Class 4-Good Provisions
Class 4
‘Good Provisions’
RIZQ
Rizq or Provision or Sustenance is defined as what is apportioned for us, what benefits us. This is not just the money in our pocket or bank account but what we directly receive benefit from, such as the food, the clothes, things that comfort us including housing, any kind of consumptions, security, family and the spiritual provision which is knowledge and tranquillity.
The provision of each soul was written down in the Preserved Tablet, preceding the creation of the universe by 50,000 years. No one will die until he has received the entire provision Allah has written for him; nothing more, nothing less. No one can take it from him except by Allah’s will.
It is a certainty that whatever is written will happen. This means that when Allah has written an amount of provision for a person, that person can be sure that he will have it. One must have no doubt about this.
Believing that Allah is The All-Provider should have an impact on mankind in every aspect of their lives. There should be direct consequences to this belief. One must then worship Allah according to his belief in His name Ar-Razzaq:
Allah is Ar-Razzaq
For a believer it is essential gnosis to recognize the truth that Allah alone is the Provider and Sustainer for all living / sentient beings, including us.
Allah is ar-Razzaq, the Sole Provider. Through His elegant mechanism the system of provision is provided from the tiniest of creature on planet earth to the largest of the animal. No matter what the so called secular and God-removed science may teach us, whether it acknowledges or not, the truth of the matter is, it is the Wonderful Originator of the Heavens and Earth, Allah Who is the Arranger of All Matters including the web of life and sustenance of all living ones. The elegant design of the eco-system is brilliantly balanced and harmonized to provide for every single creature.
“And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision [rizq], and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register.” (Qur’an, 11:6)
This is a statement from Allah (swt). He says that the provision for His creatures is upon Him. And in case we had doubt, Allah (swt) takes an oath by the heavens and earth. He says: “And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised. Then by the Lord of the heaven and earth, indeed, it is truth – just as [sure as] it is that you are speaking.” (Qur’an, 51:22-23)
All praises be to Allah who is known by the Beautiful Name, Ar-Razzaq, the Provider. He is the One who provides for all His servants. There is not a creature on this vast earth except that Allah provides for it.
Allah is Ar-Razzaq, the Provider and we are constantly in need of His provision, both physically and spiritually. Let’s call on Him by this Beautiful Name Ar-Razzaq and ask Him to provide for us in the way that is best.
What has been written for you of the sustenance will surely come to you before your death, even if you tried to flee from it and lock yourselves in a fortress: Jaabir bin `Abdullaah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said: “Even if the son of Aadam were to flee from his sustenance as he tries to flee from death, his sustenance will still overtake him in the same way as death overtakes him.” [al-Hilyah (7/90) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in al-Saheehah (952)]
No, the power of Imaan makes him content and comfortable. Allaah is the One who created me and He has been responsible for my sustenance. You have the Hadith of Abdullah Ibn Masood in the Saheehain and it has been mentioned in the 40 Hadith of Imaam Nawawi : Allaah creates the soul in the womb in the fourth month and in the fourth month he sends an angel to write four words : what his sustenance would be, what his work would be, when he would die and whether he would be happy or miserable.
When you are in the stomach of your mother in the fourth month, when the spirit is blown in, this angel is ordered in the writing of these four things and from these is sustenance, how much provision you will get so you will live in the dunya, the measuring of what Allaah has written for you and your rizq in the dunya is the measuring of what Allaah measured for you of rizq and whether you are going to be happy or miserable, what is the appointed time for death and the reason –– so you walk on a path that Allaah has written for you Azzawajal, you walk on it with your choice because Allaah did not oppress anyone. As He said: ‘And I surely am not an oppressor for the servants.’
Seeking Provisions the Halal way
But knowing that rizq is guaranteed is not an excuse to be lazy. No one knew ar-Razzaq better than the Prophet ﷺ, but there is not one moment in his seerah (life) where we see a defeatist attitude. His example is the best example, because he shows us what it means to have full trust that he will receive what Allah (swt) has written for him, and yet work in a way that shows he planned, thought deeply and sought people’s opinions.
