بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَ الصَّلاَةُ وَ السَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَلَى آلِهِ وَ صَحْبِهِ اَجْمَعِينَ

The feeling of anxiety about the future is present in everyone. When one becomes intensely anxious, he realizes that he does not have a certain proof in his hand to reach the future he is anxious about. Also, a future, which is brief and undertaken in respect of rizq, is not worthy of such intense anxiety. He turns his face away from it and turns toward a true and long future beyond the grave which has not been undertaken for the ghâfil.

The Ninth Letter

 

The Fourth haqiqah which is the Thirty-Third degree:

The Haqiqah of Rahîmiyyah and Razzâqiyyah

That is, the haqiqah of giving rizq, which is material and ma’nawî and pertains to the stomach, of all animate beings, especially those who possess rûh, especially the impotent, the weak and the young, over the whole face of the earth, in it and in its air and in its seas, compassionately, which is made from dry and simple soil, from solid, bone-like dry pieces of wood, and especially the most delicate form of rizq that appears between blood and urine, and thousands of kilos of foods which are made from a single seed like a bone, on time, in an orderly form, neither forgetting nor confusing any of them, in front of our eyes by a ghayb hand.

Yes, as the âyah اِنَّ اللّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ 1   especially appropriates and confines the sustenance and provision to Janâb-i Haqq, and the âyah وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِى اْلاَرْضِ اِلاَّ عَلَى اللّٰهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ 2 undertakes the rizq of every men and animal and includes it under the Rabbânî guarantee; and through observably giving sustenance by guaranteed action to the weak, impotent, powerless and unfortunate creatures those unable to provide rizq, from unexpected places, indeed from the ghayb or even out of nothing, for example to the insects in the ocean bed from nothing, and to the all young from unexpected places, and to all animals every spring, in fact, merely from the ghayb, the âyah وَكَاَيِّنْ مِنْ دَابَّةٍ لاَ تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اَللّٰهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَاِيَّاكُمْ وَ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ3   proves and proclaims even to the people who perform ‘ibâdah to causes that, it is He Who gives under the veil of causes. So many âyahs of the Qur'an and infinite pieces of the evidence of creation unanimously demonstrate that each animate being is sustained by the Rahîmiyyah of the single Razzâq Zuljalâl.

Since they are powerless and have no will, and while they remain in their place through tawakkul, a sort of rizq of the trees, which they requested, running to them and the flowing of sustenance for infant to their mouths from wondrous small pumps and its ceasing due to the bestowing of a little power and will to the infant; the giving to the especially human infant the compassion of their mothers as a helper clearly prove that halal rizq is not mutually proportional to will and power, rather, it comes in relation to weakness and impotence, which result in tawakkul.

As the power, will and sharpness of intelligence, which incite greed that is mostly the cause of lost, drive certain great learned men to a sort of beggary; the weakness of the unintelligent, crude and common man in a manner of tawakkul making them reach richness; and كَمْ عَالِمٍ عَالِمٍ اَعْيَتْ مَذَاهِبُهُ وَ جَاهِلٍ جَاهِلٍ تَلْقَاهُ مَرْزُوقًا 4 becoming a proverb, establish that halal rizq is not won and not made found by one’s power and will, but rather is given by a mercy that finds one’s working and striving acceptable and is bestowed from a compassion that pities one’s need. But, rizq is of two kinds:

The First is haqîqî and fitrî rizq for life and living which is under the guarantee of Ar-Rabb. It is indeed so arranged that this fitrî rizq, is stored in the body in the form of fat and remainder and ensures life for at least twenty days without eating anything. That is to say, those who apparently die of hunger before the twenty-thirty days and before concluding the fitrî rizq stored up in their body, die not from a lack of rizq, but a disease arising from a bad habit and the abandonment of custom.

The Second sort of rizq: The metaphorical and artificial rizq, which becomes dharûrah due to addiction through habit, wastefulness and misuse. This sort is not under the guarantee of Ar-Rabb, but dependant on His bestowal. Sometimes He gives, sometimes He does not give.

With respect to this second rizq, happy is he who knows that halal endeavour with frugality and contentment, which are the source of happiness and pleasure, is a sort of ‘ibâdah and a du'â by action for rizq and he accepts the bestowal gratefully and thankfully, and happily passes his life.

Wretched is he who abandons halal endeavour through prodigality and greed, which are the source of wretchedness, loss and sorrow, knocks on every door, passes his life lazily, oppressively and in a manner of complaining, and indeed he kills it.

