According to the corpus.quran.com there are 40 instances of tawakkal “تَوَكَّلْ” in the verb form meaning “to put trust” in 38 verses across 24 suras. Since the verse, 9:129 has been confirmed not to belong to the Quran and if the instance in it is excluded, there are 39 instances of tawakkal in 37 verses across 24 suras in the Quran, which are detailed out below:
[3:122] When has inclined the two parties among you that they lose heart; while God is their Protector. And upon God that the believers should put trust (wa-`alaa allahi fal-yatawakkali al-mu’minuuna).
[3:159] So, because of mercy from God you have dealt with them gently. If you had been rude and harsh to the heart, they would have dispersed from around you. So you shall remit from them, and shall ask forgiveness for them, and shall consult them in the matter. Then when you have decided, then you shall put trust upon God (fa-tawakkal `alaa allahi). Indeed, God loves those who put trust.
[3:160] If God helps you, then there is no overcoming for you; and if He forsakes you, then who is other than Him can help you? And upon God the believers should put trust (wa-`alaa allahi fal-yatawakkali al-mu’minuuna).
[4:81] And they say: “Obedience.” Then when they have left from you (prophet), a group of them has planned other than that which you say, while God records what they plan. So, you shall turn from them and shall put trust upon God (wa-tawakkal `alaa allahi). And it has sufficed with God as a Guardian.
[5:11] O you who have believed, you shall remember God’s favor upon you when a people has decided that they stretch their hands towards you, while He has restrained their hands from you. And you shall fear God, and upon God is to put trust the believers (wa-`alaa allahi fal-yatawakkali al-mu’minuuna).
[5:23] Two men of those who fear (God), as God has favored upon both of them, said: “Enter upon them of the gate, then when you have entered it, then indeed, you will be the victors; and upon God that you shall put trust if you have been believers (wa-`alaa allahi fa-tawakkaluu in kuntum mu’mineena).”
[7:89] “Certainly, we would have fabricated a lie about God if we have returned in your religion after when God has saved us from it; and it would not be for us that we return in it except God, our Lord wills. Our Lord has encompassed everything in knowledge. Upon God we put trust (`alaa allahi tawakkalnaa). Our Lord, open between us and between our people with the truth, and You are a best of the openers.”
[8:2] The believers are only those – when has been mentioned God, has feared their hearts, and when has been recited His revelations to them, has increased them of faith, and upon their Lord they put trust (wa-`alaa rabbihim yatawakkaluuna).
[8:49] When says the hypocrites and those in their hearts there is disease: “Their religion has deceived these people.” While whoever puts trust upon God (wa-man yatawakkal `alaa allahi), then indeed, God is Almighty, Wise.
[8:61] And if they have inclined to the peace, then you shall incline to it, and shall put trust upon God (wa-tawakkal `alaa allahi). Indeed, He is the Hearer, the Knower.
[9:51] Say: “Nothing befalls us except what God has decreed for us; He is our Protector, and upon God should put trust the believers” (wa-alaa allahi fal-yatawakkali al-mu’minuuna).
[10:71] And you shall recite news of Noah to them when he said to his people, “My people, if it has made hard for you my presence and my reminding with God’s revelations, then upon God I put trust (fa-`alaa allahi tawakkaltu). So you shall gather your plan and your partners, then there would not be any doubt for you in your plan, then you shall carry against me and you do not give me respite.”
[10:84] And Moses said: “O my people, if you have believed in God, then upon Him you shall put trust (fa-`alayhi tawakkaluu) if you have been submitters.”
[10:85] Then they said: “Upon God we put trust (`alaa allahi tawakkalnaa). Our Lord, You do not make us a test for the wicked people.”
[11:56] “Indeed me, I (Hud) have put trust upon God, my Lord and your Lord (innee tawakkaltu `alaa allahi rabbi-i wa-rabbikum). There is not a creature except He is seizing of its forelock. Indeed, my Lord is on a straight path.”
[11:88] He (Shuaib) said, “O my people, have you seen if I have been with a clear proof from my Lord, and He has provided me from Him a good provision? And I do not intend that I differ from you to what I forbid you from it. I do not intend except the reformation what I have been able, nor my success except with God. Upon Him I have put trust (`alayhi tawakkaltu) and to Him I turn.
