Secrets of Submission To One's Fate and Putting One's Trust in God

Putting one's trust in God is an attribute peculiar to believers who have profound faith, who can appreciate God's power, and who are close to Him. There are important secrets and blessings to placing one's trust in God. Putting one's trust in God implies a definite submissiveness to and reliance on God and the fate He creates. God has created all beings, animals, plants, as well as non-living objects - each with its own purpose or fate. The sun, moon, seas, lakes, trees, flowers, a tiny ant, a single leaf falling, a single particle of dust on your desk, a rock that you trip over, the shirt that you bought ten years ago, the peach in your refrigerator, your mother, your father, your relatives, your primary school friends, yourself - briefly everyone and everything has its fate which was predetermined millions of years ago in God's sight. The fate of every being is kept in a book, which is called "The Mother of the Book" in the Qur'an. The moment of death, the moment a particular leaf falls, the moment when the peach in your fridge starts decaying, and all the stages of rock until you tripped over it - briefly, every event, insignificant or important - is kept in this book.

Believers have faith in fate and they know that the fate God creates is the best for them. That is why, at every moment of their lives, they put their trust in God. In other words, they know that God creates all events in compliance with a divine purpose and there is goodness in whatever God creates. For example, catching a fatal disease, confronting a bitter and merciless enemy, being subjected to false accusations despite being innocent, or encountering the most terrifying events one can imagine do not shake the faith of believers nor arouse any fear in their hearts. They welcome what God has created for them. Believers derive great pleasure from encountering situations which normally terrify or bring despair to a disbeliever. That is because even the most dreadful scenario was previously planned by God to test them. Those who respond to these situations with steadfastness and put their trust in God and to the fate He creates, will earn the love and good pleasure of God. They earn paradise for all eternity. Therefore, believers enjoy the comfort and joy of putting their trust in their Lord throughout their lives. This is a blessing and secret that God discloses to believers. God states in the Qur'an that He loves those who put their trust in Him. (Surah Al 'Imran: 159) God's Messenger, peace be upon him, also remarked this when he said:

A servant of God can have no real faith unless he believes in fate with its good and evil sides and knows that he cannot prevent anything that befalls him (good or evil) and he cannot catch anything that escapes from him (good or evil).4

Another point mentioned in the Qur'an about putting trust in God is "taking measures." The Qur'an informs us about numerous measures believers can take in various situations. In many other verses, God also reveals the secret that those measures which are accepted as a form of worship by God, cannot change the fate. The Prophet Jacob, peace be upon him, advised his sons to take some measures while entering the city but afterwards he reminded them to place trust in God. The relevant verse is as follows:

He said, 'My sons! You must not enter through a single gate. Go in through different gates. But I cannot save you from God at all, for judgement comes from no one but God. In Him I put my trust, and let all those who put their trust, put it in Him alone.' (Surah Yusuf: 67)

As seen in the words of the Prophet Jacob, believers definitely take precautions, but they know that they cannot change what fate God has willed for them. For example, a person should follow traffic rules and not drive carelessly. This is an important measure and a form of worship performed for one's life and that of others. Yet, if God wills that person to die in a car accident, no measure can be taken to prevent his death. Sometimes a precautionary action or an act may seem to have enabled that person to escape death. Or one may take a crucial decision, which changes the entire course of his life; or one may recover from a fatal disease by showing strength and endurance. Yet, all these occur because God decrees so. Some people misinterpret such events as "overcoming one's fate" or "changing one's fate". But, no one, not even the seemingly strong and most resolute person in the world, can change what God has decreed. No man has such a power. On the contrary, every being is weak before God's decree. The fact that some people do not accept the fact, does not alter the truth. In fact, denying their fate is also decreed. For that reason, those who escape death or a disease, or whose course of life completely changes, experience these events because they were decreed. God relates this in the Qur'an as follows:

Nothing occurs, in the earth or in you, but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees before We make it happen. That is easy for God. In order that you will not be grieved about the things that pass you by or exult about the things that come to you. God does not love any vain or boastful man. (Surat al-Hadid: 22-23)

As stated in the above verses, any event that occurs is predetermined and kept in a book in God's sight. Therefore, God tells man not to grieve about what may have escaped him. For example, a person who loses all his property in a fire or in a commercial venture experiences this loss because it was decreed. It is not possible for him to prevent or avoid these happenings. Thus, it would be senseless to have a sense of grievance at such a loss. God puts his people to test by many events that were decreed for them. Those who put their trust in God when they encounter such events earn the good pleasure and love of God. Those who fail to put their trust in God, on the other hand, will never be free of troubles, restlessness and unhappiness all through their lives in this world, and are punished eternally in the hereafter. It is crystal-clear that putting one's trust in God is a gain and comfort both in this world and in the hereafter. By revealing these secrets to believers, God has relieved them of difficulties and has rendered their test in the life of this world easy.