218 chapter five
creation. A necessary pre-requisite that implies: (a) a reply to the
prevailing religious sects at that time which overruled the mind in
pursuit of the text, and (b) as thinking and reflecting involve an effort
made by human beings in appreciating God’s creation, there was a
need to make a similar effort by flùfìs to gain a living as part of
the pursuit of worship.
Third, it adds a further emphasis on the intention of God in the
creation of human beings who have physiological needs in order to
thrive and survive, once again this reads like an implicit early warn-
ing to his fellow flùfìs.
Fourth, it gives further stress on what God has guaranteed through
the provision of an amount of earnings to each one of his people
which he/she is destined to gain so that people’s hearts may remain
confident in God and may not be too preoccupied by distress over
earnings to worship Him.
The introduction seems to be conveying a very clear message: God
has destined the earnings so that His creatures may make the effort
to gain them. This is in a direct clash with the views of other flùfìs.
The first chapter deals with a crucial issue in the heart of Islam
in as far as the relationship between man and God is concerned in
general, and in earning a living in particular. This is the difference
between twakkuland twàkul(or twaakul); notice the double ‘k’, twakkul,
in the former and the ‘à’ or double ‘a’, twàkulin the latter. The
difference in spelling, minor as it might seem in English, is of a
paramount importance in Arabic. Twakkulmeans the full reliance on
God in all that one does in one’s life, including earning a living, on
condition that one strives hard in pursuit of what is needed to be
obtained. Al-Muœàsibìrefers to the pursuit of earning as al-œarakah.
Twàkulon the other hand, although means, yet again, the full reliance
on God in what one does including earning a living, it stops short
from working hard, or for some, working at all, in order to earn a
living, or obtain what is needed, and relying instead on praying for
God’s help, hope and assistance. In al-Muœàsibì’s expression, this
boils down to defining twakkulas believing, with work œarakah, while
twàkul refers to belief, but without œarakah.Œarakah, once again, is
defined as the effort made by the individual towards earning a liv-
ing, or obtaining whatever the individual wishes to obtain. The two
meanings and intentions are very different. God has ordained his
people to rely on Him in pursuit of earnings but such reliance does
not overrule the genuine attempt and sincere effort demanded by