[11:123] And to God is unseen of the heavens and the earth, and to Him will be returned its all of the matter. So you shall worship Him and shall put trust upon Him (wa-tawakkal `alayhi), and your Lord is not about unaware of what you all do.
[12:67] And he (Jacob) said: “O my sons, you do not enter from one gate, but shall enter from different gates; and I cannot help you anything against God, the judgment is not except with God. Upon Him I put trust (`alayhi tawakkaltu) and upon Him should put trust those who put trust (wa-alayhi fal-yatawakkali al-mutawakkiluuna).”
[13:30] Thus that, we have sent you to a nation, certainly has passed away nations of its before that you may recite to them which we have revealed to you; while they disbelieve in the Most Gracious. Say: “He is my Lord, there is no god except He. Upon Him I put trust (`alayhi tawakkaltu) and to Him is my return.”
[14:11] It has said to them their messengers: “We are not except a human like yourselves, but God bestows grace upon whomever He wills among His servants. And it has not been for us that we bring you of any power except by God’s permission. And upon God that he should put trust of the believers (wa-`alaa allahi fal-yatawakkali al-mu’minuuna).”
[14:12] “And what is for us that we should not put trust upon God (allaa natawakkala `alaa allahi), while He has guided us our paths? And we will be patient on what you have caused harm to us. And upon God that should put trust those who put trust (wa-`alaa allahi fal-yatawakkali al-mutawakkiluuna).”
[16:42] Those who have been patient, and upon their Lord they put trust (wa-`alaa rabbihim yatawakkaluuna).
[16:99] Indeed he (Satan), it has not been any power over those who have believed, and upon their Lord they put trust (wa-`alaa rabbihim yatawakkaluuna).
[25:58] And you (Muhammad) shall put trust upon the Eternal (wa-tawakkal `alaa al-hayi), the One who does not die, and shall glorify with His praise. It has sufficed with Him being Cognizant of sins of His servants.
[26:217] And you shall put trust upon the Almighty, the Merciful (wa-tawakkal `alaa al-`azeezi al-raheemi).
[27:79] So you shall put trust upon God (fa-tawakkal `alaa allahi). Indeed, you are with the clear truth.
[29:59] Those who have been patient, and upon their Lord they put trust (wa-`alaa rabbihim yatawakkaluuna).
[33:3] And you (Muhammad) shall put trust upon God (wa-tawakkal `alaa allahi), and it has sufficed with God as an Advocate.
[33:48] And you (Muhammad) do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and shall disregard their insults, and shall put trust upon God (wa-tawakkal `alaa allahi); and it has sufficed with God as an Advocate.
[39:38] And if you had asked them: “Who has created the heavens and the earth?”, certainly, they will say: “God.” Say: “Have you then seen what you call on other than God? If God had intended for me with any harm, can they be removers of His harm? Or if He had intended for me with a mercy, can they be withholders of His mercy?” Say: “God is sufficient for me; upon Him he puts trust of those who puttrust (`alayhi yatawakkalu al-mutawakkiluuna).”
[42:10] And whatever you have disputed in it of any matter, then its judgment with God. That is God, my Lord, upon Him I put trust (`alayhi tawakkaltu) and to Him I turn.
[42:36] So whatever of a thing you have been given is a temporary enjoyment for the life of the world while what is with God is far better and everlasting for those who have believed, and upon their Lord they put trust (wa-`alaa rabbihim yatawakkaluuna).
[58:10] The secret counsel is only from the Satan that he may grieve to those who have believed, and he has not been harmful of them in anything except by God’s permission. And upon God is that the believers should put trust (wa-`alaa allahi fal-yatawakkali al-mu’minuuna).
[60:4] Certainly, there is a good example for you in Abraham and those with him when they said to their people: “Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from what you worship other than God. We have denied with you and have come up between us and between you the animosity and the hatred forever until you believe in God alone.” Except saying of Abraham to his father: “Certainly, I will ask forgiveness for you, but I cannot do anything for you from God.” “Our Lord, upon You we put trust (rabbanaa `alayka tawakkalnaa) and to You we turn, and to You is the final return.
[64:13] God, there is no god except He, and upon God is that the believers should put trust (wa-`alaa allahi fal-yatawakkali al-mu’minuuna).
