Anchored in Trust

A samurai had just gotten married and was travelling with the love of his life by boat to their honeymoon when a huge storm hit.

The samurai’s wife began to tremble with fear; there was no shore in sight, and their boat looked like it would capsize at any moment.

She ran to her husband but found him peacefully looking out at the sea.

She shouted, “How can you be so calm? Don't you value your life?”

When the samurai heard his wife say this, he pulled out his sword and put it to her neck. His wife was surprised but showed no fear.

He said, “Are you not afraid?”

She said, “No, I'm not because I know you love me and would never hurt me.”

The Samurai smiled and said, “Well, I too am in the hands of a One who loves me, so how can I be afraid?”

(Story taken from the beautiful book “Secrets of Divine Love” by A.Helwa)

This is Tawakkul—not just belief in God, but a radical, unshakable trust in Him. The kind of trust that makes a baby laugh when tossed into the air, because he knows his father will catch him. As Sheikh Hamza Yusuf puts it, the child might feel a brief moment of fear when going up, but the instant he begins to descend, he relaxes, knowing his father would never let him fall. That is how we should live—knowing that Allah, the Most Loving, will always catch us.

The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ embodied this trust in its purest form. Take, for example, the story of Uqasha ibn Mihsan during the Battle of Badr.

In the heat of battle, Uqasha’s sword shattered. Imagine the moment: blood, chaos, enemy forces closing in—and his only weapon lay in pieces. Instead of panicking or questioning fate, he ran to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him of his predicament.

The Prophet ﷺ, in perfect serenity, plucked a small branch from a nearby tree, handed it to Uqasha, and said, "Go and fight with this."

Now, pause for a moment—imagine yourself in Uqasha’s place. Would you hesitate? Would you question how a twig could defeat swords and shields? Would you demand proof before stepping back onto the battlefield?

Uqasha did none of that. Without hesitation, he took the branch, threw himself back into the fight, and the moment he swung it, the branch transformed into a mighty sword. And with that sword, he fought valiantly for the rest of his life and this sword was named as the Sword of Aid by the companions (may Allah Most High pleased with them all).

This is Tawakkul. Not needing to see, just knowing. Not demanding explanations, just obeying. Not questioning the branch, but trusting the One who gave it.

However, today we usually do the opposite. We trust people first and then turn to God only when they fail us. We expect humans—flawed, fickle, self-serving creatures—to be the pillars of our security. But people, by nature, are weak. Even the most well-intentioned friend, spouse, or leader is bound by their own limitations.

The Quran reminds us:

"And whoever relies upon Allah—then He is sufficient for him." (Quran 65:3)

The Prophet ﷺ said:

"If you were to trust in Allah as He truly should be trusted, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds—they go out hungry in the morning and return full in the evening." (Tirmidhi)

One of the sufis said:

"You must be like the dead in the hands of the one washing him—let Allah do as He wills with you, without resistance."

When Musa (AS) stood before the Red Sea, with an army behind him and an ocean ahead, his people panicked. But he said, “Indeed, my Lord is with me; He will guide me.” (Quran 26:62)

When Ibrahim (AS) was thrown into the fire, he didn’t waver. Jibreel (AS) came and asked, “Do you need help?” He replied, “From you? No. From Allah? He is enough for me.”

This is Complete Trust. This is the trust that turns fire into coolness, oceans into dry land, and storms into serenity.

A sage said:

"Submit to God and be at peace. He is the captain of your ship; if He sinks it, He will rescue you."

This is the paradox: The more you resist the waves of life, the more you sink. But if you surrender to the tide, you will float.

So, when the storms of life come—and they will come—who will you trust? The people who may abandon you? The systems that may fail you? Or the One whose love for you is eternal?

Because here’s the thing: Trusting Allah doesn’t mean life will be free of hardship. The storm will rage, the boat will rock, and the sword will be drawn. But if your heart is anchored in trust, fear loses its grip.

When you truly understand that Allah is in control, you stop resisting the waves and start riding them. You realize that every loss, every closed door, every heartbreak, and every failure was never a free fall—it was simply a moment of ascent before He caught you once again.

And those who trust Him first, before they trust anyone else, live with a peace that no storm can shatter.

Related Recommendations:

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Reclaim Your Heart - Yasmin Mogahed

Healing the Emptiness - Yasmin Mogahed

The Sufi Path of Love - William C. Chittick

Path of Muhammad - Shaykh Tousan Beyrak

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