Six Deep Quotes about Rizq Management
Six Deep Quotes about Rizq Management
A Muslim’s worldview on Sustenance (Rizq) and Financial Planning
My third child, Jennah, was born shortly after I finished my PhD program and started my first corporate job. It was cool to receive all these congratulation messages, jokes, and some parenting advice from colleagues and friends. However, one question from a Colleague, Robert, stood out to me, as it represents a major difference in the way people view and plan for their kids’ future: “So, you are saying that the age difference between Jennah and Maryam, her older sister, is less than two years?” I said: “Yes, what’s the big deal?” He replied: “Well, for me I try to plan on having kids every four years, so I don’t have to worry about college tuition for two kids at a time.” I answered: “I never thought about that! Appreciate the advice. In my case, I believe that God gifted me these beautiful children, and I have no doubt He will provide for them through me at the right time.”
Clearly, I respect where my colleague is coming from. However, I cannot but reflect on how planning for our sustenance (or maybe overplanning) cannot be separated from our worldview, our core beliefs and convictions. That’s why I believe it is essential for those of us who believe in an Omnipotent, all-caring, all-loving and overseeing God, to factor Tawakkul (Arabic word for Trusting the Almighty) into their projections and calculations.
If you believe that Tawakkul should be part of a believer’s financial planning, here are some basic-yet-deep principles on how a man of faith is expected to navigate financial challenges:
Your rizq (sustenance) is already predetermined…
… So, “Tie your camel” while placing your full trust in God
… And Hustle consistently like birds
… Maintain Consciousness of God throughout the Process
… Shake the tree like Mary, and focus on the process not the product.
… And at the end of the day, sleep like a baby!
Without such conviction or faith, it will be very hard to keep going in this journey of life amidst all the challenges. Our brains are wired to operate in a better and more productive state once we submit to the unseen powers in this universe and realize that the actual results of our work are not within our control. A recent HBR article suggests that entrepreneurs feel closer to God than others who are in relatively safer and more secure jobs!
1. Your Rizq (Sustenance) is Already Predetermined…
In an authentic hadith, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) mentioned:
“Verily, the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days as a drop, then he is a clot for a similar period, then a morsel for a similar period, then there is sent to him the angel who blows the spirit into him and he is commanded regarding four matters: to write down his provision, his life span, his deeds, and whether he is blessed or damned”. [Hadith, Narrated by Bukhari].
From a theological standpoint, the sustenance of my daughter was predetermined before she was born. God allocated the resources for her. It’s only a matter of her provider or later on herself to work hard and collect what was already pre-determined. Think of it as God putting food for you at the table, and you just need to extend your hands and feed yourself:
“Oh, people! Be mindful of God, and be moderate in going after your worldly provisions, for no soul will die before completely getting whatever was allocated for it. And whenever you feel that your provision is delayed, be mindful about God again, seek your sustenance in a gentle way, stay within the boundaries of permissible means and avoid impermissible ones”. [Hadith, narrated by Ibn Majah]
2. … Tie Your Camel, while Placing your Trust in God…
A man said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with a question: “Shall I release my camel and trust in God?” The Prophet said
“Tie her AND trust God.” [Hadith, narrated by Tirmidhī]
Trusting God and working hard are not mutually exclusive paths. It’s never an either/or situation, and both are considered acts of worship. We trust God while fulfilling His commands in seeking His provisions:
He is the One who has made the earth submissive for you, so walk on its shoulders, and eat out of His provision, and to Him will be the Resurrection. [Quran, 67:15]
Omar bin Khattab once said:
“Do not sit down and abandon seeking your sustenance while asking God to provide for you, for you know that the sky does not rain gold and silver.”
The Arabic word for tying one’s camel (إعقلها) share the same meanings as “Akl”, referring to the human intellect. The idea here is to tighten all of your plans, leave no room for surprises, and cover your bases. After you finish that step, leave it up to God and trust that what’s within His hands is better than what’s within yours.
3. … Hustle Consistently Like Birds…
Umar ibn al-Khattab reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
“If you were to truly rely upon God, He would provide for you just as He provides for the birds. They go out in the morning with empty stomachs and return full.” [Tirmidhī]
Lot’s of beautiful reflections are loaded into this beautiful imagery. Feel free to come up with your own list of what can we learn from the birds. Mine is simple:
Work hard.
Stay consistent.
Be positive and hopeful.
4. … Maintain Consciousness of God throughout the Process…
“And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for them, and provide for them from sources they could never imagine. And whoever puts their trust in Allah, then He ˹alone˺ is sufficient for them.” [Quran, 65:2-3]
In the spiritual realm, staying within the boundaries of God’s commands is the best investment to protect one’s sustenance. Taqwa (Arabic word for God consciousness) is one of the spiritual laws of the unseen world, and when an individual or a society live by it, they will witness tangible and nontangible growth in the quality and the quantity of their blessings:
“And if the people of these societies believed in God and were mindful of Him, We would have opened for them blessings from the heavens and the earth, but they disbelieved. So, We seized them for what they used to earn for themselves.” [Quran, 7:96]
5. … Shake the Tree Like Mary. Focus on the Process. Detach from the Outcome
When Mary the mother of Jesus (peace be upon them) was in the last stages of her pregnancy, she was alone, filled with fear and concern for what’s going to happen when she face her community with the baby. The divine command came to calm her down and inspire her to trust God. By the same token, she received specific instructions to do her part:
And shake the trunk of this palm tree towards you, it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you. [Quran, 19:25]
There is no doubt that this story involves a miracle: a weak woman going through labor is receiving fresh dates as a free delivery right next to her lap. However, Mary still needed to do her part, no matter how insignificant that may be. She needed to focus on the process, exert the effort within her control, and detach from results.
6. …At the End of the Day, Sleep Like a Baby
Tawakkul is a mindset that is meant to make us more productive. It is the secret sauce for a Productive Muslim that pushes away feelings of laziness, helplessness, and anxiety, and clears our mind to focus on what’s within our control. Tawakkul comes handy when we stop worrying whether our sustenance is coming or not, and focus on what we can do, and how we’re doing it, in order to best receive what’s already meant for us:
Jaber narrated that Prophet Muhammad PBUH said: if the son of Adam ran away from his sustenance as he runs away from death, what’s meant for him will track him the same away death will track him.
It is narrated the Imam Shafie once said:
I am confident that my rizq (sustenance) will never be taken by anyone, and this put my heart at east.
The Need to be Reminded
When it comes to matters of faith, one of the best ways you could help a friend going through challenges is through a gentle, genuine reminder. By definition, a reminder refers to the information that is already known but forgotten. I personally needed to go over these facts while writing this post. It is safe to say that I wrote it for myself. Rizq is something that we needed to remember ALOT! If you found this article beneficial, go ahead and hit the share button, and help us in reviving these simple-yet-powerful concepts.
Agreed, we can't separate financial planning from an Islamic worldview. Excellent and succinct reflections, Jazak Allahu khayra!
Jazakallahu bikhair for share us beautiful quotes