A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
The principles of utilizing means.
A person must be balanced in their utilization of means.
They should not let it conflict with reliance upon Allah.
Nor should they abandon or neglect them.
For doing so is a detraction from the wisdom of Allah, the Almighty and Majestic.
Who has linked effects to their causes.
And it is a deficiency in intellect.
To achieve this balance,
One must observe the following guidelines when utilizing means.
First:
One must not rely upon them.
Nor believe that they are independently capable of achieving the desired outcome.
For it is Allah, glorified be He, who made a thing a cause for the occurrence of an effect.
He may strip that property from it.
And there may be obstacles to it.
It is Allah who perfects the cause and removes its obstacles.
Whatever He wills happens, even if creation does not will it.
And whatever He does not will does not happen, even if creation wills it.
He prevented the fire from burning His Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him.
And stripped it of its causality in burning.
The essence of reliance (tawakkul), therefore,
Is the heart’s dependence upon Allah alone.
Such that engaging with means does not harm one’s faith.
While the heart remains free from relying upon them.
Second:
One should not utilize a means without verifying that it is indeed a cause.
And that it is sanctioned by knowledge and certainty.
For whoever affirms a cause without knowledge,
Or affirms a cause that contradicts the Sharia,
Is invalid in their assertion and sinful in their belief.
Third:
If only a prohibited means exists to achieve a desired end,
It is not permissible to engage with it or utilize it.
Except in cases of necessity alone.
And necessity is measured according to its extent.
And in accordance with the objectives of the Sharia and their hierarchy,
Which are the preservation of religion, life, intellect, honor, and wealth.
As for situations other than necessity,
One must never resort to a prohibited means under any circumstances.
Rather, their sole means to achieve the desired end
Should be pure reliance upon Allah alone.
And what a blessed means that is for achieving one's goal.
Fourth:
One should examine the permissible means and its effect on the realization of reliance in their heart.
If it weakens it, then it is better to abandon it.
If it does not weaken it, then engaging with it is better.
As one thereby fulfills the wisdom of Allah in linking effects to their causes.
And by doing so, one has performed the servitude of the heart through reliance,
And the servitude of the limbs through the utilization of means.
Fifth and finally:
Utilizing means in the manner described above
Is what truly realizes reliance.
Whoever neglects the commanded means,
Their reliance is not valid.
Rather, it becomes mere passivity, helplessness, and wishful thinking.