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 favor!’
‘No, it’s not because of him, it’s only because of me, you achieved success!’
A true Muslim understands the hollowness of such a bragging!
The “Truth” is وما توفیقی الا باللہ(Wa maa tawfeeqee illaa billaah). Which means: “My ability to do anything comes from none but Allah”. This is a powerfully loaded statement. It facilitates a Muslim in burying arrogance and autocracy.
Saying وما توفیقی الا باللہ(Wa maa tawfeeqee illaa billaah) is awe inspiring. Imaan boasting. Heart solacing!
وما توفیقی الا باللہ(Wa maa tawfeeqee illaa billaah) 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 (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) alone. He is the Giver of Success and Succor.
Saying وما توفیقی الا باللہ(Wa maa tawfeeqee illaa billaah) 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 Shaitaan (Satan).
Uttered by the Prophet of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) Hadhrat Sho’aib, 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, preaching.
قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُ عَلَى بَيِّنَةٍ مِنْ رَبِّي وَرَزَقَنِي مِنْهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُخَالِفَكُمْ إِلَى مَا أَنْهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ [هود: 88]
“He said: ‘O my people, tell me, if I am on a clear path from my Lord and He has provided me with a good provision from Himself, (should I still leave you unguided?) I do not want to do in your absence what I forbid you from. I want nothing but to set things right as far as I can. My ability to do anything comes from none but Allah. In Him alone, I have placed my trust and to Him alone، I turn in humbleness” (Hood 11: 88)
The word توفیق (Tawfeeq) comes from the Arabic root و ق ف(waaw, fa, qaaf) وفق (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 توفیق (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 توفیق (Tawfeeq), I feel these translators have found difficulty while translating into English, and this is evident in the following different translations. For example:
“And my success is not but through Allah”
“And my guidance cannot come except from Allah”
“My welfare is only in Allah”
“and my success (in my task) can only come from Allah”
“My succor is only with Allah”
“And accomplishment of my wish can come only from Allah”
“And whatever (good) I do is due to the help of Allah”
“Nor is my success in the hands of other than God”.
“My success depends on Allah alone”
“and no success (in bringing about the reform) can I attain except by Allah’s will”
Since ‘to inspire’ is also one meaning of توفیق (Tawfeeq), we can also translate وما توفیقی الا باللہ(Wa maa tawfeeqee illaa billaah) as: ‘And my inspiration can come only from Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa)”.
We all need to believe and accept, understand and have firm conviction in declaring: “My success, my inspiration, my guidance, my succor, my accomplishment, my reconciliation in my reform work, my welfare, my adjustment, my adaptation, my prosperity can come only and only through Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa), and none else”!
Attributing success to Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) must be the way of a true Muslim.
إِنْ أُرِيدُ إِلَّا الْإِصْلَاحَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُ وَمَا تَوْفِيقِي إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ 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 (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa).
May Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta’aalaa) give us the much-needed توفیق (Tawfeeq) and ھدایہ (Hidaayah) to live by His Guidance. Aameen!