Reasons for Interruption of Sustenance
In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty swears that sustenance is preordained and distributed. Allah has created all living beings and pledged to provide for them. As stated in the Quran: (And in the heavens is your provision and that which you are promised. So by the Lord of the heavens and the earth, it is surely true just as that you speak.) He has also established various forms and means of sustenance among people; some receive their earnings with ease and minimal effort, while others may do so through hard work.
While Allah emphasizes that sustenance is divided among individuals, many verses of the Quran and Prophetic traditions stress the necessity of working for it and taking the necessary actions. For instance, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: (It is better for one of you to take his rope and go to the mountains, gather wood, sell it, and sustain himself rather than asking people for help.)
Sustenance is indeed apportioned, and its pursuit is a duty for every Muslim, coupled with complete reliance on Allah. Allah says: (Say, Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills and restricts it.) The factors contributing to the interruption of sustenance include:
Sins and Disobedience
Sins and disobedience are substantial factors that deprive an individual of the good of both this world and the Hereafter. The Quran states: (And whatever strikes you of calamity is for what your own hands have earned.) This verse clearly indicates the impact of sin on the interruption of sustenance.
Although sins may cause sustenance to cease, repentance and seeking forgiveness bring about Allah’s pleasure and closeness. An example of this can be found in the words of Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) to his people: (O my people, seek forgiveness from your Lord, then repent to Him. He will send down upon you abundant rain and increase you in strength.) The interpreter Al-Qurtubi mentioned that seeking forgiveness brings down sustenance and rain, emphasizing the critical importance of repentance.
Severance of Family Ties
Severing family ties is another reason for the interruption of sustenance. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) indicated this in a narration by Anas ibn Malik where he said: (Whoever wishes for his sustenance to be increased or his lifespan to be extended, should maintain his family ties.) This statement illustrates that sustaining family ties leads to an increase in sustenance, whereas severing those ties leads to its interruption.
Maintaining family ties can take various forms, both material and moral, and all contribute to the attainment of sustenance. Additionally, it can result in blessings in life, contentment, and inner peace. It is a manifestation of Allah’s mercy that He has made maintaining family connections one of the greatest acts of worship, promising earthly rewards such as increase and growth. Therefore, anyone seeking abundant and blessed sustenance should prioritize strengthening family bonds.
Lack of Reliance on Allah
The scholar Ibn Rajab highlights in his commentary on the hadith: (If you were to truly rely on Allah, He would provide for you as He does for the birds, which go out hungry in the morning and return full in the evening.) He points out that reliance solely on tangible means of sustenance, alongside strenuous efforts to acquire it while neglecting to trust in the Creator of sustenance, can lead to its discontinuation. If an individual seeks sustenance from Allah and places genuine reliance on Him while diligently striving, he will be granted sustenance like a bird, which ventures out hungry and returns satisfied.
Ibn Rajab’s words serve as a strong reminder of the consequences of lacking reliance on Allah. The solution is straightforward: placing trust in Allah, as highlighted in the hadith, which shows that true reliance on Allah is among the most significant spiritual reasons that brings forth sustenance. This is a thing worthy of reflection, for all good and sustenance derives from establishing this reliance on Allah.
Failure to Fulfill Financial Obligations
The holy verses of the Quran reference the consequences of neglecting financial rights. Allah states: (As for he who gives and fears Allah, and believes in the best reward, We will ease him toward ease. But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need, and denies the best reward, We will ease him toward difficulty.) The ease referred to here may manifest both in the Hereafter and in this life, illustrated by the interruption of sustenance.
As such, the blessings in wealth stem from fulfilling the rights associated with it, whether obligatory rights such as zakat or recommended acts like charity. Wealth increases through generosity and giving to good causes. As narrated by Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah said: (Spend, O son of Adam, and you will be spent upon.) Additionally, Allah says: (Say, Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills among His servants and restricts it. And whatever you spend of anything, He will replace it, and He is the best of providers.)
- Engaging in Unlawful Earnings
Allah explicitly prohibits all forms of unjust earnings and consuming the wealth of others through wrongful means such as theft and deceit. Allah commands: (O you who have believed, do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful].) Examples of unlawful earnings include:
- Consuming Orphans’ Wealth
Regarding the prohibition of consuming orphans’ wealth, Allah states: (Indeed, those who consume the wealth of orphans unjustly are only consuming fire into their bellies, and they will be burned in a Blaze.)
- Usury
On the prohibition of usury, Allah says: (And Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden usury.)
These verses clearly warn against unlawful income and highlight the dangers surrounding it. Additionally, the Messenger of Allah mentioned a man who was traveling, looking disheveled and dusty, extending his hands towards heaven, saying: (O Lord, O Lord! And his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he has been nourished by the unlawful. How can his supplication be accepted?) This statement serves as a warning about the implications of engaging in unlawful earnings, which can lead to the interruption of sustenance.