Just as the stomach demands rizq, so too the subtle faculties and feelings of man like heart, rûh, mind (aql), eye, ear and mouth, also demand their rizq from Ar-Razzâq Who is Rahîm and gratefully receive it. The rizq of those, which are appropriated to them and make them glad and pleased, are bestowed from the treasury of rahmah to each separately. Indeed, Ar-Razzâq Who is Rahîm, in order to give to those a more extensive rizq, has created each of those subtle faculties like the eye and ear, heart, imagination and mind as a key to His treasury of rahmah. For example, like the eye is a key to the treasury containing precious jewels such as the beauty and jamâl on the face of the universe, so too the others (each of them) become the key of an ‘âlam and benefit through îmân. To resume after our digression:

Al-Qadîr and Hakîm One Who created this universe created also life as a comprehensive summary of the universe and concentrated all of His purposes and the manifestations of His Names therein. So too, within the ‘âlam of life, he made of rizq a comprehensive centre of shuûn and created within animate beings the taste for rizq, thus causing animate beings to respond to His Rubûbiyyah and love with a permanent and universal gratitude, thankfulness, and ‘ibâdah that is one of the significant purposes and instances of hikmah inherent in the creation of the universe.

For example, it is a hikmah of shuûn of Rubûbiyyah like He cause every area of the broad Rabbânî realm to rejoice - the samâwât are caused to rejoice with the malâikah and rûh beings, al-‘âlam al-ghayb with rûhs, so too, the material ‘âlam, particularly the air and the earth, with the existence of all rûh beings, particularly birds, great and small5, at all times and places, through the hikmah of this causing to rejoice and the infusion of life and rûh, animals and men are, as it was, whipped by the need for rizq and the pleasure they take therein to pursue their rizq, thus being delivered from sloth. Were it not for such significant instances of hikmah, the provision destined for animals would be caused instinctively to hasten toward them to satisfy their fitrî needs, without any effort on their part, just as provision and sustenance are caused to hasten toward the tree.

Were there to be an eye capable of witnessing and comprehending the whole surface of the earth at one time, in order to perceive the beauties of the Names of Rahîm and Razzâq and the witness they bear to Wahdâniyyah, it would see what sweet beauty is contained in the tender and solicitous manifestation of Ar-Razzâq Ar-Rahîm Who sends to the caravans of animals at the end of winter, when their provision is about to be exhausted, extremely delicious, abundant and varied foods and ni’mahs, drawn exclusively from His ghayb treasury of rahmah, as succour from the ghayb and Rahmânî bestowal, placed in the hands of plants, the crowns of trees, and the breasts of mothers. The possessor of that all-seeing eye would realize the following:

The making of a single apple, and the generous giving of it to a man as true rizq, can be accomplished only by a Being Who causes the seasons, the nights and the days to rotate, Who causes the globe to revolve like a cargo ship, and thus brings the fruits of the seasons within reach of those needy guests of the earth who stand to wait for them. For the stamp of its fitrah, the seal of hikmah, the imprint of Samadiyyah, the signet of rahmah that is to be found on the surface of the apple, is to be found also on all apples and other fruits, plants and animals. Hence the True Mâlik and Sâni’ of the apple is bound to be Al-Mâlik Zuljalâl, Al-Khâliq Zuljamâl of all the inhabitants of the world, who are the peers, the congeners and the brothers of the apple; of the vast earth that is the garden of the apple; of the tree that is its factory; of the seasons that are its workshop; and of the spring and summer that are its place of tarbiyyah.

In other words, every fruit is a seal of wahdah that makes known the Writer and Sâni’ of the earth, its tree, and of the book of the universe, its garden; it demonstrates His wahdah and shows to the number of fruits, the seal affixed to the decree of Wahdâniyyah.

Since the Risale-i Nur is a manifestation of the Names of Rahîm and Hakîm, and numerous flashes and mysteries of the haqiqah of Rahîmiyyah have been expounded and proved in many parts of the Risale-i Nur, we leave further discussion of the matter to those parts and content ourselves with this brief indication, out of a vast treasury, on account of the unfavourable circumstances from which we are now suffering.” The Seventh Ray-2nd Chapter-3th Stopping-Place

 

Yes, one, who does not practice frugality, is a candidate for falling into abasement, misery and beggary in a ma’nawî manner. At this time, money that will be the means of wastefulness is very expensive. In return for it, sometimes dignity and honour are taken as a bribe. Sometimes, in return, the sacred matters of religion are taken then some evil money is given. That is to say, material goods worth three cents are bought by a ma’nawî loss of one hundred dollars. If he practices frugality and contents with the necessary needs and restraints and restricts his needs with the necessary ones, through the mystery of 6 اِنَّ اللّهَ هُوَ الرَّزَّاقُ ذُو الْقُوَّةِ الْمَتِينُ and the explicit meaning of the âyah وَمَا مِنْ دَابَّةٍ فِى اْلاَرْضِ اِلاَّ عَلَى اللّٰهِ رِزْقُهَا7, he will find enough rizq to live, in a way he did not expect. Because the âyah undertakes it. Yes, there are two sorts of rizq:

One is the true rizq that he will live with it. This rizq is undertaken by Ar-Rabb through the decree of this âyah. So long as the misuse of man’s will does not interfere, he can find this necessary rizq under any circumstances. He will not be obliged to sacrifice his religion, honour or dignity.

