Ar-Razaaq, one of the 99 names of Allah, has a meaning that encompasses all aspects of our lives in one way or another. The Provider has essentially given us everything that we have. 

In our day to day lives, sometimes we focus on acquisitions as something that are a product of our hard work or something that we have rightly gained and deserve. The unequivocal truth is that nothing is actually ours; everything is given to us by Allah, the Provider, in this temporary life – “It is He who made the earth tame for you – so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision – and to Him is the resurrection”. [67:15] 

Knowing this we should say Alhamdulillah (all praise be to Allah) for everything that we have been blessed with. 

As The Provider “And Allah has favoured some of you over others in provision.” [16:71] This unequal distribution of wealth and opportunities may be wrongly viewed as unfair. However, this is what allows us to fulfill our compulsory obligations to Allah. Without people in the world who are less fortunate, there would be no one in need of wealth and thus no way of giving Zakat, a compulsory annual 2.5% of one’s wealth that is given to the poor. Giving for the sake of Allah benefits the wealthy as sacrificing what we have increases our love for Allah – ”Never will you attain the good [reward] until you spend [in the way of Allah] from that which you love. And whatever you spend – indeed, Allah is Knowing of it.”  [3:92] For those who are in need of wealth, the hardship and struggle allows them to hold onto faith and remain grateful for what they do have. This also helps them to develop and maintain sabr (patience). Allah SWT says in the Quran [65:2-3] that “whoever fears Allah, then Allah will make an outlet for him (from every difficulty) and will provide for him from sources he never imagined.” This Ayah (a sentence from the Quran) shows that whoever is in need should not lose hope nor be in despair or fear. You should not seek haram means of income in times of destitution, but that you should remember that Allah will provide for you as He is The Provider.

Allah is the ultimate provider – “Or who is it that could provide for you if He withheld His provision? But they have persisted in insolence and aversion” [67:21]. Although some humans ‘provide’ for us, e.g a farmer gives us food, it is indeed Allah who provides for them. Allah allows them to give us that food, He caused it to rain which is vital in crop growth and beyond human control. If Allah chose to do so, He could withhold the rain and cause a drought resulting in no crop growth.

The lesson we learn from this is that we should be grateful to Allah SWT for what has been given to us no matter what that is, as He is the ultimate Provider. So remember to say Alhamdulillah (All praise to Allah).

We all know the feeling of how difficult it is to find the right balance between our Deen and our Dunya. Sometimes things can get overwhelming trying to do well in our studies while also maintaining a good level of Imaan. What most people don’t often mention is that it’s completely okay for you to not be at your highest point all the time. It’s only normal, we’re all human. What truly matters is that you get back up and keep trying. When you set your intention to do well for the sake of Allah SWT, everything gets just that much easier.

So.. if you are someone trying to figure out that balance, we pray this read will help you start In Sha Allah! Take these baby steps and you will thank yourself in the future. 

Deen

Our Deen is one of the most, if not the most, important part of all of our lives, not only for our hereafter but also for our own betterment in this world. So keeping deen at the forefront of everything will In Sha Allah help you succeed in your studies. Though it can be hard sometimes- especially living in the west, remember, nothing is possible without the help or will of Allah SWT. Studying hard for your exams without seeking help from Allah and asking Him to make things easier is like building a desk (or whatever it may be) without reading the instructions. While you may eventually figure it out, you definitely took the long way to do so! Even then, Allah willed for you to complete your task, so why not thank Him? Make it easier on yourself and never neglect making dua. Even if you think you don’t need it, because you do. We all do. 

Dunya

We all know that this dunya is temporary and short-lived. You may ask yourself “well if the dunya is temporary why even bother working hard?” Islam does not ask us to live in isolation. In fact, it encourages us to seek knowledge and be educated. Hence, it is your intentions that truly matter i.e. make the intention that you are studying for the sake of Allah SWT so He will bless you in becoming more knowledgeable, helping others, providing for your family ect. Can you believe that? Simply doing your homework and studying could be acts of Ibadah (worship) if your intentions are pure. You would get good grades in this life along with a better future and who knows how many blessings are waiting for you in the Akhirah (hereafter)!

So how do you strike the right balance between deen and dunya?

•  Begin every day with Bismillah – it may sound simple but, starting your day this way will welcome blessings.

• Constantly remind yourself of your intentions. Why are you studying? Why are you learning? All for the sake of Allah SWT.

• Design a schedule – Write down when and what you’re going to study as well as any spiritual acts you intend to do. Plan your day according to salah timings, that way you will be working on your betterment in the dunya and building a beautiful life in the hereafter for yourself. Make sure you set aside some daily time to read the Quran, even if it’s only 5 minutes!

• Set yourself a Quran goal – Set yourself a weekly goal to memorise a portion of the Quran. Whether that be one ayah a week or one page a day. Set yourself something and stick to it

• Keep good company – surround yourself with righteous friends as they will have a big influence on you. Get involved with ISoc (you can sign up here)!!

•  Remember to get enough sleep! Getting the right amount of sleep will increase your productivity, stop you from being lazy and allow you to perform your Ibadah sincerely.

•  Eat the right foods – Eating healthy is also very important as it will prevent you from being lazy and makes it easier to stop procrastinating whether that is in terms of studying or spiritual acts.

•  Look after yourself – Your body and soul have been entrusted to you by Allah and you are responsible for looking after them. Looking after your body means looking after your soul. Eat the right foods, get the right amount of sleep, and be active. Alongside that, pray your daily salahs and you’ll be taking great care of your soul.

• Remember not to overwork yourself – At the end of the day, we are all human and none of us can reach perfection. All we can do is first, try our best in what we are able to do and second, seek help from the Almighty, leaving everything up to Him and trusting that what is meant for us will be ours and what isn’t will not come to us. So allow yourself to take a breather when you need it. 

Try to do the best you can in your studies along with your deen and know that you are being rewarded for everything you do for the sake of Allah SWT. Believe in yourself, have trust in Allah, and keep pushing through!