Provision of Resources

Question: Human beings place their trust in Allah the Almighty, and with this conviction, they engage in striving and gathering resources. Can You please explain this concept.

Answer: Among the fundamental necessities of life, elements such as air, water, sunlight, and the moonlight hold paramount significance. If an individual claims self-sufficiency in fulfilling these needs, what inherent power or knowledge do they possess to command sunlight or secure water? If the subterranean springs were to dry up, what scientific or intellectual capability could enable humanity to restore subterranean rivers? Similarly, if the circulation of air, a system established by Allah the Almighty, were to cease, all life on earth would succumb to annihilation within moments. It is both irrational and contradictory to accept the absence of human control over these primary essentials while asserting dominion over secondary needs such as sustenance, clothing, and shelter. The argument here is not to advocate for a stance of passive resignation under the guise of helplessness but rather to emphasize the theological truth that every action, movement, and outcome originates solely from Allah the Almighty. Effort and striving are indispensable to preserve human vitality and to prevent stagnation, ensuring that one’s physical and intellectual faculties remain active. The correlation between human effort and the resources attained is undeniable, yet this relationship must not be misinterpreted as granting dominion over divine laws. The divine decree has indeed subjected the heavens, the earth, and all their contents to human use. However, the ethical framework requires these resources to be utilized responsibly within the boundaries of material existence, while fundamentally acknowledging that their creation and availability are acts of divine providence, intended as a trust for the well-being of humanity.

Ghous Ali Shah recounts an incident that illustrates Allah the Almighty’s system of sustenance. A city faced severe economic stagnation, leaving its markets desolate. As opportunities dwindled, residents began to migrate, deepening the suffering of the impoverished laborers who remained. With no apparent solution in sight, despair gripped the city. In this bleak situation, two merchants arrived and began purchasing goods extensively, from the tiny needles items to the giant elephants. Their actions revitalized the market, activating traders, laborers, and transport systems alike. The merchants announced they would continue buying for a week, presenting such a comprehensive list of needs that local trader had to procure supplies from other cities. Within days, the city transformed into a thriving marketplace, restoring prosperity and bringing joy to its people. This event reflects the unseen workings of divine sustenance, demonstrating how Allah the Almighty can provide relief and abundance even in the direst circumstances. It underscores the principle that all provision flows from His wisdom, often through means beyond human expectation.

As the news of the market’s revival spread, those who had migrated began to return, and those who had intended to leave reconsidered their plans. Laborers prospered, and the period of anxiety, poverty, and hunger came to an end. Following a week of intense trading, a new challenge arose: loading the purchased goods onto a ship. This task mobilized additional workers, creating further economic activity. The city, once on the brink of ruin, was now thriving again. Accompanying the two merchants was an elderly laborer who had joined them for work. After all the goods had been loaded, the merchants informed him that their time together was over. The elderly man, unwilling to part ways, pleaded to continue serving them, stating that he was alone and wished to spend the rest of his life in their service. The merchants accepted, and they all boarded the ship. When the ship reached the middle of the sea, the merchants sank it and revealed their true identities to the elderly man. They said, “We are angels sent by Allah the Almighty. This city was on the verge of desolation due to a lack of commerce, and Allah the Almighty appointed us to revive it and ensure sustenance for its people.” With this revelation, the angels disappeared, leaving the elderly man safely on the shore. When this incident was narrated to Huzoor Qalandar Baba Auliya(R.A), the narrator asked whether such tasks are carried out by the deputies of Allah the Almighty entrusted with managing divine affairs. Huzoor Baba Sahib(R.A) responded, “Such matters are indeed assigned to those whom Allah the Almighty has referred to in the Quran as khalifah (vicegerents) on earth. The vicegerent of Allah fulfills these responsibilities by utilizing the divine authority granted to him.

The question regarding the specific divine powers that the vicegerent (khalifah) of Allah the Almighty utilizes to fulfill their duties is a distinct topic. Insha Allah, it will be addressed in detail at an appropriate time. This discussion focuses on defining Istighna (Detachment) and Yaqeen (Certainty). A key element within these concepts is the realization that human life is shaped by events that occur beyond explanation—events where neither human effort nor intentional struggle plays any role. The example shared by Ghous Ali Shah serves to demonstrate that the arrangement of sustenance is exclusively the domain of Allah the Almighty. He may choose any means to provide sustenance, and His methods are beyond human control or comprehension. An apt illustration of this principle is the nourishment of a child in the womb. The child receives sustenance continuously, in a balanced and regulated manner, ensuring its growth without interruption. What is particularly remarkable is that the medium through which this nourishment reaches the child—the mother—has no conscious control over this process. The mother consumes food, which, through an involuntary and automatic process, transforms into blood. This blood does not merely circulate through the mother’s body, but it becomes the child’s nourishment. Simultaneously, the mother’s own bodily needs are met, with blood being provided to her veins and arteries in the precise quantity required for her health. This situation raises an important theological question: By whose will and authority is the nourishment of the fetus within the womb facilitated? Clearly, the mother has no agency in this process. It is a direct manifestation of Allah the Almighty’s will, operating independently of human effort. This example highlights the profound reality that all sustenance—whether at the microcosmic level of fetal development or at the macrocosmic level of the universe—is controlled by the divine system, with no human intervention. This reality deepens our understanding of Istighna (Detachment) and Yaqeen, reinforcing the principle of total dependence on Allah the Almighty, whose will governs all aspects of existence.

Following birth, the mechanism by which nourishment is provided to the child undergoes a remarkable transformation. The very blood that sustained the child within the womb is now converted into milk—a refined and perfectly balanced form of sustenance—in the mother’s breast. This transition prompts profound questions: By what process does blood transform into milk? Who governs this transformation, and what role, if any, does human agency play? It is particularly notable that when nurturing is not intended, milk does not manifest in the mother’s breast. As the child grows, their nutritional needs evolve, requiring more substantial sustenance. In response, nature equips the child with teeth, enabling them to chew and digest more complex foods. This raises another critical question: What scientific knowledge, human ingenuity, or deliberate action can replicate or orchestrate such a process? As the child’s development progresses, their internal systems—intestines, stomach, and other organs—adapt seamlessly to meet these demands, functioning in perfect harmony. No branch of human knowledge or rationality possesses the capacity to recreate this intricately designed system. Who among humanity can fabricate intestines, construct a stomach, or bring into existence a functioning heart or lungs? Moreover, recognizing that such foods often carry density and impurities, there exists an integrated system to ensure their expulsion. Upon reflection, it becomes evident that the machinery of human life operates entirely beyond the domain of human knowledge or control. This recognition underscores the essential truth that the sustenance and maintenance of life lie exclusively within the providence of Allah the Almighty, independent of human effort or intervention. The question naturally arises: if human beings possess no control over the fundamental processes of life, what, then, constitutes agency in the context of reward and punishment? The issue of volition and accountability in matters of recompense represents a deeply intricate and significant discourse within spirituality. Addressing this topic in detail at this juncture would detract from a thorough explanation of Istighna (Detachment). Our current focus is on establishing that certainty in Allah the Almighty’s essence attains perfection when an individual awakens the latent faculty known in Tasawwuf (Sufism) as Shuhud—the state of direct witnessing. This faculty forms the cornerstone of absolute trust in Allah the Almighty and embodies the essence of spiritual detachment, wherein reliance on worldly means is replaced by unwavering faith in divine providence.