Summary
The story of ʿUzayr and the resurrection of his donkey challenges linear thinking and reveals how limited Tawakkul holds us back. An important Qur’anic mindset shift.
In Surah al-Baqarah, Allah gives us a scene that is both historical and deeply psychological.
ʿUzayr (according to the famous opinion) passed by a town called Bayt al-Maqdis after it had been destroyed by Bukhtanassar (Nebuchadnezzar). He found its buildings flattened, its people killed or exiled, its markets silent, and its streets hollowed.
As Ibn Kathir explains:
He saw the city utterly lifeless after once being full of greatness and flourishing with life. So he stood reflecting on what had become of it and said: “How will Allah bring this back to life after its death?”(Tafsir Ibn Kathir 1/687–689)
It wasn’t disbelief by any means. Rather, it was human limitation. He looked at ruins and judged revival by sight, not by 'Tawakkul'.
He thought linearly, and as a result, he thought small and within what he could imagine, not what Allah could do.
And so Allah taught him the greatest lesson a believer can learn:
He made him die for a hundred years and then resurrected him.
The Resurrection That Broke His Linear Thinking
Ibn Kathir details what happened next:
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Allah revived his eyes first so he could watch how Allah resurrected him.
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When he stood fully restored, Allah asked him:
“How long did you remain?”ʿUzayr assumed:
“A day… or part of a day.”Because he died early in the morning and was resurrected near sunset, he thought it was the same day.
- Allah responded:
“Rather, you remained for a hundred years.”
Then Allah showed him signs to break his limited imagination:
1. His food and drink had not changed.
As Ibn Kathir narrates:
- He had with him grapes, figs, and juice.
- None of it had changed.
- The juice did not ferment.
- The figs did not rot.
- The grapes did not decay.
But...
2. His donkey had decayed completely into bones.
Allah told him:
“Look at your donkey, and We will make you a sign for the people.”
3. Then, while ʿUzayr watched, Allah reconstructed the donkey:
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the bones rising
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each bone attaching to its proper place
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The skeleton standing
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then the muscle, nerves, veins, and skin covering it
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until it became a living donkey again
And when ʿUzayr witnessed this miracle unfold, he exclaimed:
“I know now, truly, that Allah is capable of all things.”
He didn’t merely believe it philosophically; he believed it through experience.
What Is Linear Thinking?
Linear thinking is a way of understanding the world through straight lines of cause and effect: if I do A, then B should happen, and C will follow. It assumes progress is predictable, gradual, and largely shaped by what we can currently see, measure, and control.
Now do not get me wrong, linear thinking in many areas of life is necessary and beneficial. It helps us plan, organise, manage risk, and execute our tasks responsibly. Systems, operations, learning, and day-to-day decision-making depend on linear thinking to an extent to function properly.
However, linear thinking also has limitations due to it being founded mainly upon past experience and visible inputs, which means it struggles to account for sudden change, unseen variables, or outcomes that defy expectation. When applied beyond its proper place, it can subconsciously convince us that what is small will always remain small, that what is broken cannot be restored, and that the future must resemble the present. This is where linear thinking shifts from a useful tool into a restrictive lens.
The Thesis of this blog: Small Thinking can Expose Weak Tawakkul.
This story, presented in Surah al-Baqarah, isn’t just about resurrection but about mindset.
ʿUzayr doubted the possibility of revival, not Allah Himself, but that doubt revealed something deeper:
A momentary weakness in Tawakkul.
So what is Tawakkul?
Tawakkul is relying on Allah with certainty and with evidence, of course, even when the path makes no sense. It is doing your part, whilst knowing all outcomes belong to Allah, and that logic, resources, timelines, or circumstances do not limit His power.
And the opposite is also true:
When you think small, it’s often because your Tawakkul is small.
We sometimes say things like
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“This idea won’t go anywhere.”
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“This project won’t last five years.”
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“My situation can’t improve.”
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“This dream is too big for me.”
But these statements usually mean
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“In practice, I am failing to show my belief that Allah can expand this.”
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“In practice, I am not trusting that Allah can open doors beyond what I see.”
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“In practice, I rely on my capability, not His.”
Just like ʿUzayr, we sometimes, in a moment, forget that:
Allah’s power is not dependent on our imagination.
Linear Thinking vs. Divine Reality
Circling back to the story in Surah al-Baqarah, ʿUzayr looked at ruins and thought in straight lines:
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Ruins cannot revive.
