The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) informed us that when the fetus in its mother’s womb is four months old, Allah The Almighty sends an angel to breathe the soul into it and write down its provision, its lifespan and its deeds, and whether it is doomed or blessed.
Provision is also written down and connected to the means that one adopts to search for it. Among these means are that man should work to seek provision, as Allah The Almighty Says (what means):
{“He it is Who has made the earth subservient to you (i.e. easy for you to walk, to live and to do agriculture on it); so walk in the path thereof and eat of His provision. And to Him will be the Resurrection”} [Quran, 67:15]
One of the most important means of increasing one’s provision is having Taqwa i.e., being conscious of Allah The Almighty and fearful of Him. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {“And whosoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). 3. And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allah will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things.”} [Quran, 65: 2-3]
Allah The Almighty will reward the one who fears Him and is mindful of what pleases Him in all situations, in this life and the Hereafter. One of the worldly rewards is that Allah The Almighty will make a way out for him from hardships and adversities and will provide him from means which he never could have expected. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {“And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwa (piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes”} [Quran, 7: 96].
Shaykh As-Sa’di may Allah have mercy upon him said, “If they truly and sincerely believed with their hearts and proved their belief with actions, and were fearful of Allah inwardly and outwardly, then Allah would have opened for them blessings from the Heavens by sending rain and the earth by causing plants to grow by which they as well as their cattle would benefit; they would have lived the richest life without the least difficulty or effort.”
What is this piety that Allah The Almighty has made a reason behind gaining provisions? Why did He inform us that He would provide for the pious and grant them sustenance without limits and measures.
Piety is what puts a barrier between you and that which harms you; it is a protection, which entails fulfilling all that Allah The Almighty has commanded one to do as well as refraining from everything that Allah The Almighty has prohibited.
The Salaf (righteous predecessors) explained and defined piety thus:
Ibn Mas’ood may Allah be pleased with him said: “It (i.e., piety) is to obey Allah and never to disobey Him; to remember Him and not forget Him; and to thank Him and never be ungrateful to Him.”
READ MORE: Etiquettes Of Seeking Knowledge – II
If you wish to increase your provision from Allah and live a comfortable life, then fear Allah and be pious in all your affairs: at home, at work and with your family. Protect yourself from sins, adhere to the commandments of your Lord, refrain from His prohibitions and protect yourself from whatever results in His punishment.
Other means of increasing one’s provision are:
Keeping ties of kinship
Abū Hurayrah (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said:
“Whoever would like his provision to be abundant and his lifespan to be extended, let him uphold his ties of kinship.” [10]
Sadaqah (Charity)
مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ حَبَّةٍ أَنبَتَتْ سَبْعَ سَنَابِلَ فِي كُلِّ سُنبُلَةٍ مِّائَةُ حَبَّةٍ وَاللَّهُ يُضَاعِفُ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the Way of Allāh, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. And Allāh multiplies for whom He wills. And Allāh is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.
Honesty and fairness in trade and business transactions
Ḥakim b. Ḥazim (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
“The two parties of a transaction have the right (to annul the contract) as long as they do not separate (from each other). So, if they were truthful (to one another), and honest in explaining (the defects of an item), then they will be blessed in their transaction. But, if they lied, and hid (the defects of an item) then the blessings of their transaction are destroyed.”
Performing Hajj and ‘Umrah
‛Abdullah b. Mas‛ūd (may Allāh be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) said,
“Perform Hajj and ‛Umrah consecutively. Verily, the succession between the two (rituals) removes away poverty and removes away sins just as the bellows removes away the dross of iron, gold and silver. And a Hajj not mingled with a sin has no reward except paradise.” [13]
Nikāh (Marriage)
Allāh says:
وَأَنكِحُوا الْأَيَامَىٰ مِنكُمْ وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ عِبَادِكُمْ وَإِمَائِكُمْ إِن يَكُونُوا فُقَرَاءَ يُغْنِهِمُ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ وَاللَّهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
“And marry the unmarried among you and the righteous among your male slaves and female slaves. If they should be poor, Allāh will enrich them from His bounty, and Allāh is all-Encompassing and Knowing.” [14]
Having Children
Allāh says:
وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَاقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ إِنَّ قَتْلَهُمْ كَانَ خِطْئًا كَبِيرًا
“And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is a great sin.”
Supplicating to Allah during times of need
Umm Salamah (may Allāh be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to say, when he would pray the Morning Prayer, after making the taslīm [saying ‘al-Salāmu ‘alaykum wa Rahmatullāh to the right and left] he would say,
“O Allāh, I ask You for knowledge which is beneficial and sustenance which is good, and deeds which are accepted.”
READ MORE: Here are the Beautiful Duas from the Qur’an
Gratitude and praising Allāh
Allāh says:
وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّكُمْ لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ وَلَئِن كَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِي لَشَدِيدٌ
“And remember when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will surely increase you in favour; but if you show ingratitude, indeed, My punishment is severe.”
Taqwa (God-consciousness, Piety)
Allāh says:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا(2) وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ(3)
“…And whosoever fears Allāh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way out for him (from every difficulty). And He will provide for him from (sources) where he does not expect…”
Shunning sins and remaining steadfast upon the religion of Allah The Almighty by performing acts of obedience. This last way is the most important of all what has been mentioned, because provisions are gained by obedience and lost by disobedience, and the person gets deprived from provisions due to a sin he commits. Sins are the greatest cause for losing provisions, having a difficult life and losing blessings in life. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {“If they (non-Muslims) had believed in Allah, and went on the Right Way (i.e. Islam), We would surely have bestowed on them water (rain) in abundance.” } [Quran, 72: 16] which means that if they maintained themselves upon the path of truth, guidance and belief, He would have increased their provisions.
