Sustenance and creation
There are verses of the holy Qur’an emphasizing that only God provides sustenance for human beings and all other creatures and has guaranteed sustenance for all creatures. It is clear that the affairs of this world are run by certain means and in a normal situation one of the main conditions for obtaining sustenance is efforts and hard work by the individual. On this basis, guaranteeing sustenance is a clear reality and one of the cornerstones of Islam’s economic ideology that can be considered as an economic theory in the face of pessimist economists such as Malthus. In the meantime, the person’s hard work and effort for sustaining livelihood is one of the principles of divine sustenance. For this reason, great deal of emphasis has been put on hard work and efforts for sustaining livelihood in remarks made by the infallible Imams and bearing hardships for sustaining livelihood is tantamount to engaging in an act of jihad for the sake of God and even beyond that.
Addressing a person who merely sits at home and prays for sustenance, Imam Sadiq (Peace be upon him) has said that the supplication made by such a person for sustenance will not be fulfilled by God and on behalf of God, such a person will be asked about the order issued to him for sustaining his livelihood.
There are verses that order human beings to make use of the divine sustenance in order to draw the attention of human beings to their creator and at the same time by using these blessings and meeting their needs and realizing the enjoyment of having different types of foods, drinks and fruits, strengthen the feeling of being grateful to God as well as obedience and divine virtue that guarantee human happiness and prosperity in this world and afterlife.
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
