Today’s person generally complains that there is plenty of earning but no blessing; despite working hard day and night, running around, and expending all energy, expenses are not met, and debts keep increasing at the end of every month.
This article answers the important question of how blessing comes into sustenance? And what are the Shariah means which, if adopted, Allah Almighty grants blessing, expansion, and peace in sustenance.
First, a few fundamental beliefs and principles will be stated:
Allah Almighty is the Only True Provider
He alone distributes sustenance, increases or decreases it.
All the keys to the treasures are with Him; it is necessary to ask from Him.
After this, practical means such as faith and righteous deeds, piety, recitation of the Quran, gratitude, reliance on Allah, supplication, charity and almsgiving, truthfulness, contentment, good treatment of parents, maintaining kinship ties, seeking forgiveness, etc., will be discussed in detail, through which a servant can make his sustenance blessed.
Fundamental Principle: Correct Belief Regarding Sustenance
➊ Only Allah is the Provider
The very first thing is that a Muslim must have firm belief that the Provider of sustenance is only Allah Almighty, no one else is a provider.
He alone is the One without partner, just as He is the Creator and Owner, He is also the Provider.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿مَآ اُرِیْدُ مِنْہُمْ مِّنْ رِّزْقٍ وَّمَآ اُرِیْدُ اَنْ یُّطْعِمُوْنِ٭ اِِنَّ اللّٰہَ ہُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّۃِ الْمَتِیْنُ ﴾
Translation:
“I do not desire any provision from them, nor do I desire that they feed Me. Indeed, Allah Himself is the Provider, the Powerful, the Exalted in Might.”
Allah Almighty has taken upon Himself the responsibility of providing sustenance to every living being in the universe:
﴿ وَمَا مِن دَآبَّۃٍ فِیْ الأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَی اللّٰہِ رِزْقُہَا ﴾
Translation:
“There is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision.”
And Allah Almighty decrees the provision from the heavens:
﴿وَفِیْ السَّمَائِ رِزْقُکُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ ﴾
Translation:
“Your provision is in the heaven and that which is promised to you.”
Similarly, He said:
﴿ اَللّٰہُ الَّذِیْ خَلَقَکُمْ ثُمَّ رَزَقَکُمْ ثُمَّ یُمِیْتُکُمْ ثُمَّ یُحْیِیْکُمْ ہَلْ مِن شُرَکَائِکُم مَّن یَفْعَلُ مِن ذَلِکُم مِّن شَیْْئٍ سُبْحَانَہُ وَتَعَالَی عَمَّا یُشْرِکُونَ ﴾
Translation:
“Allah is the One who created you, then provided for you, then will cause you to die, and then will bring you to life. So is there any among your partners who does any of these things? He is pure and exalted above their association.”
➋ The increase and decrease of provision is by Allah’s wisdom
With His infinite wisdom, Allah gives more provision to whom He wills and less to whom He wills. This distribution is not in the hands of any human, system, or country, but solely under Allah’s control.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿نَحْنُ قَسَمْنَا بَیْنَہُمْ مَّعِیْشَتَہُمْ فِی الْحَیٰوۃِ الدُّنْیَا وَرَفَعْنَا بَعْضَہُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجٰتٍ لِّیَتَّخِذَ بَعْضُہُمْ بَعْضًا سُخْرِیًّا ﴾
Translation:
“We have apportioned their provision among them in the life of this world, and We have raised some of them above others in ranks, so that some may employ others in service.”
Similarly, He said:
﴿ اَللّٰہُ یَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَنْ یَّشَآئُ مِنْ عِبَادِہٖ وَ یَقْدِرُ لَہٗ اِنَّ اللّٰہَ بِکُلِّ شَیْئٍ عَلِیْمٌ﴾
Translation:
“Allah gives provision to whom He wills among His servants and restricts it for whom He wills. Indeed, Allah is Knowing of all things.”
