Source: Excerpt taken from the book Ahkām wa Masā’il in the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah by Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani
It is commonly heard in society that children are decreed in the destiny of the man, while provision (rizq) is decreed in the destiny of the woman. What is the Sharʿī status of this belief?
Allah, the Most Blessed and Exalted, is the Creator of the entire universe and its Absolute Owner and Controller. Every living being that He has created, He has also taken responsibility for its provision. Even if there is an insect beneath layers of stone, Allah delivers its destined sustenance to it. He has created needs and necessities for every creature and grants provision according to those needs.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا ۚ كُلٌّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ﴾
Translation:
“There is no creature on the earth except that its provision is upon Allah. He knows its dwelling place and its resting place. Everything is recorded in a clear Book.”
In this noble verse, Allah Almighty has clarified that every moving creature on the earth—whether human or jinn, land or sea creature, small or large, male or female, black or white—is granted sustenance according to its natural and biological needs.
Allah Almighty says at another place:
﴿وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُم مِّنْ إِمْلَاقٍ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ﴾
Translation:
“And do not kill your children because of poverty; We provide for you and for them.”
Allah Almighty further says:
﴿وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَاقٍ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ﴾
Translation:
“And do not kill your children out of fear of poverty; We provide for them and for you.”
Allah Almighty also says:
﴿وَكَأَيِّن مِّن دَابَّةٍ لَّا تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۚ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ﴾
Translation:
“And how many creatures are there that do not carry their provision with them. Allah provides for them and for you, and He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”
In summary, the Noble Qur’an contains numerous verses conveying this meaning: that Allah Almighty has arranged the sustenance and nourishment of every creature, and He grants each one its destined provision. In fact, every human being—whether male or female—has their sustenance written at the time of their creation.
ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إن أحدكم يجمع خلقه فى بطن أمه أربعين يوما ثم يكون علقة مثل ذلك ثم يكون مضغة مثل ذلك ثم يبعث الله ملكا فيؤمر بأربع كلمات ويقال له اكتب عمله ورزقه وأجله وشقي أو سعيد ثم ينفخ فيه الروح
Translation:
“Indeed, the creation of each one of you is gathered in the womb of his mother for forty days as a drop, then he becomes a clot for a similar period, then a piece of flesh for a similar period. Then Allah sends an angel who is commanded with four matters and is told to write his deeds, his provision, his lifespan, and whether he will be wretched or blessed. Then the soul is breathed into him.”
This ḥadīth clearly proves that a person’s sustenance is written at the time of creation, and everyone will surely receive their destined provision.
What appears to be the case is that when marriage takes place between a man and a woman, some women are skillful, economical, and well-organized, manage household affairs effectively, or bring wealth from their parental homes. Due to such reasons, this statement has become common in society. It may also be said in light of the following ḥadīth narrated by Umm al-Muʾminīn ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها, who reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
تزوجوا النساء يأتينكم بالأموال
Translation:
“Marry women; they will bring wealth to you.”
Imām al-Ḥākim رحمه الله stated that this ḥadīth is authentic according to the conditions of al-Bukhārī and Muslim, and Imām al-Dhahabī رحمه الله agreed with him.
As for the matter of children, Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَزْوَاجِكُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةً وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ﴾
Translation:
“And Allah has made for you spouses from among yourselves, and from your spouses He has granted you children and grandchildren, and He has provided you with good and pure things.”
This noble verse indicates that just as Allah created women for men, similarly the children granted through women are also for men. Elsewhere, when women are likened to farmland, this analogy also implies that offspring belong to the man, just as produce comes forth from the seed sown in the land. When Allah has made wives for men, then the children born from them are likewise for men.
Question:
It is commonly heard in society that children are decreed in the destiny of the man, while provision (rizq) is decreed in the destiny of the woman. What is the Sharʿī status of this belief?
