was arrested for murder but the 'king sent a letter pardoning him. The arrested man remembers pen ink and paper as the causes of his deliverance and says : Had not been these elements. I would not have been saved. So he considers these things as the causes of his safety. This is utter foolishness. He who knows that these things have got no independent will and that these things have been made subservient to the writer does not consider these elements as the causes of his deliverance but expresses gratitude to the writer. Similarly, the sum, moon, stars, rains, cloud and other lifeless things are all subservient to God, the Almighty and All Powerful. He is the cause of everything. In fact, God is the writer and not 4:199the king in the above instance, God says : When you shot arrows, you did not shoot them but God shot.

When it will be clear to you, the devil will be despaired of you and you will reach true stage of Tauhid.

FREEDOM OF WILL: Now the question of freedom of will comes to you. You may question : How can you say that everything comes from God ? One man supplies you provision according to his wish. He may give it to you or may not give. He may kill you or not kill. How can you not fear him ? The answer is that the weak people commit these mistakes as do the ants. An ant sees the writing by the pen on the paper. It also sees that the front portion of the pen is making the pages black. The ant thinks that the pen is making the white paper black through mistake. It is the mistake of its sight. So is the mistake of one whose breast has not been expanded by the light of God. He does not see the ultimate Cause of all causes who is God. So he sees the writer as the agent of writing. This is extreme foolishness. Those who are experienced in spiritual things and whose inner light has been enkindled understand that God gave every ?tom of the heavens and earth power of speech with which they speak, and they have got such tongue by which they speak without voice. Those who are unable to hear it do not hear it. I don't mean the open ear with which voice is heard as voice is necessary for open hearing. By hearing I mean such thing which has got no letter or voice or language.

Question : Your explanation is a wonder which can not be grasped by intellect. So please explain it clearly to us.

Answer : Know, 0 readers, that those who have got spiritual illumination know that every atom within the heavens and earth has got its prayer which is endless andlimitless. It is such a word as comes from the ocean of the words of God. God says : Had the seas been ink for praise of my Lord, they would have dried up.' The secrets of the material and spiritual world talk secretly. To disclose those secrets is abominable, rather the breasts of the pious people are like graves of the secrets. Have you seen a trusted courtier of a king disclosing the secrets of the king? Had there been permission to disclose the secrets of everybody, the Prophet would not have said : Had you known what I know you would have laughed little and wept much. He also prohibited to disclose the secrets of Taqdir or fate. He said :

When mention is 4:200made of stars, be silent. When mention is made of fate be silent. When mention is made of my companions, be silent. The Prophet sometimes disclosed some secrets to Huzaifah. This shows that the spiritually illumined persons do not disclose them for two reasons-impossibility of disclosing secrets and limitlessness of His praise.

He who sees the writing on paper, sees the blackening of white paper by ink, (1) He asks the paper : I have seen your face white and bright but why do I find it now black? The paper says How is your judgment that you are asking me this question ? I have not made my face black but the ink pot was filled up with ink, the ink travelled to me and made my face black. He said : you have spoken the truth.

(2) He asked the ink about it which said : You are unjust to me. I was living peacefully in inkpot but the pen forcefully took me out unjustly and separated me from my parent body. The pen is responsible for it and not myself. He said: You have spoken the truth.

(3) He asked the pen : why have you taken out ink from the ink pot and thus have done injustice to it ?

The pen said : Ask the hand and fingers about it. I was a reed by the river side. The hand cut the reed by a knife, cut me off from my parent body, severed my head and dived it into ink-pot Go from me and ask it which did injustice to me. He said : You have spoken the truth.

(4) Then he asked the hand about its oppression on the pen and it said : I am nothing but a piece of flesh with blood. Have you sees a lump of flesh moving independently ? I am only a conveyance subject to order. Strength rides over me and orders me to do a thing. He said : You have spoken the truth.

(5) He asked the strength : Why are you using the hand as servant and conveyance ? The strength said :

Don't rebuke me. Do you think that I have oppressed the hand riding over it? I do not move it, nor do I order it. I sleep and remain quiet till a representative comes to me. He compels me to do a thing, The name of the representative is Will. He wakes me up from sleep and compels me to do an act. Then he said : You have spoken the truth.

