Wa Ma Tawfeeqee il-laah bil-laah

Dear brothers and sisters, Assalamu Alaikum.

In today’s society, success seems to have many “fathers”. Failure is an orphan. Nobody wants to own it!

You might have heard people bragging: ‘Your success is because of me!’ ‘You got promoted because of my recommendation!’ ‘Without me, you’ll be nowhere!’ ‘Your accomplishment is due to my favour!’ ‘No, it’s not because of him, its only because of me, you achieved success!’!!

A true Muslim understands the hollowness of such a bragging! 

“Wa Ma Tawfeeqee il-laah bil-laah” is a powerfully loaded statement. It facilitates a Muslim in burying arrogance and autocracy.

Saying “Wa Ma Tawfeeqee il-laah bil-laah” is awe inspiring. Emaan boasting. Heart solacing!

“Wa Ma Tawfeeqee il-laah bil-laah” is one statement that highlights the reality of all realities: Success, prosperity, strength, guidance, accomplishment, consistence, compatibility, good fortune, happy outcome  – all come from Allah alone. He is the Giver of Success and Succour.

Saying “Wa Ma Tawfeeqee il-laah bil-laah” not only brings solace to one’s heart, it makes a Muslim emotionally and psychologically stronger.  Those who listen to this statement also are blessed in that it makes them think and therefore provide an opportunity to save themselves from falling into the pitfalls created by Shaytaan.

Uttered by Prophet Shu’ayb, alaihis-salam, while addressing his nation, this statement is one of the oft-repeated Islamic declarations especially by those dedicated in the field of da’wah, teaching-learning-propagating.

“He (Prophet Shu’ayb) said, “O my people, have you considered: if I am upon clear evidence from my Lord and He has provided me with a good provision from Him…? And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you; I only intend reform as much as I am able. And my success is not but through Allah. Upon him I have relied, and to Him I return”. Surah Huud 11: 88

The word Tawfeeq comes from the Arabic root ‘waaw-fa-qaaf’ (wafaqa) which means ‘to match, to agree with, to occur at a time of something, to succeed, to be right, proper, suitable, fit, appropriate, to be well-guarded, to adapt, to have success, be successful, to inspire’.

The Arabic word “Tawfeeq” is so rich that it carries myriad of meanings:

“conformation, adaptation, accommodation, balancing, adjustment, settlement, reconciliation, mediation, peace making, success, succeeding, successfulness, happy outcome, good fortune, prosperity”. 

Owing to the richness of the Arabic word “Tawfeeq”, I feel these translators have found difficulty while translating into English, and this is evident in the following different translations:

“And my success is not but through Allah” (Sahih International)

“And my guidance cannot come except from Allah” (Muhsin Khan and Hilali)

“My welfare is only in Allah” (Pickthall)

“and my success (in my task) can only come from Allah” (Yusuf Ali)

“My succour is only with Allah” (Zafar Ishaq Ansari, for Maududi)

“And accomplishment of my wish can come only from Allah” (Basheer Ahmed Mohyideen)

“And whatever (good) I do is due to the help of Allah” (Imtiaz Ahmed)

“Nor is my success in the hands of other than God”. (Ahmad Zaki Hammad)

“My success depends on Allah alone”(Aadil Salahi, for Sayyid Qutb)

“and no success (in bringing about the reform) can I attain except by Allah’s will” (Dr. Mohar Ali)

Since ‘to inspire’ is also one meaning of Tawfeeq, we can translate Wa Ma Tawfeeqee il-laah bil-laah as:

‘And my inspiration can come only from Allah”.

To sum up:

      

We all need to believe and accept, understand and have firm conviction in declaring:

“My success, my inspiration, my guidance, my succour, my accomplishment, my reconciliation in my reform work, my welfare, my adjustment, my adaptation, my prosperity can come only and only through Allah, and none else”! 

Attributing success to Allah must be the way of a true Muslim.

إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ ۚ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّـهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ 

…I only intend to reform to be best of my ability and my success in my work can come only from Allah. 

May Allah give us the much-needed Tawfeeq and Hidayah to live by His Guidance. Aameen.

Jazakallahu Khayra for reading this post of mine.

Don’t Forget to Read this, InshaaAllah:  Revolutionary Statement by Hajar, the noble wife of Prophet Ibraheem (peace be upon them)

Download At-Tawfeeque by Shaykh Salih al Munajjid, Tr. by Sr. Farhia Yahya

Sal-lal-laahu Ala Muhammad, Sal-lal-laahu-alaihi-wa-Sallam.