Answer:
Allah, the Most Blessed and Exalted, is the Creator of the entire universe and its Absolute Owner and Controller. Every living being that He has created, He has also taken responsibility for its provision. Even if there is an insect beneath layers of stone, Allah delivers its destined sustenance to it. He has created needs and necessities for every creature and grants provision according to those needs.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا ۚ كُلٌّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ﴾
Reference: Hūd: 6
Translation:
“There is no creature on the earth except that its provision is upon Allah. He knows its dwelling place and its resting place. Everything is recorded in a clear Book.”
In this noble verse, Allah Almighty has clarified that every moving creature on the earth—whether human or jinn, land or sea creature, small or large, male or female, black or white—is granted sustenance according to its natural and biological needs.
Allah Almighty says at another place:
﴿وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُم مِّنْ إِمْلَاقٍ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ﴾
Reference: Al-Anʿām: 151
Translation:
“And do not kill your children because of poverty; We provide for you and for them.”
Allah Almighty further says:
﴿وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ خَشْيَةَ إِمْلَاقٍ ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ﴾
Reference: Al-Isrāʾ: 31
Translation:
“And do not kill your children out of fear of poverty; We provide for them and for you.”
Allah Almighty also says:
﴿وَكَأَيِّن مِّن دَابَّةٍ لَّا تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ ۚ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ﴾
Reference: Al-ʿAnkabūt: 60
Translation:
“And how many creatures are there that do not carry their provision with them. Allah provides for them and for you, and He is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.”
In summary, the Noble Qur’an contains numerous verses conveying this meaning: that Allah Almighty has arranged the sustenance and nourishment of every creature, and He grants each one its destined provision. In fact, every human being—whether male or female—has their sustenance written at the time of their creation.
ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إن أحدكم يجمع خلقه فى بطن أمه أربعين يوما ثم يكون علقة مثل ذلك ثم يكون مضغة مثل ذلك ثم يبعث الله ملكا فيؤمر بأربع كلمات ويقال له اكتب عمله ورزقه وأجله وشقي أو سعيد ثم ينفخ فيه الروح
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 3208
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 2643
Translation:
“Indeed, the creation of each one of you is gathered in the womb of his mother for forty days as a drop, then he becomes a clot for a similar period, then a piece of flesh for a similar period. Then Allah sends an angel who is commanded with four matters and is told to write his deeds, his provision, his lifespan, and whether he will be wretched or blessed. Then the soul is breathed into him.”
This ḥadīth clearly proves that a person’s sustenance is written at the time of creation, and everyone will surely receive their destined provision.
What appears to be the case is that when marriage takes place between a man and a woman, some women are skillful, economical, and well-organized, manage household affairs effectively, or bring wealth from their parental homes. Due to such reasons, this statement has become common in society. It may also be said in light of the following ḥadīth narrated by Umm al-Muʾminīn ʿĀʾishah رضي الله عنها, who reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
تزوجوا النساء يأتينكم بالأموال
Reference: Kashf al-Astār 2/149, Ḥadīth: 1402
Reference: Al-Mustadrak lil-Ḥākim 2/161, Ḥadīth: 2679
Translation:
“Marry women; they will bring wealth to you.”
Imām al-Ḥākim رحمه الله stated that this ḥadīth is authentic according to the conditions of al-Bukhārī and Muslim, and Imām al-Dhahabī رحمه الله agreed with him.
Reference: Tārīkh Baghdād 9/147
Reference: Firdaws al-Daylamī: 2290
Reference: Tārīkh Dimashq 5/39
Reference: Muṣannaf Ibn Abī Shaybah 4/127
Reference: Al-Talkhīṣ al-Ḥabīr 3/117
As for the matter of children, Allah Almighty says:
﴿وَاللَّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَزْوَاجِكُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةً وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ﴾
Reference: Al-Naḥl: 72
Translation:
“And Allah has made for you spouses from among yourselves, and from your spouses He has granted you children and grandchildren, and He has provided you with good and pure things.”
This noble verse indicates that just as Allah created women for men, similarly the children granted through women are also for men. Elsewhere, when women are likened to farmland, this analogy also implies that offspring belong to the man, just as produce comes forth from the seed sown in the land. When Allah has made wives for men, then the children born from them are likewise for men.
