In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum
Dear Friends
I pray that you are well.
Rizq (provision/sustenance) has always been a source of anxiety and contention for people. Most crimes, oppression, and political/social unrest in the world occur due to people's greed over acquisition of rizq.
Any believer with the reality of faith in his heart would not exhaust himself, physically or emotionally, over acquisition of provision. This doesn't mean a person should not seek a livelihood, rather one should rely on Allah, not on one's livelihood. The person, out of slavehood to Allah, works hard while having a deep conviction in his heart that the Provider will give him whatever is written for him. This, not only a sign of a good slave, it helps him maintain a balance in life instead of working like a mule; and in turn Allah puts blessing in his earnings so that little becomes sufficient.
وَفِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ ﴿٢٢Qur'an Adh-Dhariyat 51:22]
And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised. (22)
إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ هُوَ ٱلرَّزَّاقُ ذُو ٱلْقُوَّةِ ٱلْمَتِينُ ﴿٥٨[Qur'an Adh-Dhariyat 51:28]
Indeed, it is Allah who is the [continual] Provider, the firm possessor of strength. (58)
وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّـهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا ۚ كُلٌّ فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٦[Qur'an Hud 11:6]
And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision, and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register. (6)
Scholars of Islam categorized provision into two major categories: Physical (material) and spiritual. Physical provision refers to everything related to material status and this dunya such as house, wealth, car, etc. Spiritual provision refers to everything related to after-life and ones spiritual status such as character traits, wisdom, vision, spiritual connection with Allah.
Love is a provision. It is an essential element of our lives. We all need love, perhaps more than money for money cannot buy love. Love stems from mercy that Allah has characterized Himself with, and spread amongst us. Allah has referred to Himself as Ar-Rahman (The Merciful) and Al-Wadud (The owner of love and compassion.) The real love is the one which Allah has for His slaves and has spread amongst them. So the example of true love is Allah's love for those blessed ones who receive it.
Allah shares with us His attributes because His' are the loftiest of all qualities and we are supposed to inculcate them in our manners. It is a sign of Allah's love that He has shown us ways of reaching His approval, and in turn Paradise. We are supposed to learn His qualities and attributes and implement them in our lives. This is a sign of belief, respect, and mutual love in the relationship between the Creator and His creation.
This is the kind of love that only aims to benefit and create goodness. It is pure love without obsession, ownership, without any limitations and expectations of benefit, revenge or anger. This love protects the lover from hurting the beloved even by heedlessness and negligence. It is an infinite love without any boundaries that continues to grow and can lead us to the ultimate goodness: The pleasure of Allah Almighty.
The journey of love starts with very small steps like the beginning of a sapling. Allah then takes it, develops it, strengthens it, enhances it and allows it to grow into a strong fruitful tree in the form of love of Allah in our hearts.
Do you not consider the love of Allah as provision? Actually, this is the highest provision you can get.
Sometimes people claim to love each other as brothers or sisters in Islam. If one of them receives a blessing from Allah, which is really a provision, whether material or spiritual, she/he is often scorned at by others; even those who claim to love her/him. She/He might receive silent treatment from her/his so called brother or sister, or even be shunned. Their sister's/brother's success in material life or gaining some good quality or even being involved in doing good deeds hurts them. They feel upset and jealous to the point that they can't even hide it. Shaytan creates a volcano of anger in their chests to the point they succumb to backbiting and start talking behind their sister's/brother's back about her/his faults, or generate rumors just to satisfy their jealousies.
We as believers should ask ourselves how we would behave if we see someone around us succeed, whether materially or spiritually. Would we celebrate their success and pray for the continuity of their blessings or burn in the fire of jealousy and deny the goodness of Allah upon us?
Every believer has a duty to protect himself against this possibility by inculcating true faith in his heart and being vigilant of any signs of jealousy and envy. This also requires knowing what real love is since this is the only way a person can try to develop it.
These are a few signs of true love that will help you monitor yourself when a situation arises that trials the sincerity of your love: If I receive any good news about you or see the blessings bestowed upon you, I should be very happy even if I gain nothing of what you have. This feeling, if real, will be reflected on my face, my smile and my du'a for you. I would love to see you receiving goodness even if this goodness makes you reach a higher place in Paradise than me. I would be eager to support you toward further success. I would envy you; the beautiful envy, the one recommended by Allah and His Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. This is the envy which motivates one to struggle to gain the same quality as his sister/brother. It is recommended and desired by Allah and his Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, to imitate each other in goodness for the sake of Allah. I would spread the good news about you and would ask people to make du'a for you. I would love you more and ask Allah to increase His provision and bounty upon you.
Real love generates pure and beautiful goodness. It generates compassion, mercy, humility, healthy competition toward spiritual achievements and most of all, leads people to the attainment of love of Allah Almighty.
Marriage too is a provision. It is a celebrated Islamic tradition encouraged by both Allah and His Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. If you choose a spouse for beauty, material status, worldly gains, worldly success, out of desire and temptation than this is a low provision which can harm you in this life and the hereafter. This will eventually result in a disgrace and downfall for you and for Islam.
Imagine what would happen if our criteria of choosing a spouse is their love of Allah, love of His beloved Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace, love of Islam, their concern of gaining the pleasure of Allah and the elevation of Islam? This will not only support one in fulfilling the other half of faith but will lead one to the attainment of ultimate high provision which is the Love of Allah Almighty. This will result in the elevation of one own self and Islam. This will help one remain steadfast in his/her journey of acquiring the love of Allah, the journey of setting a role model, living the qualities beloved to Allah and leaving behind a legacy, i.e spreading the mercy of Allah on earth which is the purpose of our creation.
Would you choose a husband or a wife for the love of Allah? It all goes back to your goal in life and what you really want. Do you want a child beloved to Allah and blessed by Him? Do you want a relationship that can honor you in this life and the hereafter? Do you want to leave behind a child who can be sadaqa jariya (continuous charity) for you by carrying the noble message of Islam to humanity? Do you have the desire of attaining the highest provision of Allah on earth and in the hereafter?
Try to develop the thinking and the realization about which rizq (provision) you are seeking and aiming to achieve. Once this thinking is developed, all your actions will then stem from this and attainment of your goal will be easier.
All our lives we have believed rizq to be material possessions such as car, money, status, job, spouse, children etc. Did we ever think about the other, deeper dimension of rizq like the love of Allah, spiritual attainments, wisdom and vision from Allah?
The highest provision is a believer's love of His Lord. When this love is inculcated in the heart, it then radiates onto other people and believers are able to generate a mutual bond based on love and mercy. Once involved in relationships of pure love with each other, just imagine what kind of happiness and pleasure we would gain in this life and the hereafter and what kind of great legacy will we be able to leave behind.
رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا
Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous. [Qur'an Al-Furqan 25:68]
May Allah increase us in provision, both physically and spiritually. May Allah make our love only for Him and grant us His love and increase our love for His beloved Messenger, Allah bless him and grant him peace. May Allah aid us in spreading love and mercy in the world.
Ameen.
Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.
And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam
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