Allah Almighty Himself has explained the wisdom behind giving less provision:
﴿ وَلَوْ بَسَطَ اللّٰہُ الرِّزْقَ لِعِبَادِہٖ لَبَغَوْا فِی الْاَرْضِ وَلٰکِنْ یُّنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ مَّا یَشَآئُ اِِنَّہٗ بِعِبَادِہٖ خَبِیْرٌ م بَصِیْرٌ ﴾
Translation:
“And if Allah were to give His servants abundant provision, they would surely commit mischief on the earth, but He sends it down in an appointed measure. Indeed, He is fully aware of His servants and well acquainted with them.”
➌ The keys to all treasures are with Allah
When the true Owner is only Him, then one should ask only from Him. Placing hope in creation or considering them as owners of provision is a flaw in belief.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَإِن مِّن شَیْْئٍ إِلَّا عِندَنَا خَزَائِنُہُ وَمَا نُنَزِّلُہُ إِلَّا بِقَدَرٍ مَّعْلُومٍ ﴾
Translation:
“There is no thing but that with Us are its treasures, and We do not send it down except in a known measure.”
That is why Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said to his people:
﴿إِنَّ الَّذِیْنَ تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِِ اللّٰہِ لَا یَمْلِکُونَ لَکُمْ رِزْقاً فَابْتَغُوا عِندَ اللّٰہِ الرِّزْقَ وَاعْبُدُوہُ وَاشْکُرُوا لَہُ إِلَیْْہِ تُرْجَعُونَ ﴾
Translation:
“Those whom you worship besides Allah do not possess the provision for you, so ask Allah alone for provision, worship Him, and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be returned.”
In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah Almighty says:
( یَا عِبَادِیْ! کُلُّکُمْ جَائِعٌ إِلَّا مَنْ أَطْعَمْتُہُ ، فَاسْتَطْعِمُونِیْ أُطْعِمْکُمْ )
( یَا عِبَادِیْ ! کُلُّکُمْ عَارٍ إِلَّا مَنْ کَسَوْتُہُ ، فَاسَتَکْسُوْنِیْ أَکْسُکُمْ ۔۔۔۔۔)
(۔۔۔۔۔۔ یَا عِبَادِیْ ! لَوْ أَنَّ أَوَّلَکُمْ وَآخِرَکُمْ ، وَإِنْسَکُمْ وَجِنَّکُمْ قَامُوْا فِیْ صَعِیْدٍ وَاحِدٍ فَسَأَلُوْنِیْ فَأَعْطَیْتُ کُلَّ إِنْسَانٍ مَسْأَلَتَہُ ، مَا نَقَصَ ذَلِکَ مِمَّا عِنْدِیْ إِلَّا کَمَا یَنْقُصُ الْمِخْیَطُ إِذَا أُدْخِلَ الْبَحْرَ )
Translation:
“O My servants! You are all hungry except those whom I feed, so ask Me for food, I will feed you.”
“O My servants! You are all naked except those whom I clothe, so ask Me for clothing, I will clothe you.”
“O My servants! If all the first and last, humans and jinn, stand together in one field and ask Me, and I give each one according to their request, it will not decrease My treasures even as much as the water decreases by putting a needle in the ocean.”
Therefore, the Lord who owns such endless treasures should be asked for sustenance, and hope should be placed in Him alone.
➋ Taqwa – A Strong Means of Blessing in Sustenance
One of the major and fundamental causes of blessing in sustenance is ‘Taqwa’.
Taqwa means that a servant:
❀ To have such fear of Allah, the Lord of Glory, in the heart that it prevents one from sins, unlawful earnings, and disobedience,
❀ and encourages one to follow Allah’s commands, perform duties, and choose lawful means.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ وَمَنْ یَّتَّقِ اللّٰہَ یَجْعَلْ لَّہُ مَخْرَجًا ٭ وَّیَرْزُقْہُ مِنْ حَیْثُ لاَ یَحْتَسِبُ ﴾
Translation
“And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out. And will provide for him from where he does not expect.”
