Allah is the Sustainer

Allah is the Sustainer

Translated by: Alamgeer Usmani.

Praise be to Allah in any case who is described with the attributes of greatness and majesty, the Living, the Everlasting, the Great, the Sublime. He has the Most Beautiful Names, the Exalted Attributes, and the Perfect Glory, and I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, who has no partner. He is pure from partner, opponent, and example. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, the example of the servants in intentions, words and deeds. May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and his family and companions.

After that. So, I advise myself and you to do what Allah and His Messenger have commanded, and to leave what our Lord the Almighty and His Messenger forbade. This is the reality of piety that has been repeated in the words of our Lord a lot.

Brothers in faith:

There is an honorable chapter of knowledge. Evidence for it abounds in the Holy Qur’an. Indeed, almost there is no verse in the Qur’an, except that Allah has mentioned in it a part of this knowledge, which indicates its great importance for those who worship his Lord. And there are many verses in the Qur’an in which there is a command to learn this honorable knowledge and the great principle, it is the knowledge of the names of Allah the Almighty and His attributes.

﴿ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ فَاحْذَرُوهُ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ﴾

“Be assured that Allah knows what is in your hearts. So, fear Him and be assured that Allah is most Forgiving, Forbearing”.

﴿ وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ غَنِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ ﴾

“And know well that Allah is All-Independent, Ever-Praised”.

Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “The Qur’an has made more mention of Allah’s names, attributes and actions than mention of eating, drinking, and marriage in Paradise. The verses that mention the names and attributes of Allah are greater than the verses of the Resurrection. The greatest verse in the Qur’an is the verse of “Al-Kursi” that includes that...

And Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, also said: The best surah is the Surah “Ummul-Quran” (surah Al-Fatiha) ... until he said: And in surah Al-Fatiha, there are more mention of the names and attributes of Allah than the mention of the resurrection in it.

And we will know, dear ones, with one of the most beautiful names of Allah, the Exalted, the Majestic. It is the name of Allah “Arrazaq” (the sustainer). He, the Most High, said:

﴿ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ ﴾

“In fact, Allah is the All-Sustainer, Possessor of power, the Strong”.

﴿ اللّهُ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَقَدِرُ ﴾

“Allah expands the provision for whom He wills and narrows it”.

﴿ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ ﴾.

“And He is the best of all givers”.

The Rizq (sustenance) is divided into two parts:

The first: General sustenance, which includes the righteous, the immoral, the Muslim, the infidel, and every animal. This is the sustenance of the bodies:

﴿ وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللّهِ رِزْقُهَا ﴾

“There is no creature on earth whose sustenance is not undertaken by Allah”.

Allah the Almighty has assumed responsibility for everyone’s sustenance and what establishes it. Along with it, He facilitated the means of sustenance:

﴿ وَكَأَيِّن مِن دَابَّةٍ لَا تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ ﴾

“How many an animal there is that does not carry its provision. Allah gives provision to it as well as to you, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-knowing”.

Allah the Almighty has condemned the worship of the infidels, because they worship the ones who do not provide them with sustenance.

﴿ وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لاَ يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ رِزْقاً مِّنَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ شَيْئاً وَلاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ﴾.

“They worship, besides Allah, the objects that have no power to give them anything from the heavens and the earth, nor can they ever have such power”.

Servant of Allah, ponder over how Allah the Almighty provide the sustenance for fetus in his mother’s womb through the umbilical cord which delivers the provision, and how Allah preserves his sustenance and his life!

Consider how the snake is sustained in its hole! And contemplate how a small bird in his den and the fish in his sea and the ants in his hole are sustained!

Reflect on how the crocodile is provided with food, which is the huge animal that eats some large animals greedily and savagely, and with all this, Allah the Almighty enabled the little bird to enter the crocodile’s mouth and take the food leftovers from between its teeth to get livelihood from there. The crocodile lets it enter and exit and does not strike it.

Consider how Allah the Almighty, with His kindness and wisdom, made the sustenance of this little bird between the teeth of this crocodile! This is an example. The crocodile opens its mouth so that the birds come to clean what is between its teeth, and the birds eat their sustenance that Allah guarantees, so there is no god but Allah, the Best of Providers.

