Surah Saba: (39) Say, "Indeed, my Lord..."

Then the Almighty said once again:

{Say, "Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts [it for him]. And whatever you spend of anything - He will replace it, and He is the best of providers."} (Al-Jumu'ah: 39)

This indicates that the bliss of the Hereafter does not negate the blessings of this world. Rather, the righteous may attain worldly blessings while being certain of receiving bliss in the Hereafter based on the promise. This refutes the claim of those who say: "If the immediate (worldly) is for us and the later (Hereafter) is for them, then the immediate is preferable." The response is that this immediate provision is not exclusive to you, for many wretched people are destitute, and many pious people are enjoying comfort.

In this context, there are several issues:

The First Issue

This meaning has been mentioned twice:

1. To clarify that the abundance of their wealth and children does not indicate the goodness of their state or their belief.
2. To clarify that this abundance is not exclusive to them. It is as if He is saying: "The existence of luxury does not indicate nobility." Furthermore, even if we concede that, the believers will still receive it, as God owns your dwellings and your wealth.

What supports this is that God Almighty did not initially say, "for whom He wills of His servants," but rather said, "for whom He wills," and then later said, "for whom He wills of His servants." The addition of "of His servants" is intended to mean the believer.

Secondly, God promised the believer something different from what the disbeliever has. The disbeliever's end is cut off, his wealth is destined for ruin, and his fate is severe punishment. As for the believer, whatever he spends, God replaces it, and God's replacement is better. What is in a person's hand is subject to perishing and destruction, neither of which can affect what is with God as a replacement.

He further emphasized this by saying: {And God is the best of providers.} The superiority of the Provider (God) involves four matters:

1. He does not delay provision until the time of need.
2. He does not give less than the amount needed.
3. He does not trouble one with accountability for it.
4. He does not spoil it by demanding a reward.

God Almighty fulfills all these:

1. Regarding the first point: Because He is All-Knowing and All-Powerful.
2. Regarding the second point: Because He is Vastly Wealthy.
3. Regarding the third point: Because He is Generous. He mentioned this by saying: {He provides without account} (Al-Baqarah: 212). What we mean is that He provides what is lawful for which He does not hold one accountable.
4. Regarding the fourth point: Because He is Sublime and Great. Seeking reward is done by the lower entity from the higher one. Do you not see that a gift from the higher to the lower does not necessitate a reward?

The Second Issue

His saying, {And whatever you spend of anything - He will replace it,} confirms the meaning of the Prophet's saying: (There is no day that dawns upon the servants except that two angels descend, one of whom says, "O Allah, give to the one who spends a replacement," and the other says, "O Allah, give to the one who withholds destruction.")

This is because God is the King, and He is the Rich, the Self-Sufficient. When He says, "Spend, and I will replace it," it is incumbent upon Him by virtue of His promise, just as if someone said, "Throw your belongings into the sea, and it is on my guarantee." Whoever spends has fulfilled the condition for receiving the replacement, so the replacement occurs. Whoever does not spend, the loss is inevitable for the wealth, and he has not fulfilled what warrants the replacement, so it passes away without replacement—that is, destruction.

It is astonishing that if a merchant knows that some of his wealth is subject to destruction, he sells it on credit, even if he is poor, saying this is better than waiting for its destruction. If he does not sell it until it is destroyed, he is considered mistaken. If there is a solvent guarantor, and he still does not sell, he is considered lacking in intellect. If there is collateral and a document written, and he still does not sell, he is considered insane. Yet, everyone does this without realizing that it is close to madness, for all our wealth is subject to certain annihilation. Spending on family and children is a loan, and the solvent Guarantor—God the Sublime—has guaranteed it, as He said: {And whatever you spend of anything - He will replace it.}

Furthermore, God has placed collateral with everyone, whether it is land, a garden, a mill, a bathhouse, or a benefit. A person must have a craft or a source from which he obtains wealth, and all of that is God's property, held by the person as a loan (A'riyah). It is as if it is collateral for the sustenance God has guaranteed. Despite this complete assurance, one refrains from spending and leaves his wealth to perish, receiving neither reward nor gratitude.

The Third Issue

His saying, {the best of providers,} implies the existence of other providers, yet there is no provider except God. What is the answer to this?

We offer two answers:

1. It can be said that God is the best of those providers whom you think are providers, just as in His saying: {and He is the best of creators} (As-Saffat: 125).
2. Attributes are divided into categories:
   • Those that belong to God and the servant truly (e.g., knowledge). God knows that He is One, and the servant knows that he is one, truly. Similarly, knowledge that fire is hot—the difference is that God's knowledge is eternal, and ours is contingent (newly created).
   • Those attributed to God truly, but to the servant metaphorically (e.g., the Provider and the Creator). When the servant gives something to another, God is truly the Giver, but because of the form of giving originating from him, he is called a giver, just as an engraving on a wall is called a horse or a human.
   • Those attributed to God truly, but not to the servant at all, neither truly nor metaphorically, because the servant lacks the reality or form of it (e.g., the Eternal, the Self-Sufficient).

There are also things that are attributed to the servant truly in an absolute sense, but to God metaphorically, such as istiwa' (ascension/settling), descent, companionship, the Hand of God, and the Side of God.

{And [mention] the Day when He will gather them all, then say to the angels, "Were these the ones who used to worship you?" * They will say, "Exalted are You! You are our protector, not them. Rather, they were worshipping the jinn; most of them were believers in them."}