Rizq is not ownership (milkiyya) because rizq is a gift ('ata). So the verb razaqa means to give (a'ta). As for ownership it means to possess something through any of the mediums permitted by the Shari'a in which to own property. The rizq can be halal (lawful) or haram (forbidden). All of it is termed as rizq. So the money won by a gambler from another in a gambling match is rizq. Since it is money that Allah (SWT) gives to each person that pursues any of the situations in which money is obtained. 

A view which prevails amongst people that they are the ones who provide for themselves. And they consider the circumstances in which they earn wealth - i.e. money or profit - as the cause of their provision (rizq) even if they say by their tongues that the razzaq (one who gives sustenance) is Allah (SWT). They see the employee who takes home a certain wage through his hard work and effort that he is the one who provides for himself. And when he exerts every effort or tries through various means to supplement his wage, they see that he was the one who procured this raise/increase. And the businessman who makes profit as a result of his business endeavours, they see that he is the one who provided his own sustenance. And the doctor who treats the ill is making his own living. In this manner, they see that each person pursues an occupation from which he earns money. He is the one who provides for himself. So the causes of provision, for those people are perceptible and tangible, which are the circumstances which lead to the procurement of money. 

The person who commits himself to these circumstances, he is the one who will earn this money whether he himself or someone else received the provision. People have come to hold this view because they do not grasp the reality of the conditions/circumstances from which their provision come. They take them to be the cause because of their inability to differentiate between the cause and the condition/circumstance. The fact is that these circumstances from which the provision comes, are actually conditions/circumstances in which the rizq is obtained and not a cause of rizq. If they were the true causes of rizq then they should not fail at all in producing that rizq, but it can clearly be seen that they do fail. These conditions may well exist but (we see) no provision comes out of it, and rizq may be obtained without such conditions existing at all. If they were the cause then the result (i.e. the rizq) would have been definitely inevitable. Since, the rizq is not an inevitable result; it only comes when the condition exists or the rizq might fail to materialise despite their existence. This indicates that they are not the causes but only the conditions/circumstances under which the rizq is obtained. An employee might work for a whole month but he is prevented from his (expected) income due to settling a previous debt, or spending money on those whose maintenance he is obliged to provide, or by paying taxes. In such a situation, the circumstance which brings the provision (i.e. the employee's work), the rizq was not obtained since he did not get his wages. (On the other hand), there might be someone in his house , to whom the postman brings the news that so and so relative has died, leaving him as the sole inheritor, and that all of his wealth will pass into his hands. So he should gain possession of it himself or through a recognised agent. This rizq came to him and he did not even know it was coming. Or a side of his house might collapse and he finds money hidden there, so he takes it. If the circumstances, which derive from human beings, are indeed the cause of rizq then they would NEVER fail. And no rizq would be produced except when these circumstances are present. It is quite apparent that they do fail, which indicates that they are conditions (haalat) and not causes (asbaab) of rizq. The number of incidents, in which rizq has been obtained without any apparent cause, are innumerable which indicates that the circumstances in which rizq is obtained are, as a rule, conditions of rizq and not its causes (asbaab).

Furthermore, it is not possible to consider the conditions (halaat), in which the rizq comes (when these conditions are present), as causes of rizq. And nor is it possible to consider the person who engages in these conditions as being the medium by which the rizq was brought. Since that contradicts the text of the Qur'an which is definite in meaning and authenticity. When anything contradicts a text which is definite in meaning and authenticity, one is duty bound to adopt the definite text without any hesitation whatsoever. And all other opinions are rejected except the one (correct) opinion. Since anything that is proven from a define evidence, it comes from Allah (SWT) and one is obliged to adopt it and reject the others. Therefore, the truth to which the Muslim should submit is that the rizq is from Allah and not from human beings.

