When everything falls apart around us and we are alone, we beg God for support and help. If things are going great, we praise and thank God.
Trusting in God is mentioned many times in the Quran and the traditions of the Messenger Muhammad. It is a very important aspect of faith and it brings us such a great sense of peace and security.
But what does it mean to have trust (tawakkul) in God?
We have trust in God when our hearts depend on God for bringing us good things and protecting us from bad things.
Who better to trust than God?
Here are 4 Steps new Muslims can take to begin this journey of trust in God:
1.Knowing Our God
The more we study about God, the more comfortable we should feel with His Lordship over us. We can feel happy and safe knowing that God has all our affairs in order.
God’s beautiful names are full of benefit for us as new Muslims. When we learn about God, our hearts will be satisfied and happy.
The One Who Guides, God is the only one that can bring our families and friends to Islam. No matter the influences around us, our own hearts would not have come to Islam except that God guided us.
The One Who Elevates, God brings up the status of those who truly believe in Him. He will honor us when we remember Him.
2.Knowing Our Place
When we are backed up against a wall and a threat is coming close, we wish we had someone bigger or stronger around to help us.
Who is greater than God?
It’s not just when we’re in trouble that we need God’s help. Every breath we take is a gift from God. God is always protecting us, and guiding us towards good things.
Our position below God as slaves reminds us that we can’t do a thing unless He has allowed us to do it. We trust in the plan of God, because He is the Most Just, and Most Wise.
In the first chapter of Quran, we read “It is you alone we worship, and it is you alone we ask for help.” (1:5)
3.Knowing Our Provision
The One Who Provides, God controls and measures exactly what we are going to get, and when. When we realize this, we can stop worrying about money, food, and bills.
Our whole lives, God has been giving us what we needed. That will continue until we reach our final days.
Messenger Muhammad told us, “A soul will never die until it’s reached its time and it has taken in all its provision. So be proper about working for it and do not let a restriction of provision make you do crimes to get it..”
Since we know that God has already written all the goods in this life we will get, we can relax and trust in God for our provision.
We can work towards our goals and know that tricking people or lying to get provision won’t bring anything except what God had already written for us.
4. Knowing our Return
Everything in this life is temporary. We can only bring our good deeds with us when we die. Then we will be brought back to God, for judgement.
Our trust in God has to extend past just this life. We hope that God gives us Paradise, forgives our sins, and helps us enter the garden.
When we think about going back to God, we trust that God will accept our good deeds and hope for Paradise in the next life.
Our reward for the tests of this life, showing reliance on God, could be waiting for us.
We could be part of the chosen group that gets to spend the rest of existence in Paradise.