To put one’s trust in another than Allah

Question:

Among acts of worship: “putting one’s trust in Allah”, is it permitted to say to someone “I rely on you”?

Answer:

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon whom Allah sent as a mercy to the Worlds, upon his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.

It is not permitted to say “I rely on you”, but we have to say “I give you the responsibility of doing something, and I rely on Allah”. Because confidence means that the heart relies on Allah to bring profits and to repulse harm by having confidence in Allah and to proceed by means of causes. Confidence, in this respect, is particularly reserved to Allah تعالى, Allah عزَّ وجلَّ says:

﴿وَعَلَى اللهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ﴾ [المائدة: 23].

Translation of the meaning of the verse:

﴾…and put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed﴿ [Al-Mâ'ida (The Table Spread with Food): 23]. Allah عزَّ وجلَّ says in another verse:

﴿وَقَالَ مُوسَى يَا قَوْمِ إِنْ كُنْتُم آمَنْتُمْ بِاللهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلوُا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُسْلِمِينَ﴾ [يونس: 84].

Translation of the meaning of the verse:

﴾…and Musa (Moses) said: “Oh my people! If you have believed in Allah, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims (submitted)”﴿ [Yûnus (Jonah): 84]. Allah made of “the trust in Him” in the two verses a condition to achieve faith and Islam.

However, for questions which are under man’s capacity, it is permitted to put somebody in charge of them; like sale, purchase and others, because they are along with the set of causes. However, he must not rely on the surrogate for the realization of what is confided to him, but he must put his trust in Allah to achieve the required thing and to facilitate his task and of his surrogate. Putting somebody in charge of something is, therefore, considered among the set of causes, and we must not rely on the causes but rather on the Generator and the Creator of the causes Who is Allah the Glorious and the Very High.

The perfect knowledge belongs to Allah سبحانه وتعالى. Our last prayer is all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. Peace and blessing be upon our Prophet, his Family, his Companions and his Brothers till the Day of Resurrection.