So, how does one depend on Allah swt?
Does it mean lying back and making dua? No doubt, dua is important and shows we have the correct intentions. But is this where we stop? The prophet s.a.a.s. did not advise us to rely on allah swt and leave our camels untied hoping they will not run away, he advised us to rely on allah swt and tie up our camels. But why? Surely if we rely on Allah swt to keep the camels here, He will provide a way for them to stay - right? But wait! He did provide us a way. The rope we used to tie them with! The arms we used to tie the rope with. The brain we used to remember how to tie a rope.
Too often do we forget that even our bodies are a means provided to use by Allah swt. We seem to expect that fish will be multiplied or an angel will appear or fruit will descend from the sky whenever Allah swt does something for us. No doubt, that is all easy for Allah swt. He has done such things in the past and more when there was no other way available (e.g. made the sea split to allow musa a.s. and his people escape. gave life to eissa a.s. without a father. Made a boulder move to unlock the entrance of a cave with people trapped inside, etc). But that is only when there was no other means available to them.
Why open a door with a bazooka when it is already unlocked and you need only turn the handle? It may be that you make dua for Allah swt to feed you - and so He answers you by sending you some food - but not from the sky - from a family member who "coincidentally" brings you a meal at that moment - or even by inspiring a stranger to come and give you some food. The subtlest of means. It may even be the case that He inspires you to get up and make the food yourself. Why do we assume the only means to do something comes from everything else other than ourselves? Allah swt has blessed us with a body that can do certain things. It is also a tool or a means that Allah swt has provided us with. And so, if we ask Him for something, we should first look around and make sure it is not already given to us - except that the means to get it is through walking to it, or making it, or asking for it, etc. But this is all still from Allah swt - not from ourselves. Because our legs, hands, brains, lips are all provided for by Him and only work by His permission.
Does it mean lying back and making dua? No doubt, dua is important and shows we have the correct intentions. But is this where we stop? The prophet s.a.a.s. did not advise us to rely on allah swt and leave our camels untied hoping they will not run away, he advised us to rely on allah swt and tie up our camels. But why? Surely if we rely on Allah swt to keep the camels here, He will provide a way for them to stay - right? But wait! He did provide us a way. The rope we used to tie them with! The arms we used to tie the rope with. The brain we used to remember how to tie a rope.
Too often do we forget that even our bodies are a means provided to use by Allah swt. We seem to expect that fish will be multiplied or an angel will appear or fruit will descend from the sky whenever Allah swt does something for us. No doubt, that is all easy for Allah swt. He has done such things in the past and more when there was no other way available (e.g. made the sea split to allow musa a.s. and his people escape. gave life to eissa a.s. without a father. Made a boulder move to unlock the entrance of a cave with people trapped inside, etc). But that is only when there was no other means available to them.
Why open a door with a bazooka when it is already unlocked and you need only turn the handle? It may be that you make dua for Allah swt to feed you - and so He answers you by sending you some food - but not from the sky - from a family member who "coincidentally" brings you a meal at that moment - or even by inspiring a stranger to come and give you some food. The subtlest of means. It may even be the case that He inspires you to get up and make the food yourself. Why do we assume the only means to do something comes from everything else other than ourselves? Allah swt has blessed us with a body that can do certain things. It is also a tool or a means that Allah swt has provided us with. And so, if we ask Him for something, we should first look around and make sure it is not already given to us - except that the means to get it is through walking to it, or making it, or asking for it, etc. But this is all still from Allah swt - not from ourselves. Because our legs, hands, brains, lips are all provided for by Him and only work by His permission.
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