A few friends of mine and I meet weekly to study Quran together. This week while we were studying, the following verses of Quran struck me in which Prophet Jacob (pbuh) guides his sons on how to enter Egypt:
وَقَالَ يَا بَنِيَّ لاَ تَدْخُلُواْ مِن بَابٍ وَاحِدٍ وَادْخُلُواْ مِنْ أَبْوَابٍ مُّتَفَرِّقَةٍ وَمَا أُغْنِي عَنكُم مِّنَ اللّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ إِنِ الْحُكْمُ إِلاَّ لِلّهِ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ * وَلَمَّا دَخَلُواْ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَمَرَهُمْ أَبُوهُم مَّا كَانَ يُغْنِي عَنْهُم مِّنَ اللّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ إِلاَّ حَاجَةً فِي نَفْسِ يَعْقُوبَ قَضَاهَا وَإِنَّهُ لَذُو عِلْمٍ لِّمَا عَلَّمْنَاهُ وَلَـكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لاَ يَعْلَمُونَ
Then he said: 'My sons, do not enter from one gate. Enter through different gates. I cannot be of any help to you against God; command belongs to God alone. On Him do I put my trust: and let all that trust put their trust on Him. And when they entered in the manner their father had instructed them, nothing helped them against God. It was but a need in Jacob's soul which he had fulfilled. He possessed knowledge because of what We had taught him, though most people do not know. (Quran 12:67-68)
Prophet Jacob's (pbuh) guidance clarifies the balance between one's effort and reliance on God. As is clear from these verses, one should plan to achieve their goal, make an effort towards it and then rely on God. And without God's help, one may not be successful in their goal. So one should make an effort and then also rely on God, and pray to Him for success.
It may also be the case that a certain reward is predestined only if one makes the effort and prays for it. Of course, it does not negate one being rewarded without making an effort if God willed.
1.
Salam. Very good insight. This is similar to "13:11 …. Verily, God does not change people’s condition unless they change their inner selves;"
— Magdi, Tampa, Fl
(Posted on Aug 24, 2008 8:41 pm)
2.
Why they were asked to enter from different doors! They were 12 brothers off course save them from evil eyes of the peoples.
— Asmat Ullah Chaudry, London UK
(Posted on Sep 2, 2008 7:03 am)
