Glossary of Sufism 10. Tawakkul

التوكل

Abandonment to God 

(tawakkul)

The “abandonment to God” happens when the heart confides in God to a point that the heart only leans on God;  or to be tied to God and address only to God in everything, knowing that God knows everything, and to count on what is in His hands than what is in ours. The lowest degree of “abandonment to God” is to be in the same position as when the asker is in front of the giver, alert and anxious about his interests. De medium degree is like when it happens with a child and his mother: in all circumstance, it is only towards him that she focuses her attention. And the highest degree of “abandonment to God” is to be like a corpse – dead body -  in the hands of the washer of the dead.

These three degrees are, respectively, the ones of the vulgar, the ones of the elite and the ones of the chosen elite.  As for the first ones, a suspicion (tuhma) comes at times to the mind. Regarding the second ones, there is no wariness (ittihaam) but they get attached to their mothers because they are in need for it. And as for the ones belonging to the third degree, there is no suspicion at all, nor “interested” attachment, because they fade to their own soul (faani ‘annafsihi) and expect at all times what God will make from them.

Translated from Glossaire du Soufisme, by Iban Agibah, edited by A. Saleh Hamdan.
For further reading:

Tawakkul. From Mission Islam

Tawakkul. From Hizmetbooks

Labels: divine love, elements of sufism, English, glossary of sufism, Love, Metaphysics, mysticism, philosophy, soul, spirit, sufi masters, sufi people, sufi teachers, sufis, sufism, tasawwuf, Tawakkul, tradition