Dear friends,

We repeat after every obligatory prayer: “Oh Allah, no one can prevent what you have given, and no one can give what you have prevented, so do we feel its meaning?

In the hadith, it is narrated by Imam Ahmad, Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah, and authenticated by Al-Albani: "If you were to rely upon Allah with the required reliance, then He would provide for you just as a bird is provided for, it goes out in the morning empty, and returns full." May Allah guide us to trust in Him.

In the Sahih, the Almighty says in the Qudsi Hadith:

"O My servants! All of you are hungry except for those whom I have fed. So, seek food from Me and I will feed you”.

And Allah, Glory be to Him, says:

﴿ فَابْتَغُوا عِندَ اللَّهِ الرِّزْقَ وَاعْبُدُوهُ وَاشْكُرُوا لَهُ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴾

“So, seek provision with Allah and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you are to be returned”.

It is recorded in Muslim: Abu Malik, Sa'd Bin Tariq, narrated from his father that:" when a man had come to the Messenger of Allah, he heard him saying: "O Messenger of Allah, what should I say when I ask of Allah?" He said: "Say:

“Allahumma-ghfirli warhamni wa 'afini warzuqni”.

(O Allah, forgive me, have mercy on me, keep me safe and sound and grant me provision),"

And adopting the “means” does not contradict the trust, rather the Muslim is commanded to adopt the means. Because the birds go out in the morning and do not sit in their nests, and it is Allah’s kindness upon His servants when He withholds some of his sustenance from him. Because Allah the Almighty is kind in his giving the sustenance and is kind in preventing it:

﴿ اللَّهُ لَطِيفٌ بِعِبَادِهِ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاءُ ﴾

“Allah is kind to His servants. He gives provision to whom He wills”.

He also says:

﴿ وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِهِ لَبَغَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا يَشَاءُ إِنَّهُ بِعِبَادِهِ خَبِيرٌ بَصِيرٌ ﴾

“Should Allah expand the provision for His servants (to its full extent), they would spread mischief on earth; but He sends down what He wills in (due) measure. Surely, with regard to His slaves, He is All-Aware, Ever-Watchful”. This is the mercy of our Lord, the All-Wise.

The general provision of Allah, as it has passed with us, includes even the infidel. And it should be kept in mind that the abundant provision of Allah for unbeliever and expansion upon him with money, children etc. does not mean that Allah the Almighty is satisfied with him; For, He, Glory be to Him, gives the worldly wealth to those whom He loves and those whom He does not love:

﴿ فَذَرْهُمْ فِي غَمْرَتِهِمْ حَتَّى حِينٍ. أَيَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّمَا نُمِدُّهُم بِهِ مِن مَّالٍ وَبَنِينَ. نُسَارِعُ لَهُمْ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ بَل لَّا يَشْعُرُونَ ﴾

“So, leave them in their negligence for some time. Do they think that by consistently providing them with wealth and children. We are accelerating the (real) good things to them? The fact, however, is that they do not understand (the reality)”.

He Also says:

﴿ وَقَالُوا نَحْنُ أَكْثَرُ أَمْوَالاً وَأَوْلَاداً وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُعَذَّبِينَ. قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ. وَمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُم بِالَّتِي تُقَرِّبُكُمْ عِندَنَا زُلْفَى إِلَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحاً فَأُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمْ جَزَاء الضِّعْفِ بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَهُمْ فِي الْغُرُفَاتِ آمِنُونَ. وَالَّذِينَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِي آيَاتِنَا مُعَاجِزِينَ أُوْلَئِكَ فِي الْعَذَابِ مُحْضَرُونَ ﴾

“And they said, “We are superior in riches and children, and we are not going to be punished”. Say, “In fact, my Lord extends provision to whom He wills, and straitens (it for whom He wills), but most of the people do not know”. Your riches or your children are not the things that bring you near Us closely; however, the one who believes and acts righteously (is close to Us). Therefore, such people will have the double reward for what they did, and they will be at peace in the upper chambers (of Paradise). As for those who strive against our signs trying to frustrate (them), they will be arraigned into the torment”.

O Allah, make us among those who only trust in You, and make us among those who are content with what you have given, and make us among those whose heart is contented and reassured, and ask forgiveness from Allah, Because, He is Forgiving.