There are many ayahs which clearly show (and they are not open to interpretation) that rizq is from Allah (SWT) only and not from human beings. This is what makes us absolutely certain that what we see from the styles and means by which the rizq comes, that they are only conditions which occur so that the rizq may come. Thus, Allah (SWT) says: 

'And eat of the things which Allah has provided for you.' [5:88]'

Who created you, then provided food for you.'[30:40]

 'Spend of that which Allah has provided you.'[36:47] 

'Verily Allah provides sustenance to whom He wills.'[3:37] 

'Allah provides for it and for you.' [29:60]

'Surely, Allah will provide for them.'[22:58] 

'Allah increases the provision for whom He wills.' [13:26]

 'So seek your provision from Allah (Alone).'[29:17]

 'And no (moving) living creature is there on earth but its provision in due from Allah.'[11:6] 

'Verily, Allah is the All-Provider (al-Razzaq).'[51:58] 

These and other such ayahs are many. They are definite in meaning and authenticity, having only one possible meaning and not open to any interpretation. Which is that the rizq is only from Allah who is the Razzaq (the one who provides sustenance). So the rizq is only in the hands of Allah.

However, Allah (SWT) has ordered His servants to undertake actions and they have been given the ability to choose to pursue the conditions in which the rizq comes. They are the ones who should pursue, in accordance with their choice, all of the conditions in which the rizq comes. However, these conditions are not the cause of rizq. And nor are the servants the ones who bring forth this rizq, as clearly stated in the text of the ayaats. Rather, Allah is the one who gives them their provision in these conditions irrespective of whether the rizq was halal or haram. And irrespective whether Allah has obliged, forbade or permitted it. And regardless of whether the rizq was obtained or not. Except that Islam has clarified the manner in which it is allowed or not allowed for the Muslim to pursue the condition in which the rizq is obtained. Thus, it clarified the means of ownership and not the causes of rizq, and restricted ownership to these means. It is no permitted for any Muslim to possess any provisions except through a legal means. Since it is the lawful rizq and anything else is haram even though the rizq - whether halal or haram - is from Allah (SWT).

Comments

The current political climate has clouded the correct understanding of rizq in the minds of many Maldivians. Those who ardently support the western led 'reform' process have been lured by material benefit are of the view that supporting a particular party will actually increases their rizq. So, every political party is busy agitating the survival instincts of the people by promising more material benefit. By the same token there are also some who are disinterested in political or societal affairs because they are of the view that their rizq is not going to increase. Also, the few who are against the the reform process led by the secular West are accused by the 'reformists' brigade as 'complacent people' who are just contend with their rizq (or livelihood). 

Refutation of the three arguments:

1) Supporting a particular party is not going to increase to one's rizq because Allah (swt) has fixed our rizq at birth. Supporting a political party is an action, and in Islam, all actions must be referred back to the legislative sources to determine if they are haram or halal. The way this is done is not by opening up the Qur'an and taking a wild guess off the top of one's head. Rather, it is a systematic process that requires understanding the reality (waqi'a) of the issue at hand (in this case, the ideology of the party), gathering all the relevant text from the Islamic legislative sources, and then deducing a Hukm Sharii. However this action of supporting a political party is not going to increase or decrease one's rizq. Earning one's rizq is another distinct action which should be also referred to the same sources to determine if the rizq is haraam or halaal. Islam did not provide a magical formulae to earn ''more'' rizq. Therefore working for one's rizq and supporting political parties are two distinct actions for which we will be accounted by Allah swt.

2) Then, there are others who have decided to stay away from societal affairs because they do not see any potential increase in their livelihood if they engage in political discourses. This isolationist stance is wrong because Islam obliges us to discuss the scheming plots of the enemies and strive to revive the deen. Staying away from societal affairs is not going affect one's rizq whatsoever. 

3) The few sincere Muslims who speak against the secular reformist brigade are  labelled as 'complacent and economically well off people'. Thus suggesting that their uncompromising approach is due to their prosperity. Enjoining the good and forbidding the munkar (all that is bad) is an obligation upon every Muslim regardless of his financial position.In the context of the political situation in Maldives, forbidding the munkar includes intellectually challenging the government as well as the kufr parties. As regards the issue of rizq, everybody has the choice to earn the rizq in the halaal manner. But the amount of rizq should not determine our stance on political issues for they are two distinct issues.

Therefore the issue of political parties and rizq should be disconnected from each other ; both constitute actions which should be referred back to the legislative sources to determine the correct rulings regarding them.

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