Tawakkul Meaning
Trust in Allah. The meaning, Arabic, when to say it, and its source in the Quran and Sunnah.
تَوَكُّل
- Transliteration
- Tawakkul
- Meaning
- Trust in Allah
Tawakkul means relying on Allah: doing everything you can, then leaving the outcome to Him with a calm heart.
Tawakkul in the Quran
“Whoever relies upon Allah, then He is sufficient for him” (Quran 65:3). And after making a decision: “Then when you have decided, rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely upon Him” (Quran 3:159).
The hadith of the birds
The Prophet ﷺ said: “If you relied on Allah as He should be relied on, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds: they go out hungry in the morning and return full in the evening” (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2344, graded hasan). Notice the birds still go out: tawakkul includes effort.
Tawakkul in daily life
Say it when you leave home: “Bismillah, tawakkaltu ʿalallah”. See the dua for leaving the house.
Quran and hadith references link to quran.com and sunnah.com, where you can read the full text. Reviewed 19 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.
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Frequently asked questions
What does tawakkul mean?
Tawakkul means trusting and relying on Allah, after doing your own part.
Does tawakkul mean doing nothing?
No. In the hadith of the birds (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2344), the birds go out to find food. Effort and trust go together.