However, the meaning of tawakal in Islam is not just surrender or waiting for a miracle without effort. Tawakal is an attitude of heart that includes two main things:
* Try and make serious efforts. This is an absolute first step. A Muslim who relies on trust must use all his abilities, thoughts and energy to achieve goals or face problems. Rasulullah SAW said: "Tie your camel, then put your trust in Allah." This hadith shows that effort (tying the camel) must be done first before surrendering to Allah (tawakal).
* Surrender the final result completely to Allah (God's name in Islam). After all maximum efforts have been made, a Muslim must let go of anxiety and worry about the results. He must believe with full confidence that whatever Allah has ordained is the best for him, because Allah is All-Knowing and All-Wise.
Thus, tawakkal is a combination of hard work and sincere surrender to Allah. It is a work of the heart, where one believes that only Allah has absolute control over all things, while our efforts are merely a means or means commanded by Him.
Characteristics of someone who has tawakkal:
* Not easily discouraged: They know that failure is part of Allah's destiny and may have wisdom behind it.
* Their life is more peaceful: They are not haunted by excessive worry because they believe that their sustenance and fate have been determined by Allah.
* Optimistic and positive-minded: They always see everything with a positive perspective, believing that Allah will provide the best.
* Not arrogant: They realize that their success is not solely due to their own efforts, but rather due to Allah's help and grace.
In short, tawakkal is a strong belief that Allah will provide for all the needs of His servants who submit after doing their best. As Allah says in the Qur'an, At-Talaq verse 3:
"And whoever places his trust in Allah, He will suffice him."
In Islam and from a psychological perspective, humans should not despair because:
1. From a Religious Perspective
Allah forbids despairing of His mercy.
In the Quran:
"Do not despair of Allah's mercy. Indeed, no one despairs of Allah's mercy except the disbelievers." (Surah Yusuf: 87).
Despair means not believing that Allah is Almighty to change the situation, even though Allah says that with every difficulty there is ease (Surah Al-Insyirah: 5-6).
Despair can cause someone to abandon prayer, worship, and endeavor, even though these are actually the doors to help.
2. From a Psychological Perspective
Despair causes the brain to focus only on problems, not solutions. This triggers stress, depression, and feelings of helplessness.
Hope is the energy that keeps people moving and searching for solutions. Without hope, motivation is lost.
Many successful people begin with repeated failures, but they never give up.
3. From the Perspective of Life
Life is a cycle: today is difficult, tomorrow may be easy.
Humans don't know God's plan; today's problems may be the path to greater goodness in the future.
By not giving up, humans open up opportunities to learn, grow, and discover a deeper meaning in life.
👉 So, not giving up is a form of faith, mental health, and a life strategy.