4:201(6) He asked the will : What thing encourages you to move the strength and compels it to do the act ?

The will said.: Don't punish me in haste as I have got an excuse. I do not rise myself, rather I am caused to rise by the order of intellect, the messenger of knowledge. He presents me in mind and order me : Awaken the strength. I am subject to intellect and knowledge. It is my bounden duty to obey it. I have got no way to go against it. So ask knowledge about it. He said: You have spoken the truth.

(7) He asked knowledge about it. It said : I have been imprinted on the tablet of soul and I am the light of soul. I have got no light of my own and I have been lighted. I am only a tablet set firmly in soul. I have got no freedom. Ask the pen as without pen, nothing can be imprinted.

At this time the questioner began to entertain doubt and the reply did not give him satisfaction. He said : I have passed many stages and everyone attributed responsibility on others and everyone gave satisfactory answer, but you say : The pen writes on me. The pen is a reed only, tablet is a plank only and light is but a (leak of fire. I heard in this stage light; writing, pen etc. But I don't see them.

It is a wonder to me that I hear their sound, but do hot see them. Then knowledge said to him If what you say Is true, the reason Is that your provision is little and your conveyance is weak. Know that there are Injurious things in the path which you wish to tread. It is better to leave the way. What has been created for a man has been made easy fot him. Know that there are three hurdles in this path-material world, spiritual or unseen world and world of power and strength. Paper, ink, pen and hand appertain to this material world. The spiritual world will come after me. When you will go there In advance of me, you will reach that world. The third is a world of strength lying between this material and spiritual world. You have crossed three stages of this world-strength; will and knowledge.

This world is intermediary or means between the material and the spiritual world. The material world is easier for the path and the spiritual would is more difficult. He who walks upon the ground walks upon the material world. He who takes a boat and embarks upon it, embarks upon the world of strength. He who walks upon water without the help of a boat or any conveyance walks in the spiritual world. If the belief of certainty enters your mind, you 4:202enter upon that stage as the Prophet said : Had his sure faith increased more, he would have sojourned in the air. Once a man asked Jesus Christ : Did Jesus Christ walk upon water ? the Prophet replied to the above effect.

He (who treads the path of religion) asked again : I am tired of this affair, I fear the path you showed me. I know not whether I can cross it, Is there any sign of it ? Knowledge said : It has got its sign. Open your eye and confine your eye sight towards me. If at this, the matter of pen is made clear to you wherewith the tablet on the heart is written, you will be fit for the path. He who knocks at the door of the spiritual world after crossing the world of Zabarut or strength, will .find the affairs of the pen. Don't you see that the affairs of the pen were disclosed to the Prophet in his early stage ?

God revealed for the first time : read and your Lord is the Almighty, who taught with the pen, who taught what man knew not---68: 1. .

Then the trader of the path of religion asked : I have opened my eyes, but I don't find the reed or tablet or anybody. Then knowledge said : What do you say ? Did you not hear that the owner of the house is not like the owner of the furnitures of the house ? Don't you know that the being of God is not like the being of anybody ? Similarly His hand is not like the hand of anything of the material world. His pen is not like the pen of the material world. His word is not like the word of the material world and His writing is not like the writing of the material world. These are affairs of God appertaining to the spiritual world. The being of God has got no physique. He is not confined to any place as a thing of the world. His hand is not composed of blood, flesh and bone like that of man. His pen is not like the modest reed, his tablet is not made of plank, His pen has got no sound or letter, His writing has got no impression of ink. He who considers God like him, is dead. He who explains Him by example is a woman. You will be free from doubt if you have understood the following Hadis of the Prophet : God created Adam according to His image You will be free from doubt if you understand by this image secret attributes which can be seen with the eye of knowledge and not with the external eye. You stay then on the lofty hill. Why do you not travel in this way ? You will hear from the bottom of your heart what will be revealed to you and you will find guidance from the light. Perhaps you will be called from heaven as Moses was called : I am surely your Lord.