Wa man yatawakkal 'ala Allah fahuwa hasbuh

Question

Which verse is **"وَ مَنْ یَتَوَکَّلْ عَلَی اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ"** from?

Wa man yatawakkal 'ala Allah fahuwa hasbuh (Arabic:وَ مَنْ یَتَوَکَّلْ عَلَی اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ) is part of verse 3 of Surah At-Talaq, meaning that whoever relies on Allah, He will suffice them. In the interpretation of this phrase, it is said that whoever relies on Allah, detaches themselves from their ego and desires, and prioritizes Allah's will over their own, Allah will be sufficient and a guarantor for them. At that point, what they desire, Allah will also desire for them, provided it aligns with their well-being and happiness.

Commentators have stated that the reason Allah is described as sufficient and a guarantor in this verse is that Allah is the ultimate cause, to whom all causes ultimately return. Therefore, when He wills something, it happens, and He achieves His will without any change. However, other means that people rely on to fulfill their needs derive their effectiveness from Allah, and they possess only what He has granted them.

Text and Translation of the Verse

﴾وَیَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَیْثُ لَا یَحْتَسِبُ ۚ وَمَنْ یَتَوَکَّلْ عَلَی اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ ۚ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِکُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدْرًا؛ And He will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah—then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.﴿

Explanation of the Verse

At the end of verse 2 of Surah At-Talaq, it is stated: ﴾وَ مَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً؛ And whoever fears Allah—He will make for him a way out.﴿ Continuing this statement, verse 3 says: ﴾And He will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah—then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent.﴿

Commentators have explained that Allah warns men, women, and witnesses not to fear difficulties in upholding justice, to seek solutions to their problems from Allah, as He has guaranteed to resolve the issues of the righteous and provide for them from unexpected sources. Allah has assured that whoever relies on Him will not be left helpless, and He is capable of fulfilling this promise. Although these verses were revealed in the context of divorce and its rulings, their content is broad and applies to other situations as well. They offer a hopeful promise from Allah to all the righteous and those who rely on Him, assuring them of His eventual mercy. Additionally, the problems that arise in life, whether in marital matters or otherwise, each have a measure, wisdom, and an end. Humans should not panic when these events occur, complain, or resort to unrighteous means to solve their problems. Instead, they should face them with piety and self-control, seeking the ultimate solution from Allah.

Whoever avoids Allah's prohibitions out of fear of Him, Allah will provide a way out of life's difficulties and ensure their happiness in this world and the hereafter. He will provide them with sustenance, a spouse, wealth, and everything that brings joy and purity to their life, from sources they could never have imagined. Referring to verse 2 of Surah Al-Hashr, both Allah's mercy and wrath can come unexpectedly, in ways one could never anticipate. Verses 2 and 3 of Surah At-Talaq are considered among the most hopeful verses of the Quran, eliminating despair and promising salvation and resolution of problems to all the righteous and God-fearing individuals.

Piety Accompanied by Effort

The meaning of the verse is not that one should abandon effort and striving for sustenance, saying, "I will sit at home and be pious, so that Allah will provide for me from unexpected sources." Piety must be accompanied by effort and striving, as Allah has guaranteed to resolve difficulties. In a hadith, it is narrated that one of the companions of **Imam Sadiq (AS)**, **Umar ibn Muslim**, stopped attending his gatherings for some time. When the Imam inquired about him, it was said that he had abandoned trade and turned to worship. The Imam said: Template:Arabic text The effects of piety are not limited to the hereafter; this opening of sustenance is also for the pious in this world. A pious person should not think that they will be deprived of their livelihood, as the control of all affairs is in Allah's hands. When a servant takes the path of piety, Allah arranges the means of the world in such a way that they are provided for from unexpected sources.

When the verse ﴾وَ مَنْ یَتَّقِ اللَّهَ یَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجاً وَ یَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَیْثُ لا یَحْتَسِبُ‏﴿ was revealed, some of the Prophet's (SAWA) companions closed their doors, turned to worship, and said, "Allah has taken responsibility for our sustenance!" When the Prophet (SAWA) heard about this, he sent someone to ask them why they had done so. They replied, "O Messenger of Allah! Since Allah has guaranteed our sustenance, we have devoted ourselves to worship." The Prophet (SAWA) said, "Whoever does this will not have their prayers answered. You must strive and seek sustenance."

Reliance on Allah

In interpreting the phrase ﴾وَمَنْ یَتَوَکَّلْ عَلَی اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ﴿, it is said that whoever relies on Allah, detaches themselves from their ego and desires, prioritizes Allah's will over their own, and prefers what Allah wants over what they desire, Allah will be sufficient and a guarantor for them. At that point, what they desire, Allah will also desire for them, provided it aligns with their well-being and happiness.

The reason Allah is described as sufficient and a guarantor in this verse is that Allah is the ultimate cause, to whom all causes ultimately return. When He wills something, it happens, and He achieves His will without any change. However, other means that people rely on to fulfill their needs derive their effectiveness from Allah, and they possess only what He has granted them. Every possessor of power has only the power that Allah has given them, and they can act only to the extent that He permits. Therefore, Allah alone is sufficient for anyone who relies on Him, and no other means can provide such sufficiency.

Reliance on Allah means that a striving person entrusts their affairs to Him and seeks the resolution of their problems from Him—Allah, who is aware of all their needs, merciful and compassionate toward them, and capable of resolving any problem. Reliance is always accompanied by effort and striving, not laziness and shirking responsibilities.

A person with the spirit of reliance never allows despair to enter their heart and does not feel weak or helpless in the face of difficulties. In a hadith, the Prophet (SAWA) said: "I asked Gabriel, 'What is reliance?' He replied, 'The essence of reliance is that a person knows: the creation can neither harm nor benefit; neither give nor withhold. To turn one's hope away from creation (and toward the Creator). When this happens, a person works only for Allah, hopes only in Him, fears only Him, and attaches their heart only to Him. This is the spirit of reliance.'"