Hidden Provisions

Darse Quran by Maulana Muhammad Mustafa Shareef Naqshbandhi
Published in Muslim Murasu, December 2012

Some people do good deeds in hopes of receiving prosperity in business or benefits in the matter of children. Some expect honor and respect in return. Some people offer donations for the sake of Barakath. Some people even help Madrasas with similar materialistic intentions. Their example is that of unbelievers. Unbelievers also take care of parents and help the destitute. But they don’t expect anything in afterlife. All they seek is prosperity in this life.
A believer will do good deeds with two objectives: 1. To please God and Prophet 2. To attain peaceful, prosperous life.
It has become our usual mindset that all rewards are reserved for the afterlife. No, good deeds will be rewarded in this world as well. Surah Tauba, 9, verse 120 – ‘innallaha laa yuleehu ajral muhsineen’. God will not waste good deeds.
Those who work for afterlife will get good rewards in this life too. Those who work for well-being in this world will achieve that. ‘Hal Jazaul Ihsaan illal Ihsaan’. (Surah Rahman, verse 60). Reward for favor is favor. Allah will favor you if you help His creations. But those who don’t believe in afterlife won’t get anything there. They will get everything they deserve in this world.
Muslim will do everything solely to please God. This is the meaning of ‘Iqlaas’. Surah Ahraaf, 7, verse 196 – ‘huwa yatawallas saaliheen’. ‘He will take care of the righteous’. There is a Hadees narrated in Abu Dawud. Migdad (rali) once went into a forest. He saw a rat bringing Dinars one by one from a burrow and placing them in front of him. A pile of currency got accumulated. He took them and brought to Prophet and narrated the incident. Prophet reassured him that it is his money. Allah will reward righteous ones in such mystical ways. He will open provisions for them from out of sight.
Surah Talaaq, 65, verses 2 and 3 – ‘wamanyattaqillaha yajallahu makhrajaa wa yarzukhu min hayshu laa yahtasibu’. ‘Allah prepares way out for him who fears Him and provides for him from sources he could never imagine’. ‘wa manyatawakkal allallahi fahuwa hasbuhu’. ‘Allah is enough for anyone who puts his trust in Him’. ‘innallaha baaligu amrihi qad jaalallahu li kulli shaiyin qadraa’. ‘Allah will surely accomplish His purpose’. Recite these verses thrice during Fajr and Magrib times. Allah will help you like He helped Migdad (rali). He will provide you from many ways, not just one. He will get you out of your troubles. You have to abstain from sins and do good deeds. You have to follow Prophet. ‘man ata’a rasool faqad ata allah’. Following Prophet is in reality following Allah.
Allah will open unseen ways for those who overcome their desires and fully surrender to His Will. He will resurrect them, bring them out of their situations. He will make men and even animals help them. They won’t have to plead to others. Let us pray to Allah. 'We bow only before You. Help us and not make us beg others'. If you pray, other creations will come to you for help. Otherwise you will have to search for help. You have to pray for your situation to change. Surah Raad, 13, verse 11 – ‘innallaha laa yugayiru mabiqaumin hatta yugayiru maa bianfusihim’. ‘Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change it themselves’. This applies to individuals as well. Pray to make your hands as donating hands. If you wish to get more Jakaath, that is what will happen. This year I received form four parties, next year six parties should donate. Then that will be the situation.
‘Yatawalla’ has many meanings – sponsor, friend, aid. Condition is to abstain from sins. Fear Allah in privacy, when no one is seeing. Allah ordered Dawood (alai), Surah Saba, 34, verse 13 – ‘ihmalu aala dawooda shukra’. Allah gave them control over iron and blessed them with kingdom. Allah commanded Dawood and his offspring to be grateful. To abstain from sins and to worship is the proper way of thanking Him. Fear Allah when you are alone. This is a way of being grateful. Surah Ibrahim, 14, verse 7 – ‘ la inshakartum la azeedannakum’. He will add favors if we are grateful.