Ar-Razzaq — The Total Provider
الرَّزَّاقُ
Name 17 of the ninety-nine. The Sustainer, The Provider
Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Ar-Razzaq (in Arabic: ٱلْرَّزَّاقُ) The Provider, The Sustainer for all His creatures.
The root
From the root ra-zay-qaf (ر ز ق), which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to receive something beneficial, especially as a gift to be provided with the necessities of life, to receive a portion, share or lot, to be supplied with a means of subsistence.
Reflection
At some biological level, we have this looming anxiety of not having enough. We're afraid of losing our job, being unable to pay our bills, or not having enough to eat. We live with this constant angst and worry. The release can come from knowing Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ is Ar-Razzaq. He is the best provider for all; there is not a single creature that Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ does not provide for.
Since He is the only one who can give sustenance, we should seek it from Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. Understanding this frees a person from the shackles of the influence of an unjust employer, dictator, or any kind of authority. People may be coerced to compromise their morals and resort to cheating and stealing to secure sustenance.
But the one who knows Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ as Ar-Razzaq will avoid acting in this way as he knows the absolute authority is with Allah, The Almighty. Narrated Warrad: (the clerk of Al-Mughira bin Shu`ba) Once Al-Mughira dictated to me in a letter addressed to Muawiya that the Prophet ﷺ used to say after every compulsory prayer, "La ilaha illa l-lahu wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu l-mulku wa lahu l-hamdu, wa huwa `ala kulli shay'in qadir.
Allahumma la mani`a lima a`taita, wa la mu`tiya lima mana`ta, wa la yanfa`u dhal-jaddi minka l-jadd. [There is no Deity but Allah, Alone, no Partner to Him. His is the Kingdom and all praise, and Omnipotent is he. O Allah! " [2] The attitude which is best for a believer to adopt was mentioned in the hadith of Sahih Muslim.
" [3] This problem has multiplied a thousandfold in the age of social media. We see the highlight reel of everyone's best life. It then leads to shaitan planting his seeds of doubt in the garden of your mind. These weeds - if not dealt with immediately - take form and spread, soon overtaking the entire garden. This manifests in a variety of ways into doubt, resentment, or belittling the favors which Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ has given us (nauzubillah).
Where it appears
[1] Sahih al-Bukhari 6594,[2] Sahih al-Bukhari 844,[3] Sahih (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 4142,[4] Hasan (Darussalam) Sunan Ibn Majah 4141