Similarly, He said:
﴿ وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَہْلَ الْقُریٰ آمَنُوْا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَیْہِمْ بَرَکَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآئِ وَالْأَرْضِ﴾
Translation
“And if the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth.”
Furthermore, He said:
﴿ وَ لَوْ اَنَّ اَھْلَ الْکِتٰبِ اٰمَنُوْا وَاتَّقَوْا لَکَفَّرْنَا عَنْھُمْ سَیِّاٰتِھِمْ وَ لَاَدْخَلْنٰھُمْ جَنّٰتِ النَّعِیْمِ٭ وَ لَوْ اَنَّھُمْ اَقَامُوا التَّوْرٰۃَ وَ الْاِنْجِیْلَ وَ مَآ اُنْزِلَ اِلَیْھِمْ مِّنْ رَّبِّھِمْ لَاَکَلُوْا مِنْ فَوْقِھِمْ وَ مِنْ تَحْتِ اَرْجُلِھِمْ﴾
Translation
“If the People of the Scripture had believed and feared Allah, We would have removed from them their misdeeds and admitted them to gardens of pleasure. And if they had upheld the Torah, the Gospel, and what was revealed to them from their Lord, they would have eaten from above them and from beneath their feet.”
The Practical Requirement of Taqwa
The straightforward requirement of ‘Taqwa’ is that a believer:
❀ Earns through lawful means,
❀ Eats lawful food themselves and also feeds their dependents lawful food,
❀ Completely avoids all paths of unlawful earnings.
If a person mixes lawful and unlawful earnings, earns wealth through bribery, deceit, usury, betrayal, etc., the blessing in their sustenance is lost, even if the apparent amount is greater.
Some prominent ways of unlawful earnings that remove blessings:
❀ Taking and giving bribes
❀ Betraying trusts
❀ Stealing, robbery
❀ Lending money with interest
❀ Taking goods, vehicles, houses, etc., on credit or loan and not returning the price or loan
❀ Lying, cheating, committing fraud in transactions
❀ Swearing false oaths
❀ Shortchanging in weights and measures
❀ Adulterating food and drink items
All such people’s earnings may appear greater outwardly, but they are devoid of blessings.
Similarly:
Those government or private employees who do not consider their duty time as a trust,
engage in idle chatter during working hours,
play games on mobile,
scroll through social media,
or roam around without the permission of the responsible person,
such people’s sustenance is also deprived of blessings, no matter how good their salary is.
The Highest Example of Piety – Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA)
Hazrat Aisha (RA) narrates that Abu Bakr (RA) had a servant. One day he brought some food, and Abu Bakr (RA) ate some of it. The servant said:
“Do you know where this food came from?”
You asked: Where did it come from?
He said:
(کُنْتُ تَکَہَّنْتُ لِإِنْسَانٍ فِی الْجَاہِلِیَّۃِ ، وَمَا أُحْسِنُ الْکَہَانَۃَ إِلَّا أَنِّی خَدَعْتُہُ )
Translation
“I used to practice soothsaying (false claim of clairvoyance) for a man during the time of ignorance, although I did not know soothsaying, I just kept him deceived.”
He said: “Today I met him, and in return for that soothsaying, he gave me this food, from which you also ate.”
Upon hearing this, Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) immediately put his hand inside his mouth and vomited out all the food that had entered his stomach, so that no forbidden or doubtful morsel remained in his stomach.
This is piety and true righteousness—that one does not tolerate even a doubtful morsel, no matter how much effort it takes to remove it from the stomach.
May Allah Almighty grant us a heart that strongly detests forbidden and doubtful wealth.
➌ Recitation of the Holy Quran
One of the great causes of blessings in sustenance is the frequent recitation of the Holy Quran.
Because this book itself is blessed, whoever connects with it will have blessings in their life, home, and sustenance.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَہَذَا کِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاہُ مُبَارَکٌ فَاتَّبِعُوہُ وَاتَّقُوا لَعَلَّکُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ﴾
Translation:
“And this (Quran) is the Book which We have revealed, blessed, so follow it and fear Allah that you may receive mercy.”