We are to seek it in Halal means which Allah has prescribed, knowing that Rizq is guaranteed should make a believer steadfast on his Deen that I do not have to compromise on anything related to my religion to get the Rizq.
How many people have we heard saying, I want to keep a beard but my jobs do not permit me to. This is because although they say Allah is the provider but deep down they are clinging on to a job thinking that is the provider.
How many times have you heard people say I will keep a beard or observe Hijab after I am married and what’s worse is that the elders of the family tell them don’t leave a beard now you wont get a good girl subhaanAllah it should actually be the opposite. We should strive to find a spouse who would help us get better and not the other way round.
Yes, we wont have it all easy and might need to work hard and have patience for the Sake of Allah when you stick to your religion but be rest assured that your provisions will get to you whatever route you take. However know that being steadfast sticking to the route Allah loves will actually get you an increase in your provisions (as we will study in the upcoming classes).
Hence as a believer we have to have faith in Allah that He is Ar-Razzaq and that we have to work hard, remaining patient on our path and Ar-Razzaq will provide us from ways we cannot imagine.
Provisions that are Good
How many people have a wealth in abundance, yet it is as if they live in poverty? This is because they gain no real benefit from their wealth; they simply collect it and never benefit from it. This is the result of the blessings being removed from it. Likewise, many people have lots of children and grandchildren, yet their children do not benefit their parents in anything due to their disobedience and ungratefulness. Such people have not been blessed in their children.
You also find some people to whom Allah has given a great amount of knowledge, yet it is as if he is illiterate. You see no traces of knowledge upon him in his worship, in his character, in his manners, nor in the way he treats others. Rather, his knowledge may even increase him in arrogance and considering himself to be above the rest, belittling and humiliating them. Such a person does not realize the one who bestowed this knowledge upon him is none other than Allah.
Also we should note that we think that whatever is given to us ours and we benefit from it but in a narration it is conveyed that the Prophet said, “A servant says, my wealth! my wealth! but out of his wealth three things are only his (in reality): whatever he eats and makes use of or by means of which he dresses himself and it wears out or he gives as charity, and this is what he stored for himself (as a reward for the Hereafter), and what is beyond this (it is of no use to you) because you are to depart and leave it for other people.” (Source: Sahih Muslim Book 042:7063)
The beauty of the sayings of RasoolAllah ﷺ is that the people who are considered great in the modern ages say things which almost mean the same thing. Late Steve Jobs once said, “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me … Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful… that’s what matters to me.”
Think of that sentence, “Richest man in the cemetery,” because this is something that may help understand rizq. As mentioned earlier, Rizq is something which benefits us, not the illusion of what we think that may benefit us.
There are countless examples around us where people spend their entire life, destroy their family life, compromise relationship because they think if they can earn good enough money they will be able to enjoy it.
Rather, in that mindless pursuit for wealth, they can neither enjoy their life, their youth, their health, their family, nor even the money amassed in the bank which he perhaps lived his life under the illusion that it belonged to him. In reality if that rizq is not apportioned for him he never can benefit from it.
Like sometimes a person is afflicted by sickness and all the money is spent in the hospital so technically this person was only a caretaker and the money was that of the doctor’s.
We also see that people (in the subcontinent for example) try and stop the electric meter to lower their bills, this is clearly stealing, the money that they save might end up in going out in ways they wont like for example medicines or damage to property etc.
So keep it halal, and not be a miser, spend on yourself, your family, but don’t be extravagant. Keep some as your security but also give charity and make the perfect investments.
“Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan, which Allah will double unto his credit and multiply many times? It is Allah that gives (you) Want or plenty, and to Him shall be your return”. – [Surah Baqarah, 2:245]
وَبَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ Bless me in what You have Given