The Second Subtle Point

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَاْلاِنْسَ اِلاَّ لِيَعْبُدُونِ مَا اُرِيدُ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ رِزْقٍ وَمَا اُرِيدُ اَنْ يُطْعِمُونِ اِنَّ اللّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ1

Since the apparent meaning of this noble âyah explained by many tafsirs does not demonstrate the elevated miraculousness of the Qur'an, it has occupied my mind for a long time. We shall now explain briefly three aspects of their exquisitely beautiful and elevated meanings, which arise from the faydh of the Qur'an.

The First: In order to honour and elevate His rasûl, Janâb-i Haqq sometimes attributes certain states to Himself that may pertain to His rasûl.

Here, this âyah, the meaning of which is "I created you for ‘ibâdah, not to give Me rizq and feed me," that is, "My rasûl does not want a wage, recompense, or reward, or to be fed in return for his duty of risalah and service for the tablîgh of ‘ubûdiyyah," should refer to Ar-Rasûl Al-Akram ‘Alayhissalâtu Wassalâm being given food and rizq. Otherwise, it would be the informing of something evidently known, and it is not appropriate to the balâghat of the miraculousness of the Qur'an.

The Second Aspect: Since man is excessively addicted to rizq, the noble âyah says, "You were created for ‘ubûdiyyah. The purpose of your creation is ‘ubûdiyyah. Working for rizq is a sort of ‘ubûdiyyah, in point of being a command of Allah. You were not created to procure rizq for your nafs and your families and animals, who are my creatures and whose rizq I am responsible for. You were not created to produce the rizq and food that simply belong to Me because Ar-Razzâq is Me. I provide the rizq of my ‘abds who are your dependents. Do not use this as an excuse to abandon ‘ubûdiyyah,” lest man find an excuse by supposing that working for rizq is an obstacle to ‘ubûdiyyah.

If it were not for this meaning, it would be informing something that is already known because the impossibility of feeding and giving rizq to Janâb-i Haqq is evident and known. In the ‘Ilm of Balâghat, it is a well-established principle that if the meaning of a word is known and apparent, that meaning is not what was intended with that word; rather, a meaning necessitated by it and dependent on it is intended with that word. For example, if you say to someone, "You are a hâfidh," it is informing something that is already known. It means that the intended meaning is this: "I know that you are a hâfidh." I inform him because he does not know that I know.

Thus, as a consequence of this rule, the meaning of the âyah, which is alluded to by the rejection of giving rizq to Janâb-i Haqq and feeding Him, is this: "You were not created to produce rizq for My creatures, who belong to Me and whose rizq is guaranteed by Me, but rather your fundamental duty is ‘ubûdiyyah. It is also a kind of ‘ibâdah to strive for rizq in accordance with My commands.

The Third Aspect: Since, in surah al-ikhlas, the apparent meaning of لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ2 is known and apparent, a meaning, which is the requirement of the apparent meaning of the âyah, is intended. That is, in an extremely known and apparent manner, Janâb-i Haqq decrees لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ , in meaning, "Those who have a mother and children cannot be an Ilah," and with the purpose of rejecting the ulûhiyyah of Hazrat ‘Îsâ (as), and ‘Uzayr (as), the malâikah, stars and any other bâtil ma’bûd, and in the meaning of Janâb-i Haqq being azalî and eternal. In the same way, in this example of ours, too, the âyah has the meaning, "Things that receive rizq and are fed cannot be Ilah, nor ma’bûd," and "Ar-Razzâq Zuljalal, Who is your Ma’bûd, does not want rizq for Himself, and you were not created to feed Him." It means that beings in need of rizq and being fed are not worthy of being ma’bûd.

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