Second Sermon

Good and blessed praise be to Allah abundantly, and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon His Messenger and upon family and companions of messenger.

After that, brothers in Islam:

What was previously mentioned was about the general sustenance, and about the sustenance of body. The second type of Allah’s sustenance is a “special sustenance”, which is the sustenance of hearts. Because, it nourishes hearts with faith and knowledge. Only a selected group of his servants comes under it in the worship of Allah Almighty, getting to know Him, adhering to His command and standing at His limits. And through this, the servant can obtain the pleasure of his Lord. This the livelihood of faith.

The two sheikhs reported on the authority of Ibn Masoud, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick blood for a similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar period. Then Allah sends an angel who is ordered to write four things. He is ordered to write down his (i.e., the new creature's) deeds, his livelihood, his (date of) death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched (in religion).

The Muslim is enjoined to adopt the “means” and to strive to get sustenance with relying on Allah, and being content with what Allah provides for his servant, and the Prophet, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, guided in this regard: A man must look into the affairs of the world to those who are below him. It is reported in Bukhari and Muslim: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "If anyone of you looked at a person who was made superior to him in property and (in good) appearance, then he should also look at the one who is inferior to him”.

Brothers in Islam:

The sustenance of our Lord is great and abundant, so contemplate this sustenance is overlooked by many people. From his sustenance are: health and mind, wife and child, beauty, strength, housing, clothing, boats, psychological and family stability. Our Prophet, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, said about his wife Khadija, may Allah be pleased with her, “I have been blessed with her love.”

A man came and complained to the wise man about poverty. The wise man said to him: Would you sell your sight for one hundred thousand dinars? he said no. The wise said: Would you sell your hearing for one hundred thousand dinars? He said no. He said: Your hand, your leg, your mind, your heart, your limbs... And so, he enumerated before him until the matter reached hundreds of thousands of dinars in this person. The wise said to him: Listen! You have many debts, so when would you thanks for them? And yet, you ask for increment!

My blessed brother:

If you thank your Lord for His sustenance, you will obey your Lord's command:

﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كُلُواْ مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَاشْكُرُواْ لِلّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ ﴾

“O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided to you and be grateful to Allah, if it is He whom you worship (in real terms)”.

And if you thank your Lord for his sustenance, he will increase His bounty for you.

﴿ وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ ﴾.

“Recall the time) when your Lord declared, “If you express gratitude, I shall certainly give you more, and if you are ungrateful, then My punishment is severe.”

And greater than the sustenance of this world is the sustenance of Allah in the Hereafter, and what Allah has prepared for the people of His Paradise:

﴿ وَإِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ لَحُسْنَ مَآبٍ. جَنَّاتِ عَدْنٍ مُّفَتَّحَةً لَّهُمُ الْأَبْوَابُ * مُتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا يَدْعُونَ فِيهَا بِفَاكِهَةٍ كَثِيرَةٍ وَشَرَابٍ * وَعِندَهُمْ قَاصِرَاتُ الطَّرْفِ أَتْرَابٌ * هَذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِيَوْمِ الْحِسَابِ * إِنَّ هَذَا لَرِزْقُنَا مَا لَهُ مِن نَّفَادٍ ﴾

“And surely the God-fearing will have the best place to return: Everlasting gardens, with (their) doors opened for them. They will be relaxing in it, calling there for plenteous fruits and drinks; And in their company there will be females restricting their glances (to their husbands, and) of matching ages. This is what you are being promised for the Day of Reckoning. Surely, that is provision provided by Us, to which there is no end”.

And He also says:

﴿ وَمَن يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ وَيَعْمَلْ صَالِحاً يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَداً قَدْ أَحْسَنَ اللَّهُ لَهُ رِزْقاً ﴾

“And whoever believes in Allah, and acts righteously, He will admit him to the gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein such people will live forever. Allah has made for him a good provision”.

Oh Allah, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the torment of the Fire.

Oh Allah, forgive us and have mercy on us and grant us health and sustenance.

(The sum of this sermon is extracted from the book “Ma -Allah” written by Dr. Salman Al-Awda, and from the book “Fiqhul-Asma” written by Dr. Abdul Razzaq Al-Badr with other additions.)