He further says:
﴿کِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاہُ إِلَیْکَ مُبَارَکٌ لِّیَدَّبَّرُوْا آیَاتِہٖ وَلِیَتَذَکَّرَ أُولُوْا الْأَلْبَابِ﴾
Translation
“This is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, so that people may ponder its verses and the wise may take admonition from it.”
Today, our situation is such that a large part of our precious time is wasted on:
❀ TV,
❀ Mobile phones,
❀ Social media,
❀ And idle gatherings with friends.
If the same time is spent on reciting, translating, and interpreting the Quran, then:
❀ The heart will find peace,
❀ Mercy will descend upon the home,
❀ The door to blessings and expansion in sustenance will open.
➍ Gratitude to Allah Almighty
One of the important causes of blessings in sustenance is that whatever sustenance Allah Almighty grants, whether little or much, it should be thanked from the heart and not be met with ingratitude.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿ وَإِذْ تَأَذَّنَ رَبُّکُمْ لَئِنْ شَکَرْتُمْ لَأَزِیْدَنَّکُمْ وَلَئِنْ کَفَرْتُمْ إِنَّ عَذَابِیْ لَشَدِیْدٌ ﴾
Translation
“And when your Lord proclaimed: If you give thanks, I will surely increase you (in favor); but if you are ungrateful, indeed, My punishment is severe.”
Therefore:
He who has little should also be thankful that Allah has not deprived him,
and he who has more should bow down more, become humble, and use Allah’s blessings in His way.
The servant who becomes grateful, Allah grants him:
❀ peace in the heart,
❀ blessings in wealth,
❀ and increase in sustenance.
➎ Reliance on Allah Almighty
One of the important causes of blessings in sustenance is complete trust in Allah Almighty, i.e., reliance (tawakkul).
Reliance does not mean that a person stops working, rather:
❀ a person should adopt lawful and legitimate means for sustenance,
❀ but the heart should not rely on those means,
❀ the real trust should be only and only in Allah Almighty.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
( لَوْ أنَّکُمْ تَوَکَّلُوْنَ عَلَی اللّٰہِ حَقَّ تَوَکُّلِہٖ لَرَزَقَکُمْ کَمَا یَرْزُقُ الطَّیْرَ ، تَغْدُوْ خِمَاصًا وَتَرُوْحُ بِطَانًا )
Translation:
“If you were to rely upon Allah with the reliance He is due, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds. They go out in the morning hungry and return full in the evening.”
This hadith teaches us two great truths:
➊ Birds work hard – they go out in the morning, they search.
➋ Their trust is in Allah – the result is entrusted to Allah.
The person who works with the conviction that sustenance is in Allah’s hands, his earnings are surely blessed.
➏ Dua – The Door to Blessing in Sustenance
Praying for the expansion and blessing of sustenance is a very effective means. The Prophet ﷺ himself used to ask for blessings in sustenance.
One such dua is:
( اَللّٰہُمَّ بَارِکْ لَنَا فِیْ مَدِیْنَتِنَا ، وَفِیْ ثِمَارِنَا ، وَفِیْ مُدِّنَا وَفِیْ صَاعِنَا )
Translation
“O Allah! Bless our city for us, bless our fruits for us, and bless our measures (Mudd and Sa’) for us.”
After eating at a companion’s house, the Prophet ﷺ prayed:
( اَللّٰہُمَّ بَارِکْ لَہُمْ فِیْمَا رَزَقْتَہُمْ وَاغْفِرْ لَہُمْ وَارْحَمْہُمْ )
Translation
“O Allah! Bless what You have provided them with, forgive them, and have mercy on them.”
Whoever sincerely asks Allah for blessing, Allah surely accepts his prayer.
➐ Spending in the Way of Allah (Sadaqah and Charity)
One of the great causes of blessing in sustenance is spending in the way of Allah.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَمَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّنْ شَیْْئٍ فَہُوَ یُخْلِفُہُ وَہُوَ خَیْْرُ الرَّازِقِیْنَ ﴾
Translation:
“Whatever you spend, Allah replaces it, and He is the best of providers.”
