dhuZ & qziR

Course Name: Purification of the Soul

Course Code: AQD 501

Instructor: Shaykh Sajid Umar

Name: Hassan Basarally

Student ID: 1120020

Semester: 5-Spring 2014

Rizq

This is the gaining or earning of sustenance or provision as a result of actions that are permissible in the Shariah.

Some Ayaat on Rizq

And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision, and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register. (Hood 11:6)

To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. He extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. Indeed He is, of all things, Knowing. (Shoora 42:12)

How to attain Rizq

Taqwa

When one is conscious of Allah, one approaches Rizq in a Halal manner.

We ask you not for provision; We provide for you, and the [best] outcome is for [those of] righteousness. (Ta Ha 20:132)

Dua

Supplicating to Allah will increase Rizq.

So seek from Allah provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. (Ankaboot 29:17)

Iman

Allah rewards those having Iman with Rizq.

Those are the believers, truly. For them are degrees [of high position] with their Lord and forgiveness and noble provision. (Anfal 4:8)

Charity

By spending and giving in the way of good, Allah increases Rizq.

Say, "Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts [it] for him. But whatever thing you spend [in His cause] - He will compensate it; and He is the best of providers." (Saba 34:39)

Kinship

Allah rewards those who maintain ties of kinship with Rizq.

Abu Hurairah narrates:

Anyone who wants to have his provision expanded and his term of life lengthened should maintain ties of kinship.(Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 57)

Tawwakul

Have trust and reliance on Allah alone for Rizq while at the same time trying to attain it legally.

Umar narrates

If you were to rely upon Allah with the reliance He is due, you would be given provision like the birds: They go out hungry in the morning and come back with full bellies in the evening. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 37, Hadith 4164)

Actions leading to the loss of Rizq

Loss of Rizq

Cheating Sin

Cheating

Dishonesty and cheating when buying, selling and in weights and measurements results in Allah cutting Rizq as a punishment in this world.

Woe to those who give less [than due]. Who, when they take a measure from people, take in full. But if they give by measure or by weight to them, they cause loss. (Mutafifeen 83:1-3)

Sin

Allah gives whoever He decides Rizq. It is withheld from those committing sins.

Thawban narrates:

Nothing extends one's life span but righteousness, nothing averts the Divine Decree but supplication, and nothing deprives a man of provision but the sin that he commits. (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 1, Hadith 90)

Purifying Oneself In Seeking Rizq

Purifying Rizq

Know Allah is Ar Razzaaq

Halal Earnings

Do no be deceived by blessings

Earnings do not lead to harm

Not being distracted by wealth

Look at those who have less

Practice Zuhd

Know Allah is Ar Razzaaq

One of Allahs names is Ar Razzaaq- the one who gives Rizq. One must always remember that Rizq only comes from Allah, no matter what an individual does.

Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account. (Al Imraan 3:37)

Halal Earnings

When one gains Haram earnings, Allah keeps Rizq due to the sin and oppression committed.

Indeed, those who devour the property of orphans unjustly are only consuming into their bellies fire. And they will be burned in a Blaze. (Nisaa 4:10)

Do not be deceived by blessings

The Rizq provided is a gift from Allah, one must be thankful and not arrogant, thinking it is a result of ones work alone.

And those who had wished for his position the previous day began to say, "Oh, how Allah extends provision to whom He wills of His servants and restricts it!(Qasas 28:82)

Earnings that do not lead to harm

When one is blessed with Rizq from Allah, one must never use it to oppress, be tyrannical or become arrogant. One becomes tyrannical when one denies people their rights and rightful position.

And if Allah had extended [excessively] provision for His servants, they would have committed tyranny throughout the earth. But He sends [it] down in an amount which He wills.(Shoora 42: 27)

Not being distracted by wealth

Rizq must not distract one from obedience to Allah and what Allah has made compulsory on the Muslim.

But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing. Say, "What is with Allah is better than diversion and than a transaction, and Allah is the best of providers." (Jumuah 62: 11)

Look at those who have less

To prevent jealousy and promote thankfulness, one should look at those whom Allah has given less Rizq to.

And do not wish for that by which Allah has made some of you exceed others. For men is a share of what they have earned, and for women is a share of what they have earned. And ask Allah of his bounty. Indeed Allah is ever, of all things, Knowing. (Nisaa 4:32)

Zuhd

From all that has been discussed, it is clear that Rizq come only from Allah. Seeking Rizq is from the Shariah, Islam does not promote laziness, begging and unproductivity. However, Islam ensures that one does not go to extremes. So while it is Halal to seek Rizq, it is Haram to be fixated on the material things that Allah has blessed people with. To combat the delusion with the world, Zuhd is encouraged in the life of a Muslim.

Zuhd

The desire of the heart for all that will benefit one in seeking Paradise and leaving off of all that distracts from this goal. Zuhd involves using Rizq to get closer to Allah.

