Will Sustenance Come to Us, or Must We Chase It?
If sustenance has been predestined by God, what role do effort and striving play in life? Can one abandon work in hope of divine provision and wait for relief? The Holy Quran and Islamic traditions answer this question by emphasizing the link between trust in God (tawakkul) and effort. Their answer clarifies why faith in God as the Provider is neither a license for laziness nor a denial of human will in shaping one's life.
According to the Missionary Thought and Culture Base, is a person's day predetermined or can his efforts and choices affect his enjoyment of life? The teachings of the Holy Qur'an and Islamic traditions, in addition to emphasizing God's sustenance, call man to work, strive and be responsible. According to these teachings, believing in divine destiny does not mean abandoning efforts; Rather, the relationship between God's will, human discretion, and factors affecting livelihood should be examined side by side.
one day Should you wait for it or go for it?
The issue of daily life and how to achieve it is one of the topics that have always raised questions about the relationship between divine destiny and human will. If God predestines the servants, what is the status of trying to earn money? Can believing in the destiny of one day become an excuse to give up economic and social activities?
To answer these questions, a difference must be made between believing in God as a provider and a false understanding of predestination. In Islamic teachings, on the one hand, sustenance is attributed to God's will and providence, and on the other hand, effort, movement, and the use of human abilities are emphasized.
The Holy Quran says in verse 32 of Surah Zakharf:
"We divided between them their life in the life of this world and raised some of them above some degrees"
It means: "We divided their livelihood among them in the life of the world and gave some of them superiority over others in terms of degrees."
This verse mentions the difference in the conditions and possibilities of human life; But to understand its meaning, one phrase alone cannot be enough. Understanding this issue requires paying attention to other religious teachings about effort, free will, individual responsibility and how human beings face the conditions of life.
Imam Ali (a.s.): Some days should be sought
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) says in letter 31 of Nahj al-Balagha:
"Al-Rizq is a sustenance: sustenance requires it, and sustenance requires you, so if you did not attack"
It means: "There are two types of day; The day you seek and the day that follows you; In such a way that if you don't go to it, it will come to you."
This narrative emphasizes that all opportunities and blessings in life are not necessarily the result of direct human efforts; However, some of life's achievements are not achieved without effort and follow-up.
In order to achieve many of his goals, man has to use his talents, learn skills, plan and recognize the available opportunities. On the other hand, sometimes a situation occurs that is beyond his direct planning or prediction and can create an opening in his life.
Therefore, this narrative can be seen as an emphasis on the combination of effort and trust; Not a reason to give up trying and passively waiting for the day to come.
In Islamic traditions, praying without considering individual responsibilities and duties has also been criticized. In a narration attributed to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), it is stated:
"There are four that do not answer their prayer: the man sitting in his house, he says: O Lord, giver of wealth! He said to him: I did not know America by asking.
The content of the narration is as follows: one of those whose prayers are not answered is the person who sits at home and asks God for sustenance; It will be said to him: Have you not been commanded to strive to earn a living?
The main message of this narrative is the necessity of effort along with prayer and trust. In this view, asking God for sustenance should not be a substitute for performing duties and taking advantage of available opportunities.
Of course, emphasizing effort does not mean that every person, regardless of their physical, economic and social conditions, has the same possibility to work or earn income. It is intended that a person, according to his abilities and conditions, should not neglect responsibility and practical action.
What is the relationship between divine destiny and human effort?
One of the misconceptions about the concept of destiny is that because one's life is dependent on God's will, human effort has no effect on his economic destiny. Such a perception is not compatible with the traditions that emphasize seeking sustenance and effort.
Effort, skill, knowledge, planning and how to use opportunities can affect people's living conditions; However, the final result of a person's economic life does not depend only on the amount of his effort. Social and economic conditions, access to education and facilities, labor market conditions, job opportunities, health and unforeseen events can also play a role in income and quality of life.
Therefore, it is not possible to consider the economic success of people as a sign of their greater effort or the unfavorable living situation necessarily as a result of laziness and lack of work. Just as abandoning effort is not compatible with religious teachings, ignoring external conditions and attributing all life outcomes to individual performance does not provide a complete picture of reality.
In this framework, belief in divine destiny can be associated with responsibility and planning; Because man is obliged to act within the limits of his authority and ability, without thinking that all the factors affecting life are under his control.
Why are humans not the same?
Humans differ from each other in terms of physical and mental talents, skills, management abilities and individual capacities. These differences can affect their type of activity, job opportunities and economic results; But the difference in material benefits cannot be explained only by the difference in talents.
Other factors such as family conditions, educational facilities, access to resources, economic status of society and available opportunities are also effective in shaping people's position. For this reason, the non-equality of people's income or facilities by itself is neither a proof of justice nor an indication of injustice by itself.
Verse 32 of Surah Zakharf talks about the difference in degrees and livelihoods of humans, but to draw conclusions about social and economic justice, one must consider the set of religious teachings. Also, it should not be understood from the concept of appreciation that any type of poverty, deprivation or existing inequality is necessarily desirable or approved.
Belief in divine wisdom does not remove human responsibility towards each other. Efforts to reduce deprivation, respect the rights of others, confront oppression and provide fair opportunities are still important issues in evaluating individual and social behavior.
daily appreciation; An invitation to trust or an excuse for laziness?
Examining the verses and traditions shows that the subject of Rosi cannot be examined from only one angle. In Islamic teachings, on the one hand, God's sustenance is emphasized, and on the other hand, man is called to strive, seek sustenance, and use his abilities.
Accordingly, divine destiny should not be considered as the ineffectiveness of human choices and actions. At the same time, not all economic differences can be attributed solely to the level of effort of individuals; Because life conditions and opportunities are not the same for everyone.
The combination of these teachings presents a more realistic picture of the relationship between fate and providence: a person must strive to improve his life, be accountable to his responsibilities, and at the same time, accept the limitations of his authority and the role of factors beyond his control.
Finally, the message of these teachings can be summarized in the companionship of effort and trust; One should not stop moving in the hope of a certain day, nor should one rely so much on individual ability that the role of external conditions and unforeseen blessings is ignored. Such a perception of the day strengthens both responsibility and prevents divine destiny from becoming an excuse for laziness or ignoring social issues.
1. Holy Quran, Surah Zakharf, verse 32.
2. Sharif Razi, Muhammad bin Hussain, Nahj al-Balaghah, corrected by Sobhi Saleh, Qom: Hijrat, first edition, 1414 AH, p. 404, letter 31.
3. Kilini, Muhammad bin Yaqoub, Al-Kafi, edited by Ali Akbar Ghafari and Muhammad Akhundi, Tehran: Darul-e-Kitab al-Islamiyya, 4th edition, 1407 lunar year, vol. 2, p. 511, chapter "I do not accept invitation".
4. Makarem Shirazi, Nasser, The message of Imam Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him), with the collaboration of a group of scholars, Tehran: Darul-e-Kitab al-Islamiyya, first edition, 2006, vol. 4, p. 175.