Of Willpower and Responsibility.

[Abu Hafsat]

As-Salaam alaikum,

If a man is not looking after himself and becomes ill and then says: What can I do, it is Allah's will- he is wrong. You can protect yourself. If one is taking care of the body and then becoming ill anyway, then Allah is sending the illness. A man who leaves his cows on the mountain to be eaten by wolves can't say afterwards:- 'It was Allah's will that my cows die' He must protect them and put them into pens', then if they die it is Allah's will.

You have something to do with your willpower. It is not a general will, but it is enough for you, like the headlights of a car are not lighting up every place, but light enough for driving. We have such a will to arrange for our life. You may plow and plant the seeds, but you cannot rain, you cannot make the grains to sprout. Allah Ta'ala completes the plant. In order to go on Hajj one must get his passport in order, prepare with things connected with such trip/travel and then put the responsibility on Allah. We have a choice, and when we have choice, we have responsibility.

One saying that he/she is not responsible is out of order; he is a sinner. When completing all the things you can do, then give it over to your Lord. The authority for this is in the Hadith wherein it was reported that a man once came to the Prophet, Sallallahu alaihi Wasallam, and when asked what he had done with his camel, he replied that he left it to the trust of Allah. The Prophet, alaihi salaat was-salaam, told him "Aqil wa tawakkil...tie it, then trust in Allah".   This gives a perfect arrangement for our lives-- if you are not trying then it is not true to say: I am trusting in Allah. When you know what you can do, you must do that. Do not neglect your responsibility.

 Adapted from:

'Mercy Oceans Book 2", Teachings of Sheikh Abdullah ed-Dagistani.