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said that every morning two angels descend:
( اَللّٰہُمَّ أَعْطِ مُنْفِقًا خَلَفًا )
“O Allah! Grant more to the spender.”
( اَللّٰہُمَّ أَعْطِ مُمْسِکًا تَلَفًا )
“O Allah! Destroy the wealth of the one who withholds.”
This evidence makes clear that:
❀ Charity does not decrease wealth, it increases it.
❀ Blessing is granted to wealth.
❀ Withholding spending causes the blessing in wealth to end.
By spending in the way of Allah:
✿ Difficulties are removed
✿ Illnesses are averted
✿ Expansion occurs in sustenance
➑ Striving for lawful sustenance in the morning
The morning time is a blessed time from Allah.
The blessing of working at this time was sought by the Prophet ﷺ himself.
Sakhr al-Ghamidi, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said:
( اَللّٰہُمَّ بَارِکْ لِأُمَّتِیْ فِیْ بُکُوْرِہَا )
Translation
“O Allah! Bless the morning of my Ummah.”
For this reason, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ:
❀ dispatched the army early in the day,
❀ the Companions started their business in the morning,
❀ Sakhr Al-Ghamdi رضي الله عنه was himself a merchant and sent off his goods early in the morning, resulting in Allah making him very wealthy.
Whoever:
❀ performs the Fajr prayer in congregation,
❀ then begins the day with effort instead of laziness,
Allah grants blessings in both apparent and hidden forms in his earnings.
➒ Truthfulness in Buying and Selling
Speaking the truth and clearly stating the reality of the item in all buying and selling transactions is a great cause of blessing in sustenance.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
( فَإِنْ صَدَقَا وَبَیَّنَا بُوْرِکَ لَہُمَا فِیْ بَیْعِہِمَا ، وَإِنْ کَذَبَا وَکَتَمَا مُحِقَتْ بَرَکَۃُ بَیْعِہِمَا )
Translation
“If the seller and the buyer speak the truth and disclose everything openly, their transaction is blessed. And if they lie and hide things, the blessing of their transaction is removed.”
Honesty in Partnership
If two people start a business together and both:
❀ wish well for each other,
❀ are honest,
❀ and free from betrayal,
then Allah Almighty becomes the third partner between them.
Hadith:
( أَنَا ثَالِثُ الشَّرِیْکَیْنِ مَا لَمْ یَخُنْ أَحَدُہُمَا صَاحِبَہُ ، فَإِذَا خَانَہُ خَرَجْتُ مِنْ بَیْنِہِمْ )
Translation
“Allah Almighty says: I am the third partner of two partners as long as none of them betrays the other, and when one betrays, I leave between them.”
Wherever Allah’s blessing departs, there is no benefit, only loss.
➓ Avoiding Greed
Greed is the greatest trial that takes away the blessing of sustenance from a person.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Hakim bin Hizam رضي الله عنه:
( مَنْ أَخَذَہُ بِسَخَاوَۃِ نَفْسِہٖ بُوْرِکَ لَہُ فِیْہِ ، وَمَنْ أَخَذَہُ بِإِشْرَافِ نَفْسٍ لَمْ یُبَارَکْ لَہُ فِیْہِ )
Translation
“Whoever accepts wealth without greed, it is blessed for him, and whoever takes wealth out of greed is like a person who eats but does not fill his stomach.”
Clarifying the destructive effects of greed on religion, the Prophet ﷺ said:
( مَا ذِئْبَانِ جَائِعَانِ … مِنْ حِرْصِ الْمَرْئِ عَلَی الْمَالِ وَالشَّرَفِ لِدِیْنِہِ )
Translation
“Two hungry wolves cannot cause as much harm to a flock of sheep as greed for wealth, status, and position causes to a person’s religion.”
Therefore:
❀ Accept whatever Allah gives with a willing heart,
❀ Do not be greedy for more,
❀ And live according to your means
are the fundamental principles for the blessing of sustenance.
