Hadiths on the Importance of Provision for Humanity
Allah, the Exalted, has decreed the provision for every individual, specifying it even while the person is still a fetus in their mother’s womb. Several hadiths highlight the certainty of receiving one’s provision, some of which are outlined below:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Do not be hasty regarding your provision, for no servant will die until they receive their final portion of sustenance. So, fear Allah, and search for it in a commendable manner, embracing what is lawful and avoiding the forbidden.”
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: “Allah has assigned an angel to the womb who asks: ‘My Lord, is it a drop of fluid? Is it a clot? Is it a morsel of flesh?’ When Allah wishes to complete its creation, the angel will inquire: ‘My Lord, is it a male or a female? Will it be wretched or happy? What is its provision? What is its lifespan?’ This is inscribed in the womb of the mother.”
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) remarked: “Provision seeks the servant more than their lifespan seeks them.”
- Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) once saw a rotten date and took it, offering it to a beggar, saying: “Indeed, had you not come to it, it would have come to you.”
Hadiths on Increasing Provision
Although Allah, the Exalted, has predetermined sustenance for each individual, He has also established means to increase that provision. Below are some hadiths that indicate these means:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever wishes to have their provision extended or their lifespan lengthened, let them maintain family ties.”
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) also said: “Whoever desires to have their lifespan and sustenance increased should be dutiful to their parents and maintain family relations.”
Hadiths on Factors That Prevent Provision
There are various weak or fabricated hadiths that suggest certain actions can hinder one’s sustenance. Here are a couple of such narrations:
- It has been narrated from Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: “Adultery leads to poverty.”
- It has also been narrated from Thawban, the freedman of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who stated: “A man may be deprived of provision due to the sins he commits.”
Hadiths Encouraging the Pursuit of Provision
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) encouraged Muslims to actively seek their provisions, a theme found in several noble hadiths. Below are some notable mentions:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “It is better for any one of you to carry a bundle of firewood on their back than to ask someone for something, whether they give it to you or refuse.”
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: “No one has ever consumed a meal better than that which they have earned with their own hands, and indeed the Prophet Dawood (peace be upon him) used to eat from the work of his own hands.”
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) remarked: “If someone goes out seeking provision for their small children, they are in the way of Allah; if they are seeking for elderly parents, they are in the way of Allah; if they are seeking to support themselves to maintain dignity, they are in the way of Allah; but if they are seeking out of vanity or pride, they are in the way of the devil.”