Thursday 18 Ramadan 1445 - 28 March 2024
English

Why do people die of hunger if their provision has been decreed by Allaah?

Question

If Allah has ordained the "rizk" for everyone then why do people die of starvation.

Answer

Praise be to Allah.

Allaah is al-Razzaaq (the Provider) and the best of those who give provision. “And no moving (living) creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allaah” [Hood 11:6 – interpretation of the meaning]. The rizq (provision) of Allaah will not be brought by the carefulness of the miser, nor will it be prevented by the hostility of one who does not want it to come to another. It is part of the Wisdom of Allaah that He differentiates between His slaves in their provision just as He differentiates between them in their physical creation and their attitudes. So He gives in abundance to whomever He wills and gives little to whomever He wills. He may give plenty to some people and little to others. He is the One Who guarantees the provision of His slaves according to His prior knowledge and decree. Allaah knows and decrees that some of His slaves will be given plenty and some will be given little; He has reasons for that that are beyond our comprehension. In His wisdom, He gives plenty or gives little as a test for His slaves, testing them with blessings or with calamities, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“and We shall make a trial of you with evil and with good” [al-Anbiya’ 21:35]

Allâh says (interpretation of the meaning):

“But when He tries him be straitening his means of life, he says: ‘My Lord has humiliated me!” [al-Fajr 89:16]

But then Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Nay!” [al-Fajr 89:16], meaning, it is not as he thinks; Allaah blesses whoever he wills and makes things difficult for whomever He wills, and this is a test, not a sign of honour or humiliation. By means of this test, it becomes apparent who is grateful and patient, and who is the opposite. And Allaah is the Knower of all things.

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Source: this response was written for us by our Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak