Analogy of Taufiq and Hidayah

بسم الله الرحمان الرحيم

In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful

Taufiq (توفيق) and hidayah (هداية).

I used to think the two phrases were one and the same.

But they are actually slightly different but still related. Like you and me. We are different people but we are brothers and sisters because of Islam. (smiles)

A good friend and mentor taught me about this difference in a simple analogy.

"Imagine you are in a dark room. The room itself is dark, but there is light outside (the sun). If only you reach out to push open the window, then the light will come in." 

"Hidayah is like the sunlight outdoors. It is always there, it has always been there. Even in the creations of the earth, sky, moon, seas, mountains, humans, trees, animals, everything, all the natural phenomenas that we can see  are part of His hidayah (guidance)." 

"Now taufiq is the part where you push open the window. It is the ability, the strength, the will to search and implement hidayah. It is your ability. It is your strength. It is your will. If we ourselves do not want to do it, then we cannot see the guidance, even thought it has always been there."

Sometimes we already know about Allah's laws.
What He likes and what He dislikes.
But why is it we still find it hard to put them into action?

Yes, it is because we still lack taufiq. True, taufiq and hidayah both come from Allah. But if we are not the people who open the windows and doors to our hearts, how can the light guide us?

Subhanallah, I feel that these are among the signs that humans are given the freedom to choose.

We are not angels (malaikah/ملئكة) who were created to always be obedient and serve Allah Taala. In a way, they were not given a choice.

But us humans are free to walk on whichever paths we choose, whether to believe and obey or otherwise.

Every choice has its consequences, my friends.
And our consequences can only be two; jannah (paradise) or naar (hellfire).

So choose well. For we shall all live through the consequences of our choices.

Source: My sister in Islam, Sarah.

Note: Hidayah is an arabic word which in simple terms means "guidance from God".