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Society has sold you a version of “confidence” that demands endless struggles, tears, and sacrifices—an elusive goal that often leaves you exhausted and hollow. You’ve pushed yourself, fallen, and risen again, all for what?
To conform to society’s blueprint. But as a Muslim, you don’t need to chase society’s definition of confidence. We have something far more profound, and more trustworthy: Tawakkul.
It’s your key to: Struggling less (we can be tried still even when we put our trust in الله (Allaah))
Living at peace more, ان شاء الله. Tawakkul isn’t about self-reliance alone; it’s about trusting the One who never fails.
In this blog, you’ll uncover:
Why Tawakkul outshines self-confidence.
What you, as a Muslim, should truly focus on backed by (Qur’aan and Hadiths). It’s time to break free from the chains of societal expectations.
What is Tawakkul – تَوَكُّل
The term Tawakkul comes from the Arabic root letters ( و, ك, ل), meaning “reliance” or “entrusting someone to take care of a matter.”
Tawakkul is trusting الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) while doing what is necessary. But before diving into what Tawakkul is, let’s first clarify what it is not.
What Tawakkul Is Not
- It’s not jumping into a pool without any practice and expecting Allah to save you.
- It’s not playing with fire, assuming الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) will shield you from harm.
Do you see the problem here? Tawakkul doesn’t mean neglecting your responsibilities or skipping the effort required.
→ It’s not blind faith with no preparation on your part.
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What Tawakkul Truly Means
To understand Tawakkul, let’s look at this story:
The Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) once noticed a Bedouin man leaving his camel untied. The Prophet asked him, “Why don’t you tie down your camel?” The man replied, “I put my trust in الله (ِAllaah).” The Prophet then advised, “Tie your camel first, and then put your trust in الله (ِAllaah).”
This hadith shows us: Take action: Do everything you can to help yourself (what is within your control). Submit to the will of الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah): Trust الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) to take care of what is beyond your control.
This is the essence of Tawakkul—combining effort with trust.
It’s not just about faith in the plan of الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) but also about doing your part to show you’re committed to the
The story of Prophet Moosaa (عليه سلام) offers another powerful example.
When Pharaoh’s army pursued Moosaa (عليه سلام) and the Israelites to the edge of the Red Sea, what did الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) command Moosaa (عليه سلام) to do before the sea split open?
→ Strike the ground with your staff.
goal.
Now, think about this.
الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah), who has the power to say kun fa yakun (Be, and it is), didn’t need Moosaa to strike the ground. Yet, He commanded it.
Why?
This action demonstrated effort and readiness on Moosaa’s part.
الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) wanted to see his resolve before performing the miracle.
Tawakkul demands reliance on الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah).
It requires:
Effort: Taking meaningful action toward your goal.
Trust: Leaving the results in the hands of الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) with complete submission.
الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) doesn’t expect you to succeed independently, but He wants to see you try.
He wants to see you move, act, and prove your dedication to what you’ve prayed for.
So, the next time you ask for the help of الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah), remember:
Tie your camel, take the first step, and trust in the plan of الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah), always.
What is Self Confidence?
Self-confidence is often defined as believing in your abilities, decisions, and worth. It’s trusting yourself to handle challenges and achieve goals without second-guessing your value.
When you are preparing to give a presentation at school or work. Self-confidence is the belief that your preparation is enough, and you are capable of delivering your points effectively.
You might feel nervous, but you trust yourself to perform well despite those feelings. In the personal development industry, self-confidence is the ultimate product they sell.
Wrapped in therapies, programs, and motivational content, it promises the feeling of being in control—breaking through barriers to achieve your dreams and fulfill your dunya-driven goals. الله أكبر!
But here’s what it truly is:
We live in a world that relentlessly conditions us to believe confidence is the key to success.
- The media
- Schools
- Workplaces
Constantly feeding us the idea that confidence has a specific look, sound, and feel—and that without it, success is unattainable.
Sadly, many have bought into this narrative, adopting it as their way of life and even using these strategies to help others chase this fleeting ideal.
This version of confidence is self-centered. It celebrates: Flaunting oneself. Saying anything and everything, regardless of its impact. Engaging in practices and behaviors that are often displeasing to الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah).
To the world, self-confidence is the cure-all.
It promises:
- Those coveted 10k months.
- The life of your dreams.
- Perfect relationships.
- Endless opportunities.
Every program you invest in starts with one thing: mindset work, aimed at cultivating self-confidence.
Let me tell you a little about my self confidence journey.
Years ago, I joined 2 programs to help build my confidence. One was led by a non-Muslim, and the other by a Muslimah.
While the latter mentioned الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah), the methods used in both were shockingly similar—and dangerously flawed.
Both programs emphasized creating a space to vent, open up, and speak about the past to “release” trauma. But the techniques they offered, even under the guise of Islamic framing, revolved around trusting yourself above all else.
However, الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) says, وَخُلِقَ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ ضَعِيفٗا
In what means:
“Indeed, We created mankind weak.” (Quran 4:28)
How can we fully trust ourselves when we are inherently weak??
Society relentlessly teaches us that success in any aspect of life begins with self-confidence. You might be thinking, “But haven’t we seen people achieve incredible worldly heights by trusting themselves?”
Yes, it seems that way.
But as Muslims, we understand that these people are being provided for by الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah). Their belief that their success stems solely from their hard work and self-confidence is rooted in 2 key factors:
- Cultural Influence: The language and mindset ingrained in their culture perpetuate the idea that self-reliance is the ultimate key to success.
- They are ignorant of الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah): Lack of knowledge about the Lordship of الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah), as the Provider and Sustainer, which blinds them to the true source of their achievements.
Without this understanding, they attribute their worldly gains to their efforts alone, unaware of the One who truly facilitates their success.
But you as a Muslim, know better, right?
How Confidence and Tawaqqul are different
Tawakkul means relying on الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) while actively preparing and putting in your best effort in areas within your control.
For everything beyond your control, you trust الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) to take care of the outcome.
In contrast, confidence means relying solely on yourself—your abilities, decisions, and approach—to complete a task and achieve results.
Let’s break it down further and understand this through a table:
| Tawaqqul | Confidence |
| Relying on الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) while putting in your best efforts for what is within your control and leaving the outcome to Him. | Trusting your abilities and approach to complete a task. |
| Reliance on الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah), the Owner, Provider, and Creator of the worlds. | Reliance on yourself, despite الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) describing mankind as inherently weak. |
| Work becomes easier, more peaceful, and filled with barakah (blessings), as الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah), the Source of peace, is involved. | Work often becomes stressful and exhausting because it depends solely on limited human capabilities. |
| The blessings and mercy of الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) are infinite; there’s no limit to what He can provide. Subhan الله (ِAllaah)! | Human abilities are finite; there’s a clear limit to what they can achieve. |
| Encouraged by Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلام | Promoted by an ignorant society that lacks knowledge of الله سبحانه وتعالى (ِAllaah) and His provision. |
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