The Most Precious Provision

What is the meaning of rezeki (provision)?

الرِّزْقُ هُوَ كُلُّ مَا أَنْعَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَى عِبَادِهِ
"Rezeki is everything that Allah has blessed His servants with,
مِنْ نِعَمٍ سَوَاءٌ مَادِّيَّةٍ أَوْ مَعْنَوِيَّةٍ
whether it is a tangible or intangible blessing."

Visible Rezeki: Like wealth, a spouse, children, family, health, love, etc.
Invisible Rezeki: Like peace of mind, happiness, affection, etc. Among all provisions, what is the greatest? It is the love of Allah!
How many people are given health and wealth by Allah but still do not attain Allah's love?
They become lazy in praying, lazy in reading the Qur'an.

وَالقَبُولِ وَغَيْرِ ذَٰلِكَ
Also, acceptance from Allah is another form of provision.

What does it mean to be accepted by Allah?
It means that our acts of worship are accepted by Him. This is also a form of rezeki. If we perform acts of worship for years, yet Allah does not accept them, then what use is health or wealth? It would all be in vain—like هباءً منثوراً—all becomes dust scattered.

That is why the Prophets, the companions, and the righteous scholars always feared whether their deeds were accepted. For instance, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) would still fear the non-acceptance of his deeds even though they were done perfectly, for Allah, and for the purpose of spreading the message. After he built the Kaabah, he still prayed:
رَبَّنَا تَقَبَّلْ مِنَّا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ
"Our Lord, accept [this] from us. Indeed You are the All-Hearing, All-Knowing."
Why was he worried? Because those who truly fear Allah, after worshipping, will remain humble and have the fear that it may not be accepted.

If I knew that my worship was accepted, I would wish to die at that moment."

by Umar bin Abdul Aziz

Suppose during Fajr prayer, he received the revelation, "Your prayer has been accepted," then he wished to die right then. Why did he wish that?

Because of the saying:
إِنَّمَا الأَعْمَالُ بِالْخَوَاتِيمِ
"Indeed, the value of deeds depends on the last of them." (Narrated by Al-Bukhari)
If you die at the moment of acceptance, then, insha-Allah, you are confirmed to be a person of paradise.

This is the pinnacle of provision—eternal Jannah (paradise).
What about us? What would we ask for? To die at that moment, or to have a long life?
In our minds, provision means a long life and good health.
But no—the most precious provision is to be able to enter Jannah.

In Surah Muhammad (47:12), Allah says:

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُدۡخِلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ جَنَّٰتٍ تَجۡرِي مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَٰرُ ۖ

"Indeed, Allah will admit those who believe and do righteous deeds to gardens beneath which rivers flow..."

The Second Group
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَتَمَتَّعُونَ
"As for those who disbelieve, they enjoy themselves..."
So, Allah describes the attitude of the disbelievers—they just want to have fun, to enjoy themselves.

وَيَأۡكُلُونَ
"And they eat..."
Eating is a form of provision, right? After having fun, they eat. After eating, they have fun.
Allah says,
كَمَا تَأۡكُلُ ٱلۡأَنۡعَٰمُ
"As the grazing livestock eat."
What is the goal of a goat eating?
It's just for fun, right?
Does a goat think about eating so it can pray or go to a class?
No.
So, anyone who eats without thinking about praying afterward—they are like goats.

Then Allah says,
وَٱلنَّارُ مَثۡوًى لَّهُمۡ
"And the Fire will be a residence for them." (Surah Muhammad 47:12)
SubhanAllah. According to this verse, what is the true provision?
Jannah (paradise)!
This is the real provision—the pinnacle of provision—because it is everlasting.

But before attaining Jannah, what provision do believers receive in this world?
Allah opens their hearts to faith and righteous deeds (ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ).
So, the most valuable provision for a believer in this world is to have faith and do righteous deeds, even if they are poor or living in a cave.
Because ultimately, they will receive the everlasting provision—that is Jannah.

Do the disbelievers receive provision? Yes, they do.
What is it? Food (وَيَأۡكُلُونَ).
The question is, is food really provision if the end is to be thrown into the Fire and be burned?
No!
Provision is whatever leads us to eternal happiness—that is faith and righteous deeds.

This is why true believers do not fear hunger. Rather, they fear losing their faith and missing the opportunity to do righteous deeds.
Why did Allah command the Prophet ﷺ and the companions to migrate to Madinah? Was it because they were running out of food?
No! It was because their acts of worship in Makkah could not be completed as they were meant to, and they were not created to just eat—they were created to worship Allah.
So, when a place does not allow them to fulfill their purpose of worship, they must migrate. It's not about rezeki; it's about worship.
And when the Prophet ﷺ and his companions reached Madinah, did Allah guarantee their provision? He did.