7 Ways to Increase Tawfeeq (The Abilty to Complete Tasks)

Most of the times in our lives, come instances when a person misses the right moment to benefit from availing a chance, and on many occasions, it complains about having lack of wisdom or awareness to avail that opportunity. Although every one of us has been given same level of consciousness by Allah Almighty, but not everybody has the ability to make the best out of things at the right time. Some of us also associate it with having 6^th sense, and take it as an extraordinary skill, which makes a difference. Whatever it is, that definitely is a divine blessing from God, as the Holy Quran mentions about this fact by relating the parable of Hazrat Shoaib (A.S):

“…. I only intend reform as much as I am able. And my success is not but through Allah.” [Quran, 11: 88]

When Prophet Shoaib (A.S) called His people towards Oneness of Allah SWT and adopting morality, they refused Him by making an excuse that why they should leave doings of their forefathers for Him. Thereby, He (A.S) told them about being only the Messenger of the Almighty, and that His achievement of guiding them is only dependant on God`s Help.

The word “Tawfeeq” is often restricted to being successful in some task, but actually it has much greater implication than just that. It originates from Arabic alphabets “waaw faa qaaf”, which has the general meaning of “approving or reconciling”. It means merging of all capability, resources, and knowledge etc. of a person to be able to achieve something at the right time. So, the overall gist of this term is the combination of abilities and opportunity for accomplishing something good with the eventual help of Allah Almighty.

Following are 7 methods of gaining and enhancing Tawfeeq in our lives:

1. Having a Sincere Intent

The prerequisite for attaining the Help of the Gracious Lord is being mindful of rationale of the action a person is going to commit, as Allah never likes spreading of evil on earth. That is the reason why even after having knowledge of things; one is not being able to use it in the best possible way, because of lack of an honest approach towards its deed. Imam Abu Haneefa (R.A) describes it in the following way:

“If you do not make an intention of acquiring Khair (Deeni goodness) from ‘Ilm, then you will be deprived of Tawfeeq.”

Since, Islam stresses on keeping balance between religious and worldly matters, so sincerity of purpose should be adopted in each and every act. As the Holy Prophet (PBUH) says:

“Verily, all actions are but driven by intention and for everyone is what he intended.” (Bukhaari and Muslim)

So, before starting anything, one should do it for a good cause, and refrain from having wrong aim in mind because a person ultimately gets what it has wished for.

2. Trusting And Relying On Allah

one of the best attributes of a true Muslim is to have modesty and have complete faith in Allah`s Will as final and decisive. And the attainment of His direction is also subjected to believing in His Assistance as the most excellent and everlasting. As, the Prophet Shoaib (A.S) added to His previous notion of being able to succeed only because of the Almighty by saying:

Upon him I have relied, and to Him I return.” [Quran, 11: 88]

It means that all of our matters could only be solved when we have constant conviction and confidence in Tawfeeq being only possible from Allah SWT. Because when a person thinks about its achievements due to its own abilities and efforts alone, that leads towards pride and arrogance, which is a highly dislikeable trait to have in Islam. This feeling of self pride sooner or later causes individual to fail in its endeavor, as seen in the past, when many proud people like Firaon (Pharaoh) died miserably. So, one should always ask for Allah`s guidance in order to thrive in effort.

3. Remembrance Of Hereafter

Since success in attempts depend upon clear objective, so one can take help from memory of the Day of Judgment, for whoever has strong belief in that day, it would always work the rightful purpose. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) used to remember and advise others about the second life:

“Whoever makes the Hereafter his preoccupation, then Allah places freedom from want in his heart, gathers his affairs, and dunya (worldly life) comes to him despite being reluctant to do so. And whoever makes dunya his preoccupation, then Allah places his poverty in front of his eyes, make his affairs scattered, and nothing of the dunya comes to him except that which has been decreed for him.” (At-Tirmidhi)

As there is great emphasis on avoiding indulgence in materialistic gains in Islam, due to its repercussion that it results in forgetting of hereafter, which ultimately leads to committing actions without having sense of its end result. As the outcome of the matter decides its significance, so that can only be achieved through consistent memory of the Final Day. If one starts doing something with a view to attain Jannah (paradise), obliviously it would force him to work righteously, resulting in the realization of Tawfeeq.

4. Performing Istikhara Prayer

One of the best sources gaining guidance from Allah SWT is the Salah of Istikhara, a Nafl (non obligatory) prayer, which is a great form of supplication to the Almighty Lord in most preferably in the final third of a night. It is solely a Sunnah Namaz, which the Apostle (PBUH) of Allah has prescribed to us to offer for gaining Tawfeeq. Abu Hurrerah (R.A) narrates the Holy Prophet (PBUH) saying as:

Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said, “When it is the last third of the night, our Lord, The Blessed, The Superior, Descends every night to the nearest heaven of the world and Declares, ‘Is there anyone who invokes Me that I may respond to his invocation; is there anyone who asks Me for something that I may give (it to) him; is there anyone who asks My forgiveness that I may forgive him?'” (Bukhari)

The above stated Hadith tells us about the great status of this prayer for being able to get closer to the Gracious God and fulfill its virtuous prayers.

5. Asking For Good Ending

Since there is no certain time span of one`s life, so being a Muslim, one should constantly pray to die in the righteous way, who knows when a person gets Hidayah (guidance) from Allah SWT. So, every deed should be considered as the final one and done with clear intent. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) has described this matter in the following way:

“If Allah wishes good for a slave, he utilizes him.  It was said: How does he utilize him O Messenger (PBUH) of Allah? He said: He grants him tawfeeq to perform righteous deeds before death.” [At-Tirmidhi]

So, if one asks the Almighty for a moral ending of all affairs, it eventually gets Tawfeeq from God at some point of life, the Exalted, which is the origin of success.

6. Reflecting On Acquaintances

A person`s social circle defines its personality, and many of its decisions are affected by it. And as we often choose our choices by consulting our close companions, so it is necessary to have friends who could give us the right advice. Let`s take the example of Rasulullah (PBUH), who asked Allah Almighty for company of either Umar (R.A) or Abu Sufian, and eventually He (PBUH) got Tawfeeq in the shape of friendship of Umar (R.A), who suddenly accepted Islam by listening to Quranic recitation, and became the right hand of the Prophet (PBUH) in future. So, we should be careful in this matter and ask God to grant us rightful camaraderie, who would guide us towards moral victory.

7. Being grateful To Allah For Tawfeeq

After being successful in every virtuous endeavor, one should always remember that it has only been made possible with Tawfeeq of Allah SWT, and also pay gratitude to Him, so that one could get more of it in the future.

So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me. [Quran, 2: 152]

So, thanking the Almighty brings about closeness to Him and increase in His assistance.

So, to conclude, one has to have complete faith in the attainment of Tawfeeq more than just being triumphant in one`s doings, rather it is only possible through the Help of Allah SWT. And by bearing mind the above mentioned methods, one can achieve Tawfeeq in every upright task. May Allah Almighty give us wisdom to know and remember its worth, and ask Him constantly in order to attain it for being successful in this life and hereafter. Aameen!