Once a pious man went into a Masjid with the intention of observing I’tikaaf. He had no provisions of food or drink. The Imaam advised him that since he was a destitute person, it is better for him not to observe I’tikaaf. Instead he should take up work somewhere and earn his daily bread. The pious man gave no reply. The Imaam again insisted but he remained silent. After the Imaam had repeatedly asked him to do so for the third and fourth time, the pious man replied: “Next to the Masjid there is a shop owned by a Jew who has promised to send me two loaves of bread every day.” The Imaam said: “If he has promised to send you food then by all means you may observe I’tikaaf here.” The pious man then reprimandingly said: “It is quite strange that you have great reliance on the promise made by a Jew but you put little trust in the promise made by Allah Ta’ala to provide sustenance to all living creatures.” (Raudh-ur-Rayyaheen pg 278)
Lesson: Various Aayaat of the Quraan-e-Kareem exhort us to cultivate a firm belief in Tauheed (the Oneness of Allah Ta’ala). And since Tawakkul (having complete reliance on Allah Ta’a’a) is the essence of Tauheed, the more firmly grounded a person is in his belief in Tauheed the more advanced will he be in Tawakkul. We should constantly remind ourselves that supreme control over everything lies only in the hands of Allah Ta’ala. Nothing can benefit us nor can anything bring us any harm except by the will of Allah Ta’ala.