In Thy Name, We Live
Episode 6: Ar-Razzak (The Superb Provider) part2
In the name of Allah (God), The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful. All Prayers and Blessings of Allah be upon our master, the most noble Prophet Muhammad (SAWS).
Before we start, I would like to stress that the purpose of this program is not to preach but to create a methodology of thinking: what are the manifestations of every one of the names of Allah in our lives?
Today’s episode has two parts:
1- A summary of yesterday’s episode with new examples.
2- Contentment with what Allah has ordained for us
1- Summary
We will start with some of the fruits we mentioned yesterday about Allah’s Name “The Superb Provider”. We mentioned the importance of doing your best to achieve Allah’s sustenance ordained for you. His provision and blessings are guaranteed. Thus, you must never humiliate yourself to anyone else, as Allah is your only Provider. Similarly, you must never earn ill-gotten wealth, as you will not miss any wealth assigned to you by Allah. Our means of living and sustenance have been decreed before we were created. Thus, be patient and earn it lawfully as you will be accountable for it both ways.
Allah says, “And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised. So by The Lord of the heaven and the earth, surely it is indeed true as (it is true) that you (can) pronounce (your languages),” (TMQ, 51:22, 23).
The Prophet informed us that Jibril (AS) (Gabriel) told him a soul would not die until it has received its predetermined wealth and lived every second of its lifetime.
An old man who had no relatives to provide for him was heard saying, “O Allah! Provide for us as you provide for crow chicks.” Crow chicks have a different appearance than adult crows, and therefore are not fed by the mother, but have a distinctive smell that attracts certain worms that serve as food for these chicks. Can you see the grace of Allah exalted be He? This, however, should not lead us to leave perseverance and hard work. We should learn that from Lady Haggar when she went back and forth between As-safa and al-Marwah to look for water for her son, and did not stop until she found it.
Here is another story that shows you the great mercy of the Superb Provider. Certain water currents have been found to move at very high speeds under the surface of the oceans. One of the most known currents is one that passes from the Scandinavian countries to South America, and carries with it huge amounts of plankton. This leads sardine fish to follow it. They in return serve as food for large numbers of birds and seagulls, as well as dolphins and sharks on the shores the current ends in. Can you imagine the great arrangement and planning by the Superb Provider? If Allah plans that for such small animals and creatures, will he not provide for you and grant you His sustenance? Is it not time for us to look at the universe as a big mosque in which everything is prostrating to Allah, and submitting solely to him, and serving as part of his endowments upon us?
2- Contentment with what Allah has ordained for us
I said yesterday that Allah wants from us three things:
1 - Endeavor (sa’i).
2 - Not to humiliate ourselves to others for sustenance.
3 - Not to accept unlawful sustenance.
In fact there is a fourth point that I saved for today’s episode. This is a beautiful point for all those who are having problems, or are living a harsh and difficult life. I am talking about contentment with what Allah has ordained for us.
Brothers and sisters, there are 2 types of worship. The first is through physical actions, and the second is worshipping Allah with the heart. The Superb Provider wants you to show this worship with your heart. This is the worship of contentment: to be satisfied with what Allah has given to you. So, are you pleased with your life? Are you satisfied with what Allah has given you? Are you satisfied with your home, your appearance, your spouse, and your work? I know that you are saying, “All thanks and praises be to Allah.” I want that answer to be from your heart.
What is contentment? Some people understand contentment to be submission. Rather, it is aspiration to be better, but with true satisfaction with what you already have now. The Prophet’s migration from Makkah to Madinah is a perfect example for that. He was contented with Allah’s decree in Makkah, but still strived to migrate for the better.
The Prophet (SAWS) informed us that Allah (SWT) has honored Man and made him superior to all other creatures, which were all created for his benefit and sustenance.
Allah has planned for you your wealth, in the way that is best for you. Thus, we need to trust in the way Allah (SWT) provides for us and, once you maintain a content heart, this not only relieves your body and mind from stress and worry but it makes Allah (SWT) pleased with you.
One more reason to remain content at heart is to trust that Allah (SWT) has given you what you actually need and what additional things you demand may not be for your benefit but rather an enticement for you to go astray and incur his wrath, as Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And if Allah were to outspread the provision for His bondmen, they would indeed be inequitable in the earth; but He sends down in a determined (estimate) whatever He decides; surely He is Ever-Cognizant, Ever-Beholding His bondmen.” (TMQ, 42:27)
Thus, the Prophet (SAWS) taught us that when you wake up, in any given day, and find yourself in good health, feeling safe where you live and with enough sustenance for that single day, you should be satisfied and rise above this earthly world.
Even at times of hardship, one should remain content with what Allah (SWT) has decreed. In fact, the signs of contentment, in any matter, are three: to make Istikhara before you make a decision, to feel no bitterness when what Allah (SWT) has decreed unfolds before you, and to continue to worship Allah (SWT) and love him even after the hardship has befallen you. By contrast, those, whose faith is on the edge, are torn with bitterness in every hardship and they might even stop worshipping Allah (SWT) after he tests them in a crisis, which delivers them to misery in this life and in the hereafter.
There are several examples of contentment in our history, especially at times of crisis. The Prophet (SAWS) maintained a content heart throughout all the hardships in his life and when his most beloved son Ibrahim died right after he had been weaned, he cried out of mercy but praised Allah (SWT) for all He had decreed.
Omar Ibnul-Khattab said that, whenever a crisis befell him, he praised Allah (SWT) for four things: that it was not worse than it was, that it was not in his faith, that Allah (SWT) rewarded him greatly for his patience, and that nothing could be equal to the loss he felt when the Prophet (SAWS) died.
When the Prophet’s uncle Hamza Ibn-Abdul-Muttalib got killed and his body mutilated, in the battle of Uhud, his sister Lady Safiya cried but praised Allah (SWT) for all the other blessings He had bestowed on her and her family.
Orwa Ibnul-Zubayr, when his leg got amputated and his young son got killed in the same day, smiled and praised Allah (SWT) for whatever He took and whatever He left since he saw a great blessing in still having six living children and three working limbs.
Moreover, Allah (SWT) The Just distributes all types of blessings among the people in different percentages. Therefore, whoever lacks in one area should realize that he has been blessed in other areas, especially if we consider the spiritual blessings, which sometimes overweigh material ones.
Hence, while striving to improve your circumstances, maintain two important qualities: piety and the continuous asking for Allah’s forgiveness.