Ayaat on Zuhd

And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring. (Ta Ha 20: 131)

Say, The enjoyment of this world is little, and the Hereafter is better for he who fears Allah. (Nisaa 4:77)

Targets of Zuhd

Targets of Zuhd

Wealth

Physical beauty of women (and men)

Leadership

People

Self (Nafs)

Everything besides Allah

Zuhd- The Misunderstood

Many Muslims have developed an incorrect understanding of Zuhd, that it involves not working or earning money. However, the Zaahid (one who practices Zuhd) uses Rizq to establish the obedience of Allah and to do good deeds. This is shown in the following statement of Allah:

And it is not your wealth or your children that bring you nearer to Us in position, but it is [by being] one who has believed and done righteousness. For them there will be the double reward for what they did, and they will be in the upper chambers [of Paradise], safe [and secure].(Sabaa 34:37)

Zuhd-The Misunderstood

From the verse in Surah Saba one sees two types of people:

1. The one who used Rizq for righteousness will receive double reward and Paradise

2. The one who did not, the wealth and children given by Allah was of no use or benefit in the Hereafter.

True Zuhd is to intend ones action to be for the Final Abode (Paradise) and to intend by spending on oneself, ones children etc, to get closer to Allah. Having Zuhd does not prevent one from marrying, working etc. The Prophet had Zuhd and had wives at the same time. The same goes for the best man after him, Abu Bakr As Sideeq who had wealth that he spent in Allahs cause.

Statements on Zuhd

Zuhd is to abstain from that which is of no benefit in the Hereafter, while pious caution, wara( )is to abstain from that which you fear will be harmful in the Hereafter. - Shaykhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah

Zuhd in the worldly life is by avoiding grand hopes, not by eating coarse food or wearing a cloak. Imam Sufyan Ath Thawri

Attaining Zuhd

Attaining Zuhd

Know this world is temporary

Certainty & Iman in Paradise

Zuhd does nor prevent Rizq

Zuhd benefits in this world and the next

Know this world is temporary

Never forget that this world is temporary. Always remember that one has to account to his Lord for everything done here.

Ibn Masood narrates:

I used to forbid you to visit the graves, but now visit them, for they will draw your attention away from this world and remind you of the Hereafter (Sunan Ibn Majah, Vol. 1, Book 6, Hadith 1571)

Certainty and Iman in Paradise

Just as the reward in Paradise is eternal so is the punishment in Hell. When one understands this, one will be more conscious of the consequences of actions.

Whoever should desire the immediate - We hasten for him from it what We will to whom We intend. Then We have made for him Hell, which he will [enter to] burn, censured and banished. But whoever desires the Hereafter and exerts the effort due to it while he is a believer - it is those whose effort is ever appreciated [by Allah]. (Al Israa 17: 18-19)

Zuhd does not prevent Rizq

Again, one must remember that true Zuhd is not abandoning earning an income. Rizq is decreed by Allah, it is a test on whether one uses it in the obedience of Allah or not.

O you who have believed, do not prohibit the good things which Allah has made lawful to you and do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors. (Al Maaidah 5: 87)

Zuhd benefits in this world and the next The Zaahid is loved by Allah because he leaves this world and loved

by the people as he is not concerned with their possessions. So he gets ease in this world and the next.

Abu al Abbas Sahl bin Saad as Saeedi narrates:

: ! ":

A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, O Messenger of Allah, direct me to an act which, if I do it, [will cause] Allah to love me and the people to love me. So he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, Renounce the world and Allah will love you, and renounce what the people possess and the people will love you. (40 Hadith Nawawi 31)

Levels of Zuhd

Levels of Zuhd

1. Zuhd from doubtful matters and bad companions

2. Zuhd from wasting time

3. Zuhd from Zuhd

Zuhd from doubtful matters It is to avoid what is unclear whether it is Halal or Haram. This is done out of

fear of being deficient in the sight of Allah.

Numan Ibn Bashir narrates:

The lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between that are matters that are doubtful (not clear); many of the people do not know whether it is lawful or unlawful. So whoever leaves it to protect his religion and his honor, then he will be safe, and whoever falls into something from them, then he soon will have fallen into the unlawful. Just like if someone grazes (his animals) around a sanctuary, he would soon wind up in it. Indeed for every king is a sanctuary (pasture), and indeed Allah's sanctuary is what He made unlawful.(Jami At Tirmidhee, Book 14, Hadith 1)

Zuhd from bad companions

Staying away from immoral people allows one to utilise time in the worship of Allah.

Abu Musa narrates:

The example of a good companion (who sits with you) in comparison with a bad one, is I like that of the musk seller and the blacksmith's bellows (or furnace); from the first you would either buy musk or enjoy its good smell while the bellows would either burn your clothes or your house, or you get a bad nasty smell thereof(Saheeh Al Bukharee 2101)

Zuhd from wasting time

Take advantage of free time to do actions that brings one closer to Allah. It does not mean to abandon ones worldly responsibility e.g. a job, spouse etc.

Ibn Abbas narrates:

Two favours that many of the people squander are health and free time(Jami At Tirmidhee, 2304 )

Zuhd from Zuhd

This is the highest form of Zuhd, that the Zaahid does not feel that what was given up from the world is a sacrifice because all in the world is of no worth compared to Allahs reward. For such a person Zuhd is not a special act of piety but compulsory of the Muslim. Such a person does not feel that he has lost of shunned anything in the world as Allah alone has to power to give or withhold. And he does not make mention of his actions in Zuhd.

Review questions 1. What is Rizq?

2. What are some ways of attaining Rizq?

3. What are the causes of the loss of Rizq?

4. How can one purify oneself when seeking Rizq?

5. What is Zuhd?

6. What things are targeted in Zuhd?

7. What are some ways of attaining Zuhd?

8. What are the levels of Zuhd?

9. What are some ways in which people misunderstand Zuhd and Rizq?

Questions?