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What is dead cannot return.
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What is destroyed cannot be rebuilt.
But Allah showed him:
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A donkey can rise from bones.
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Food can defy time.
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Life can return after a century.
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Generations can come back to their land.
Our biggest flaw in practice sometimes is assuming that Allah works within our limits, and accordingly, we plan life in predictable linear steps:
"If I start small, I stay small...", "If I don’t have resources now, I won’t have them later...", "If things look dead, they’re finished...".
But what we fail to add to our scale of considerations appropriately is the important thought that Allah moves people in leaps, not lines...
He most definitely can revive what we consider ruined... He preserves what we assume will decay... He brings life where we only see endings...
What This Means for Your Life
Right now, you might be looking at:
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a small idea
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a limited opportunity
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a project that seems insignificant
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a business you fear won’t grow
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a dream you think is too far
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a situation that looks “dead”
and whispering the same thing ʿUzayr did:
“How will this ever live?”
But the real issue might not be the project at all...
It might be your Tawakkul.
Because the story of 'Uzayr teaches us that:
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What you think won’t last may outlive you...
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What you consider insignificant may become your legacy...
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What you assume cannot grow may become the reason generations benefit...
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What looks dead may be awaiting Allah’s command to rise...
When your thinking is small, it isn’t your capability that is small; it’s your expectation of Allah’s capability.
Linear Thinking vs. Tawakkul: When Logic Becomes the Ceiling
Tawakkul is the heart’s reliance on Allah while taking the necessary means, with full certainty that outcomes are not confined to human prediction. Accordingly, Islam does not reject planning or cause-and-effect reasoning, but it does reject allowing logic to limit trust in Allah.
The real problem arises when linear thinking becomes the ceiling, and we assume that because we cannot see a path forward, no path exists, or that because growth appears unlikely, Allah will not bring it about.
Islam does not reject planning. It rejects limiting Allah to the plan!
The balanced Islamic framework is clear: we use linear thinking for execution and responsibility, but Tawakkul for expectation and outcome. We plan, strive, and act with discipline, while believing that Allah can expand, revive, preserve, or transform our efforts in ways we cannot anticipate.
Linear thinking manages the means; Tawakkul trusts the One who controls the results. When these two are kept in their proper place, vision remains alive, and faith remains strong.
A Final Reflection
ʿUzayr doubted revival, and Allah showed him resurrection. He saw ruins, and Allah showed him rebirth. He thought a day had passed, and Allah revealed a century. He saw with human sight, and Allah taught him to see with Tawakkul.
Every time you think small, ask yourself:
Is the limitation in the situation… or in my Tawakkul?
The One who revived a donkey bone by bone, preserved fruit for a century, and rebuilt Bayt al-Maqdis can revive your dreams, your plans, your purpose, and your future in ways you cannot imagine.
So raise your vision, strive to create value, strengthen your Tawakkul, and trust the One who writes possibilities beyond human thought.
Your brother
Sajid Umar
Location: 'somewhere en route to the hereafter'
24/06/1447 (AH) - 15/12/2025
Comments
I was sent this article by a friend and, I really enjoyed reading it. It was just the motivation and an insightful reminder I needed to keep going. Jazakallah khairan.
جزاك الله خيرا شيخ I had to individually share this article with people who I knew would appreciate it because of how powerful the reminder is here! We are quick to limit ourselves bc we can’t understand the why’s and how’s, but when we can leave that to Allāh and focus on what we can control- our active efforts.
Alhamdulillah,so thought provoking
Subhanallah. A very poignant and timely reminder ya shiekh. BarakAllah hu feek.
SubhanaAllah, what a good read this was. It literally spoke to me. I pray Allah make it easy for us who struggle to let go that fear, and know that Allah is the ultimate provider. JazakAllah khairan Brother Sajid.
جزك الله خير
Opened up my eyes abt Tawakkul! Hv to stop limit myself on my capabilities. In Syaa Allah 🤲
MashaAllah. thank you for sharing your non-linear thinking to people like me.. This is such a motivating piece, barakallahu feek, jazakallahu khayr Sheilh
MashAllah brother Saji. Another excellent food for thought. May Allah swt continue to bless you with a healthy lengthy life. You never fail to touch the hearts and souls with your exceptional articles full of great knowledge and wisdom. BarakAllah feekum, BarakAllah feekum ya shiekh