Rizq: Predestined by God

Rizq: Predestined by God

“While I was heading to the masjid in Basra, a very gruffly and rude looking Bedouin approached me,” said Al-Asma’i, one of the early scholars noted for his vast knowledge and piety who tutored the sons of Caliph Haroon Rasheed.
“Which tribe do you belong to?” asked the Bedouin man.
“I’m from the tribe of Asma’,” replied Al-Asma’i.
“Are you the one they call Asma’i? The famous scholar Asma’i?” the Bedouin asked.
“Yes, I’m Asma’i, Salaam ’alyk!” he replied.
The curious Bedouin jumped forward and said, “Tell me more about where you come from.”
Al-Asma’i wanted to take the opportunity to give dawah to this Bedouin. He said, “I’m from a place where they recite the word of Allah.”
The Bedouin exclaimed, “There is a word of Allah recited among the tongues of the humans!” Asma’i nodded and the Bedouin nagged him to recite the word of Allah.
Asma’i recited Surah Adh-Dhariyat (Zariyaat) and when he reached the verse (22), “And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised”, the Bedouin shouted, “Enough!”
“Is this is the word of Allah?” he asked.
Asma’i said, “Yes, indeed this is the word of Allah revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).”
The Bedouin hurried to his camel, slaughtered it and turned to Al-Asma’i and said, “Come on Asma’i, help me give away this camel in charity to the poor!”
He then broke his sword and bow and faded away in the desert reciting the verse, “And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised.”
A few years later later, Asma’i narrates, “I went to perform Hajj with Haroon Rasheed and I heard a voice calling out my name. I turned out that it was of that very Bedouin. He looked pale and old. He asked me to sit down and recite the words of Allah to him. I started to recite Surah Adh-Dhariyat and when I stopped at the verse I had stopped at earlier, “And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised,” the Bedouin said, “I found the word of Allah to be true! Recite more, Asma’i.”
I began to recite the next verse, “Then by the Lord of the heaven and earth, indeed, it is truth – just as [sure as] it is that you are speaking.”
The Bedouin said in astonishment, “Who then has angered Allah that He, the Almighty, the Sublime, the Supreme had to take an oath?”
The Bedouin began to recite the verse and when he reached the third time, the verse melted him to death. The narration has been reported by Ibn Qudaamah and Ibn Qurtubi with many chains.
The chapter of Rizq is a very well-examined subject in the Quran and Sunnah. The word Rizq is mentioned 123 times in the Quran. The word Rizq has its roots in Arabic, meaning provision or sustenance, that which is given and, indeed, Allah is the One who determines our Rizq or sustenance. Thus, one of the names of Allah is ‘Ar-Razzaq’ or ‘Al-Raziq’.
Allah asserts that he is the sole sustainer and provider of every living being in the world, which include humans, animals, birds, insects and others. It’s the Creator himself who is the sustainer of his creation.
Rizq is often understood to mean only material possessions such as money, food, employment, housing, etc. Rizq is anything that brings benefit or goodness to us. I believe sustenance is not limited to wealth alone; it is faith, spirituality, health, intellect, and so on. Not only such things but our senses, existence, elegance, the moments of happiness and sadness, knowledge, love, beauty and, above all, faith in Allah, are all manifestation of Rizq.
Rizq also includes anything that will help us to fulfil our obligations to God. Rizq sustains us throughout our lives on earth; even the air we breathe is a form of Rizq.
Precisely, there are two types of Rizq: one sustains the body, such as food and drink, while the other sustains the soul, which is knowledge and true inspiration. The latter is the best type of sustenance simply because what sustains the soul lasts forever, while that which sustains the body is of temporary duration.
God wrote down the Rizq of the creation 50,000 years before He created the heavens and the earth. (Muslim)
Every season, rather every moment, is busy in its own way providing creation with Rizq, but we, the humans, are veiled from it due to one or the other reason and therefore are unable to discover it. Though we see the process, we do not understand it.
See the relationship of rain and trees, which people call by different names. The trees in the forests are a source of Rizq. Their branches provide nests to birds, they provide shade in the scorching heat to the thirsty, they give wood for burning and building homes. All these are the manifestations of Rizq, provided by trees which in turn result in rain and exist due to rain. And the rain from the sky is the will of Allah. Rain is the manifestation of the Ar-Razzaq attribute of Allah.
Similarly, one animal is the Rizq of another animal. The Rizq of humans is in themselves, hidden in one or the other part. Discovering it is an obligation. Some people’s Rizq is hidden in their intellect, where they attain Rizq by providing knowledge to others. Someone’s Rizq is hidden in their throat or hands, where they attain Rizq through their melodious voice or manual work. Precisely, all this is the handiwork of Allah.
Coming to the utility of Rizq, it is two-fold: a man can utilise the Rizq in two ways in his practical life: legitimate or illegitimate. Using a legitimate means to gain illegitimate Rizq is a sin. We should utilise legitimate means to get legitimate Rizq. Even if we have to wait for it, we’ll get the Rizq just as we got our existence and the power of our senses. It is the promise of Allah.
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said that a soul will not die until it gets all of the provisions that have been written for it. (Ibn Hibban)
Similarly, the Islamic scholar Ibn Al-Qayyim said: “Concern yourself with that which you were ordered to take care of, and do not be concerned with something that was not guaranteed for you. Sustenance and death are two matters whereof there is no doubt. As long as one is living, sustenance is guaranteed. And if Allah, according to His wisdom, closed the way to some means, He will, according to His mercy, open another means for you, which will be more useful.”
Therefore, even if you feel that your provision is slow in coming, you can rest assured that whatever has been written for you will certainly come to you. Our part is to strive for our Rizq; like the birds we must go out every day working, not for material gain but for the sake of God. Allah reminds us to have faith in him even in the conditions of misery through this verse: “Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as for you. Verily, the killing of them is a great sin” (Quran 17:31)/
One should always invoke Allah to provide legitimate Rizq. Earning legitimate Rizq is in itself a worship. And in hard times, have faith in Allah and ask Allah to give patience and shower mercy, as the most merciful that He is, He will give right directions to our efforts.
Faith and efforts, in terms of Rizq, are intertwined. They are the two pillars on which our whole destined Rizq is based on. Allah has commanded for every capable individual to put in the right effort in search of provision, despite it being pre-determined for everyone. This is also reflected in the way Allah has created birds and animals, their way of life, to survive and to procreate. The Prophet (SAW) mentioned in a Hadith: “If you were to rely upon Allah with the reliance He is due, you would be given provision like the birds. It goes forth hungry in the morning and returns with a full belly at dusk.” (Sunan At-Tirmidhi)
To reiterate, Rizq is in the hands of Allah and only He controls it. Eemaan in the matter of Rizq is a mercy from the heavens, which helps one live a life of contentment and righteousness. An iota of doubt in this matter will lead to a serious defect in faith (eemaan), God forbid!

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