[65:3] And He will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever puts trust upon God (wa-man yatawakkal `alaa allahi), then He provides his sufficiency. Indeed, God is accomplishing of His purpose. Indeed, God has set a measure for everything.
[67:29] Say: “He is the Gracious, we have believed in Him, and upon Him we put trust (wa-`alayhi tawakkalnaa). So you will know whoever is he is in clear astray.”
Summary
- When two parties have inclined and have lost their hearts but God is their Protector and upon God the believers should put their trust.
- God has blessed the prophet to deal with the believers. Thus, he should pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them, and when he has decided shall put trust upon God.
- If God helps you none can overcome while He forsakes you none can help you, the believers should put trust upon God.
- God records what the disbelievers have planned other than what the prophet has shared with them. Thus, the prophet should turn away from them and shall put trust on God.
- When a group of people has decided to stretch their hands towards you, while God has restrained their hands from you. Thus, you shall fear God as the believers should put trust on Him.
- Two men being blessed fear God have entered the gate will be the victors as the believers shall put trust upon God.
- The disbelievers have said we would fabricate a lie about God if we have returned to your religion after He has saved us from it except our Lord wills. Our Lord has encompassed everything with knowledge, and upon God we put trust and our Lord open between us and between our people with the truth.
- The believers put trust on their Lord while when has been mentioned God has feared their hearts and when has been recited His revelations to them has increased their faith.
- The hypocrites and those who have disease has deceived their religion while the believers only put trust upon God, the Almighty, the Wise.
- Those have inclined to the peace has put trust upon God, the Hearer, the Knower.
- Nothing befalls us except what God has decreed for us. He is our Protector and upon Him the believers should put their trust.
- Noah said to his people that I have reminded you with God’s revelation and I put trust upon Him.
- Moses said to his people that if you have believed in God, then you shall put trust upon Him while his people that we have put trust upon Him and our Lord, do not make us a test for the wicked people.
- Hud said to his people that I have put trust upon God, my Lord and your Lord on straight path.
- Shuaib said to his people that I have put trust upon God and to Him I turn.
- Muhammad said to his people that you shall worship God and shall put trust on Him.
- Jacob said to his sons that upon God I put trust and he should put trust those who put trust.
- Muhammad said that God is my Lord and I have put trust upon Him and to Him my return.
- The Quran teaches us that all messengers said to their people that we are not except humans like yourselves and we have no power of bringing anything except God’s permission and upon Him the believers should put trust.
- Those who have been patient, they put their trust upon their Lord.
- The Satan has no power over those who have believed in God and upon Him they put trust.
- Muhammad has been commanded to ignore the disbelievers and to put trust upon his Lord.
- Muhammad has been commanded to say that the judgment with God about any disputes in what has been revealed to him and he puts his trust on Him.
- God has informed us that the world is a temporary enjoyment for us while the Hereafter is far better, and the believers put trust on their Lord.
- The Satan cannot harm in anything except God’s permission, and upon Him the believers put trust.
- Abraham said to his father that he will ask forgiveness for him but he cannot do anything from God, we trust upon Him and to Him we turn and to Him is our final return.
- If anyone who can put his trust upon God, He provides his sufficiency as He provides for all.
- Muhammad said to his people who believed with him that we have believed in God and we have put trust upon Him, and will know whoever is in a far astray.
Conclusion
God has taught us in the Quran through instances of tawakkal “تَوَكَّلْ” meaning “to put trust” in different contexts that we should put our trust upon Him if we have believed in Him as well as we have been the believers and have been the patient as our final return to Him. He has clearly defined those who are the believers – when God has been mentioned has feared their heats, and when has been recited His revelations to them has increased their faith while upon their Lord they put trust that we may know who we are and where we will be our final return. God has mentioned some of His messengers by name, and even referring to all messengers that who have put their trust upon Him as well as those who have believed with them are on a straight path to Him. In addition, those who have inclined to the peace have put trust upon God, the Hearer, the Wise, and the Satan cannot harm those who have put trust upon their Lord. However, what is unfortunate that the disbelievers have said we would fabricate a lie about God if we have returned to your religion after He has saved us from it except our Lord wills as their religion has deceived them. However, those who have put trust upon their Lord would know who is far astray when they will meet Him as the judgment is not except with God being our Protector.
Peaceful Friday, salaam and God bless.
Tafazzal (7/24/2020).