How to Gain More Sustenance
What differentiates human beings from other creatures is their ability to think. One uses this ability in order to gain sustenance, which contains the material and spiritual things one needs in order to survive.
There are some things one could do in order to gain more sustenance:
Hard Work
The most important thing that helps people gain sustenance is their effort; “That man can have nothing but what he strives for.” (An-Najm: 39)
God will reward the one who tries to gain sustenance, but the one who does not work hard, gains nothing but regret.
Prophet Muhammad told Imam Ali, “Do not worry about tomorrow’s sustenance. God sends people their sustenance of each day on the same day.”
Trade
One of the things that helps one gain more sustenance is trade. Imam Sadiq says, “Nine tenth of one’s sustenance comes from his trades.” He also believed that doing trade adds to one’s intelligence.
Trust in God
Another thing that adds to one’s sustenance is trust in God in every aspect of life. God never forgets about his creatures. We too, in return, need not to forget about Him, as God is the only one who could reward us with what we need.
Prophet Muhammad said, “Any of you who trust in God, He will send you your sustenance. The way he gives the sustenance of the birds in the sky.”
Imam Ali said also, “God suffices the one who has trust in Him and he needs nothing else ever.”
Content
Content too increases one’s sustenance. Imam Ali says, “Be content, so that you are needless.” He also says, “There is no treasure like content.”
Gratefulness
Being thankful to God helps one gain more sustenance; “Say: Verily my Lord enlarges and restricts the Sustenance to such of his servants as He pleases: and nothing do ye spend in the least (in His cause) but He replaces it: for He is the Best of those who grant Sustenance.”
Giving Charity
God will give people back everything they giveaway in His path; therefore, giving charity could add to one’s sustenance too.
As God says in Qur’an, “Say: "Verily my Lord enlarges and restricts the Sustenance to such of his servants as He pleases: and nothing do ye spend in the least (in His cause) but He replaces it: for He is the Best of those who grant Sustenance.” (Saba’: 39)
And also, “Who is he that will Loan to Allah a beautiful loan? for ((Allah)) will increase it manifold to his credit, and he will have (besides) a liberal Reward.” (Al-Hadid: 12)
Imam Ali says, “The one who believes in God’s rewards, gives away in His way.”
Getting Married
Prophet Muhammad believed that when people get married, God will increase their sustenance.
Saying One’s Prayers
A man went to Prophet Muhammad and told him that he was very poor and in need. He asked for a way to add to his sustenance. Prophet Muhammad told him to say his prayers and taught him a prayer to recite in order to gain more sustenance.
Other Factors:
There are other things that help one gain more sustenance, and they are:
- Praying for one’s parents,
- Waking up early,
- Staying away from corruption,
- Sweeping outside of one’s house,
- Washing the dishes,
- Visiting the relatives,
- Washing one’s hands before and after eating,
- Turning on the lights before the sunset,
- Not leaving one’s food leftovers,
- Combing one’s hair,
- Cutting one’s nails on Fridays,
- Wearing an agate, turquoise, or a ruby ring,
- Praying for the believers,
- Reciting Ayat-al-Korsi verse of the Qur’an,
- Saying hello to others,
- Reciting Al-Fatiha Surah when getting home, and
- Reciting Al-Waqi’a Surah before sleeping.
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
Other links:
Slandering and Talking behind the Back of Others is a Sin
When Are We Allowed to Talk behind the Back of Others?
The Best Deeds
Religious Passion
The Greatest Deed
