Blog
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).