What Does It Mean to Surrender to Allah (SWT)'s Will?

The fact of life is that we’re all born in a state of total surrender. As such, we have to depend upon others to take care of us, keep us warm and well, and keep us away from all harm. 

Of course, we eventually learn how to make independent decisions with time. After all, our family and guardians can only take us so far before we have to make it on our own.

However, it’s only when we’re transitioning into adulthood that the stark reality sinks in. From the day our life begins to the day we leave everything behind, there’s no existence on earth we can ultimately depend upon except Allah (SWT).

Countless people come and go from our lives. But the only One that doesn’t leave us alone at any point in life and the only One we always find ourselves turning to without any hesitation is the Almighty Allah.

This concept is very similar to “Tawakkul,” which means having complete faith and trust in Allah (SWT)’s plans and practicing complete reliance on Him alone in all turns of life.

As humans, we tend to lose ourselves to the joys, worries, and accomplishments of life, forgetting that it’s all short-term. Since true surrender requires effort, we’re quick to lose the One who created it all out of our life’s equation.

However, it’s vital to remember that there is no blessing in life without His say-so.

And so the question is: What does it mean to surrender to Allah (SWT)’s will completely, and how can we practice that in real life?

The answer to this can be outlined into three parts:

#1- Acceptance of Our Surroundings

The first key to surrendering to Allah (SWT)’s will is embracing our surroundings. When we accept the reality and morality of life, it becomes much easier to release, let go, and move on from things that hold us back from accomplishing more.

In other words, accepting that all this we see and experience in this world is temporary can go a long way in restoring our faith in the Hereafter and striving for Jannah.

#2- Trusting in Allah (SWT)’s Plans

After acceptance comes trust. Trusting in Allah (SWT) comes naturally to us once we have accepted that our fate is in the hands of the One who’s the most creative planner of all.

Once that trust is earned, Allah (SWT) blesses us with so much good in this life and the Hereafter that we could never fathom for ourselves.

#3- Never Letting Things Be

Lastly, surrendering to Allah (SWT)’s will means taking on the responsibility of making focused decisions and implementing faithful actions instead of letting things be. 

It’s essential to remember that surrendering to Allah (SWT) doesn’t mean we should stop making efforts to improve our situation, waiting for Him to do something about it. Instead, it means taking rightful self-initiative while believing that whatever happens in the end is because Allah (SWT) willed it. 

Indeed, not even a single leaf moves out of place until Allah (SWT) permits it to do so.

May Allah (SWT) grant us the opportunity to have complete Tawakkul on Him so that we never lose ourselves to the temporariness that is this life. Ameen.