6 supplications
Duas of Tawakkul: Putting Your Trust in Allah
Tawakkul is the reliance of the heart on Allah while the limbs take the means. The prophets expressed it in short, powerful words in their hardest moments, and the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever truly relies on Allah will be provided for like the birds.
Allah is sufficient for me×7
حَسْبِيَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ، عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ، وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ
Hasbiyallahu la ilaha illa huwa, ‘alayhi tawakkaltu, wa huwa rabbul-‘arshil-‘adhim.
Allah is sufficient for me; there is no god but Him. In Him I put my trust, and He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne. The last verse of Surat al-Tawbah, said seven times in the morning and evening.
Source: Qur’an 9:129; Sunan Abi Dawud
Allah is sufficient for us
حَسْبُنَا اللَّهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيلُ
Hasbunallahu wa ni‘mal-wakil.
Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs. Said by Ibrahim when thrown into the fire, and by the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions when told that people had gathered against them.
Source: Qur’an 3:173; Sahih al-Bukhari
The words of Hud
إِنِّي تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ رَبِّي وَرَبِّكُم ۚ مَّا مِن دَابَّةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ آخِذٌ بِنَاصِيَتِهَا ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
Inni tawakkaltu ‘alallahi rabbi wa rabbikum, ma min dabbatin illa huwa akhidhun bi-nasiyatiha, inna rabbi ‘ala siratin mustaqim.
I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature but He holds it by its forelock. Indeed, my Lord is on a straight path.
Source: Qur’an 11:56
Reliance and protection from becoming a trial
رَّبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ رَبَّنَا لَا تَجْعَلْنَا فِتْنَةً لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا رَبَّنَا ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
Rabbana ‘alayka tawakkalna wa ilayka anabna wa ilaykal-masir. Rabbana la taj‘alna fitnatan lil-ladhina kafaru waghfir lana rabbana, innaka antal-‘azizul-hakim.
Our Lord, in You we put our trust, to You we turn in repentance, and to You is the final return. Our Lord, do not make us a trial for those who disbelieve, and forgive us, our Lord. You are the Almighty, the All-Wise.
Source: Qur’an 60:4-5
O Ever-Living, O Sustainer
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيثُ، أَصْلِحْ لِي شَأْنِي كُلَّهُ، وَلَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ
Ya hayyu ya qayyumu bi-rahmatika astaghith, aslih li sha’ni kullah, wa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘ayn.
O Ever-Living, O Sustainer, in Your mercy I seek relief. Set right all my affairs, and do not leave me to myself even for the blink of an eye. The Prophet ﷺ taught it to his daughter Fatimah.
Source: al-Mustadrak of al-Hakim; Sunan al-Nasa’i
Leaving the house
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ، تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ، وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘alallah, wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah.
In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah, and there is no power nor strength except with Allah. It is said to him: you are guided, sufficed and protected, and Shaytan turns away from him.
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud; Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi
Tie the camel and trust
A man asked the Prophet ﷺ whether he should tie his camel and rely on Allah or leave it untied and rely on Allah. He replied: “Tie it and rely on Allah” (at-Tirmidhi). Tawakkul is not leaving the means; it is doing them without leaning on them, knowing that results are in Allah’s hand.
He also said: “If you relied on Allah as He should be relied upon, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds: they go out hungry in the morning and return full in the evening” (at-Tirmidhi). The birds go out; they do not wait in the nest.
The words of the prophets
Ibrahim said “Hasbiyallah wa ni‘mal-wakil” when thrown into the fire (al-Bukhari). Hud stood alone before his people and said: “I have put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord; there is no creature but He holds it by its forelock” (11:56). Ya‘qub said to his sons: “Upon Him I rely, and upon Him let the reliant rely” (12:67). Each du‘a is a declaration that no one can harm or benefit except by Allah’s permission.
Fruits of tawakkul
Allah says: “Whoever relies upon Allah, He is sufficient for him” (65:3). Among the seventy thousand who enter Paradise without reckoning are those who “rely upon their Lord” (al-Bukhari, Muslim). Tawakkul brings calm in decisions, courage in fear and contentment with the result, because the heart has handed its affairs to the Most Wise.
Practical tips
- Plan well, then hand the result to Allah.
- Say the du‘a of leaving the house every time.
- Repeat “Hasbunallahu wa ni‘mal-wakil” in fear.
- Pray istikhara before important decisions.
- Accept the outcome with contentment.
Duas of Tawakkul: Putting Your Trust in Allah: questions and answers
What does “Hasbunallahu wa ni‘mal-wakil” mean?
“Allah is sufficient for us, and He is the best Disposer of affairs.” It was said by Ibrahim and by the Companions in the face of danger (al-Bukhari).
Does tawakkul mean not planning?
No. The Prophet ﷺ planned the Hijrah carefully and still relied on Allah; planning is part of the means.
What du‘a do I say when leaving the house?
“Bismillah, tawakkaltu ‘alallah, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah” (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmidhi).