Quran’s Teachings about Tawakkul and Mental Health
Tawakkul gives one the courage to act and removes impediments.
Divine teachings for the guidance of mankind are not unrelated to the minds of humans.
Tawakkul is a virtue emphasized in Quranic teachings and is necessary in living a religious life.
Tawakkul is putting one’s trust in God in all affairs and not pinning hopes on anyone other than God. But it does not mean not using means for reaching a goal or making no efforts to achieve something.
When Mary (SA) was given the good news that Jesus (AS) is going to be born, and she started to experience the pain of childbirth labor, God ordered her to “shake the trunk of this palmtree it will drop fresh ripe dates upon you.” (Verse 25 of Surah Maryam)
It means that she needed to make efforts so that dates will drop. If she had stayed there without doing anything, there would have been no dates. So having Tawakkul does not mean doing nothing.
God says in Verses 39-40 of Surah An-Najm: “And that man shall have nothing but what he strives for. And that his striving shall soon be seen.”
In other words, one’s striving should never stop under any circumstances. When he has Tawakkul, he submits to God, and trusts Him with his goals and affairs. And God is both omniscient and kind to His servants. So even if one’s goal is not achieved, he knows that there has been a greater good at play.
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“Allah is Sufficient for whosoever puts his trust in Him. Indeed, Allah brings about whatever He decrees. Allah has set a measure for all things.” (Verse 3 of Surah At-Talaq)
When Tawakkul and putting trust in God affects one’s thoughts and deeds, he sees nothing but good and virtue and that is why his Nafs (self) and mind reach peace and his Nafs becomes known as Nafs al-Mutma’innah or satisfied soul (Verse 27 of Surah Al-Fajr).
