Surah Al-Hijr (15) — Ayah 20

(Ayah20) { وَ جَعَلْنَا لَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَعَايِشَ …: ’’ مَعَايِشَ ‘‘ ’’مَعِيْشَةٌ‘‘} is the plural of {’’عَاشَ يَعِيْشُ عَيْشًا وَ مَعَاشًا وَمَعِيْشَةً‘‘}, which means to live, just as {’’مَاتَ يَمُوْتُ مَوْتًا‘‘} means to die. Then this word began to be used for the necessities of life, that is, for you to live your life, all things needed for eating, drinking, dwelling, treatment, comfort, transportation—in short, every necessary thing—were created for you and also for those whom you do not provide sustenance for. By this, two types of things are meant: first, those which have no connection with you at all—there are countless creatures in the depths of the seas, on the heights of the mountains, in the vastness of the deserts, in the layers of the earth, on the surface of inhabited and uninhabited land, and in the skies, whom you certainly do not provide sustenance for. {’’ لَسْتُمْ ‘‘} is an emphatic negation due to being with the باء of {’’ بِرٰزِقِيْنَ ‘‘}, so it is translated as "certainly not." Second, all those things that are at your service, such as cattle, rides, wives and children, and servants, etc., about whom you think that you are feeding them—know well that you are certainly not providing them sustenance; their livelihood on earth has also been arranged by Us, and We are the ones providing them with sustenance. He said: «{اِنَّ اللّٰهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِيْنُ }» [ الذاریات : ۵۸ ] "Indeed, Allah is the great provider, the possessor of strength, the firm." And He said: «{ وَ مَا مِنْ دَآبَّةٍ فِي الْاَرْضِ اِلَّا عَلَى اللّٰهِ رِزْقُهَا }» [ ہود : ۶ ] "And there is no creature on earth but its provision is upon Allah."