Allah
calls Himself Ar-Razzaaq— The Provider, The Bestower of
Sustenance, on one occasion in the Quran. Ar-Razzaaq provides
all of His slaves with sustenance no matter how many they are or how great
their need. That’s why it’s said: “If Allah gives, He astonishes.”
Razzaaq comes
from the root raa-zaa-qaa which points to the attribute of
providing or supplying, whereby something is nourished, sustained, or helped to
grow physically, mentally, or spiritually.
The
word rizq means provision. The Arabic word Ar-Razzaaq has
the structure of intensification, He is The All-Provider.
This
beautiful name illustrates the amazing way in which only Allah ‘azza wajal is
able to provide for every single part of His creation.
What
is Rizq?
Rizq (provision)
is what benefits you and it can be material, but also emotional and spiritual. Rizq includes
not just money but also knowledge, good manners, security, peace of mind,
spiritual enhancement, etc.
Allah
Ar-Razzaaq created your rizq, and He delivers it to you in the
way He wants. Ar-Razzaaq Himself says: And there is no creature on
earth but that upon Allah is its provision [rizq], and He knows its place of
dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register. [Quran, 11:6]
Material
and Spiritual Provisions
Some
scholars say, Ar-Razzaaq is He Who provides people’s bodies (with
sustenance) by His Grace, and adorns the hearts of the elite with true Faith. So
provision is of two main types: material and spiritual. Allah’s Messenger
salallaahu alayhi wa sallam said beautifully: If the soul finds its
provision, it feels secure.
How
blessed are you if you pray with full devotion, if your heart is filled with
humility when you read Allah’s Book, if you feel secure and tranquil for being
near to Allah ‘azza wajal?
Some
people have lots of money, they eat whatever they like, they buy the most
beautiful houses and furniture, and they travel wherever they desire. They
choose the best cars and the best clothes. Then there are other people who
don’t have all this but who enjoy an incredible spiritual closeness to their
Lord; connected to the upper world, they don’t care about material things.
In
other words, either you dwell in material provision or you witness the
All-Provider.
Spiritual
Promotion
There
are people who are committed to Allah’s commands yet Ar-Razzaaq withholds
material provision from them in order to enhance their spiritual provision.
How
many times does wealth divert us from the remembrance of Him? Some people
are honest and practice their religion, yet they don’t feel much spiritual
comfort. This motivates them to hasten to do more righteous work, which helps
them to go to the higher and better spiritual state that Allah Ar-Razzaaq wants
them to reach. So you might feel deprived of spiritual rizq (like
tranquility in the heart), but this is a way Allah ‘azza wajal causes you to be
motivated to do more and therefore be elevated even more!
The
Test of Rizq
Allah
‘azza wajal told us that if we don’t rule with justice there will be corruption
on earth. These days resources are overused, people are being abused, and
wealth is not being distributed the way it should be.
Some
people ask: why is there poverty? Why are people starving? We
have to understand that our actions have consequences. We human beings created
a system that went against the way Allah the Allwise instructed us to live.
These people’s tests may be hardship in this world and our test might be our
inability to help them; we don’t know of the many ways of ar-Razzaaq.
How
Can You Live by This Name?
1.
Be content. Worries about material things
cause illnesses like depression and heart problems. Live by this name by being
content with all the rizq you’re given. Complaining about your
body or your wealth means you complain against Ar-Razzaaq. May He guide us to rida (contentment
with His Decree)!
2.
Work hard. Provision has to do with honesty and
uprightness. What you see of wealth given to some and poverty to others
is only superficial; Allah ‘azza wajal will bestow the best types of rizq on
the best types of people. You need to work as if your rizq depends
on how hard you try, but in your heart you know that nothing will come to you
except what is has written for you. Knowing that rizq is
guaranteed is not an excuse to be lazy.
3. Don’t
strive for material things.
It’s been said: more money, more problems. Allah subhanahu wa ta’alaa reassures us that He has undertaken to grant us provision. Be wise and strive for the things that Allah has commanded you to strive for and do not waste time seeking the things that Allah has undertaken to provide for you. The Prophet ‘Esa alayhi sallam said, Do not worry about your bellies!
4.
Ask Ar-Razzaaq. The Prophet Dawud alayhi
sallam supplicated: O Allah, Who grants Provision to the baby raven in
its nest! Grant us provision!
The
Bughath, the baby raven, has an amazing story. When it hatches, it looks white
and therefore its mother (black in color) denies it and does not recognize it.
Then Allah Ar-Razzaaq sends it some insects to feed on until its feathers grow
and become black. Only then its mother recognizes it.
As
a baby this bird is left forsaken and helpless, but Allah sends it its
provision, subhanAllah! So remember this and use the dua’ of Dawud as well as
other supplications regarding rizq from the Quran and
the Sunnah!
5.
Ponder what Ar-Razzaaq has given you. Allah, Who is
very compassionate toward us, placed us on fertile lands with countless
blessings. Even without taking care of them green crops grow, flowers blossom,
fruits and vegetables come out of the soil, and the blue oceans are bursting
with tasty fish. Then Ar-Razzaaq places the meat of most animals and birds at
our service and gives them pure milk and honey. All of these are the rizq of
Allah.
Contemplate
your environment and grow your love for Ar-Razzaaq and your will to please Him!
6.
Remember the counterparts in the hereafter. All these
blessings granted in this world have perfect counterparts in the hereafter.
(Think of the food and drinks in Jannah.) So remember the rizq in
Paradise and ask Ar-Razzaaq for Paradise each day. On the other hand, the
people of the hellfire will have the most horrific foods and drink, so ask
Ar-Razzaaq to protect you from Jahannam!
7.Use
your rizq in the right way. Be
honest and trustworthy with Allah’s provision; don’t seek haraam means. This
also prevents our supplications from being answered. One of the things
that prevents our rizq from reaching us is our sins, so if you
see these people who are disobeying Allah ‘azza wajal but they do have material rizq, Allah
may have denied them their spiritual rizq, which is much worse.
8. Learn how to
increase your rizq!
In the ayaat of the Quran and in the ahadeeth ways are mentioned for us to increase our rizq; look out for them. Examples are striving for taqwa, praying with khushoo’, having tawakkul (reliance on Allah), upholding the ties of kinship, being thankful, asking for forgiveness and repenting, giving charity, and reading the Quran!
Wallahu
ta’alaa ‘alem.
O
Allah, Ar-Razzaaq, make us of thosewho are content with Your provisions, guide
us to work hard and use Your provisions wisely and make us ponder them. Lead us
to deeds which increase Your rizq and enter us into Your Gardens by Your
rahmah, ameen!