The second is the metaphorical rizq that unnecessary needs become necessary ones due to misuse, he becomes addicted to them through the calamity of custom and tradition and cannot abandon them. Thus, since this rizq is not undertaken by Ar-Rabb, obtaining this rizq, especially at this time, is very expensive. He takes this inauspicious good without barakah by sacrificing his honour and accepting abasement first of all and sometimes falling into the state of beggary in a ma’nawî manner to a degree of kissing the feet of the vile people and sometimes sacrificing the sacred matters of religion, which are the nûr of his eternal life.

Also, at this time of poverty and necessity, the sorrow that the people of conscience receive from the sorrow of the hungry and needy by means of compassion towards fellow-human beings — if he has a conscience — makes bitter the pleasure received from the money he earned in a haram way. At such a strange time, for doubtful goods,8 it is necessary to suffice at the degree of necessity (dharûrah)9. Because, through the mystery of اِنَّ الضَّرُورَةَ تُقَدَّرُ بِقَدْرِهَا10, one can take from haram goods just enough to get him out of the state of dharûrah; he cannot take more. Yes, an obliged man cannot eat haram meat until he gets full; he rather can eat enough not to die. Also, it cannot be eaten much with perfect pleasure in the presence of a hundred hungry people.

 

 The Nineteenth Flash/4th Subtle Point

 

“وَاْلآجَالُ الْمُعَيَّنَةُ وَاْلاَرْزَاقُ الْمُقَنَّنَةُ . That is: For such an important hikmah, the appointed time for the end of one's life and rizq that have been imagined as undefined and unknown to an exterior look, but under the veil of indefiniteness, the appointed time for the end of living being's life is determined and designated on the page of appointed events by Allah in the notebook of pre-eternal Ilahî qadhâ and qadar; it is neither brought forward nor delayed. And, there are infinite evidences that the rizq of every being with rûh is also appointed and specified and written on the tablets of qadhâ and qadar. For example, the occurrence of death for a huge tree and leaving behind its seed, which is its rûh of a sort, to perform duties in its place through an ‘Alîm Who is Hafîdh’s law with hikmah; the coming of the milk, which is the rizq of an infant, from the breast, and its emergence between blood and excrement, and flowing into their mouths pure and clean without mess; reject decisively the possibility of chance and shows decisively that they occur through the compassionate law of a Rahîm Al-‘Alîm Who is Razzâq. You may make an analogy with these two small examples for all living creatures and beings with rûhs.

That is to say, in haqiqah, both the appointed time for the end of one's life is defined and decreed, and the rizq has been registered in the notebook of appointed events through a distinguishment, which appropriates everybody individually. But for an extremely important hikmah, behind the veil of the ghayb, both the appointed time for the end of one's life and rizq seem undefined, unknown and apparently bound to coincidence.  If the appointed time for the end of one's life had been defined like the setting of the sun, in absolute ghaflah, half of life would be perished by not working for the âkhirah, and in the second half of life, the calamity in the appointed time for the end of one's life through a terrifying fear in taking one more step towards the gallows of death would increase a hundredfold. Due to this mystery, the calamities one suffers and even the qiyâmah, which is the world's appointed time for the end of its life, have mercifully been left in the veil of the ghayb. As for rizq, since after life itself is the greatest treasure of ni’mahs, and the richest source of shukr and hamd, and the most comprehensive mine of ‘ubûdiyyah, du'â and entreaty, it has apparently been shown undefined and bound to coincidence. In order that the door of seeking rizq through the shafâ’ah of seeking refuge at the Court of Al-Karîm Who is Razzâq, and entreaty and beseeching and hamd and shukr every time is not closed. Otherwise, if it had been defined, its essence would have been altogether changed. The doors of thankful, grateful du'âs and entreaties, indeed of submissively ‘ubûdiyyah, would have been closed.” The Fifteenth Ray-Second Station-7th, 8th Evidences

 

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 الْمَتِينُ11

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 يُولَدْ12 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.

***

Said Nursî

 The Twenty-Eighth Flash/Second Subtle Point