Ar-Razzaq (الرزاق): Meaning of Allah’s Name

The One Who provides for all of His servants, there is not a creature on the earth except that Allaah provides for it. His providing for His servants is of two types:

The general provision which extends to the righteous and the sinner, the first and the last. This is the provision that is required by the bodies.

The specific provision - this being granted to the hearts, nourishing them with knowledge and faith. Also the lawful provision that has been appointed for the benefit of the religion, this being specific to the believers and apportioned in accordance to their differing levels and what His Wisdom and Mercy dictates.

"Say: Come I will recite to you what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not anything in worship with Him; be good and dutiful to your parents; kill not your children because of poverty - We provide sustenance for you and for them; come not near shameful sins whether openly or secretly; kill not anyone who Allaah has forbidden except for a just cause. This He has commanded you that you may understand." (6:151)

"I created man and jinn only that they may worship Me. I seek not any provisions from them nor do I ask that they feed Me. Indeed Allaah is the Provider, Owner of Power - the Most Strong." (51: 56-58)

The Exalted, said: “And provide us with sustenance, for You are the Best of sustainers.” (Al-Maidah: 114).

And the Praiseworthy, said: “Verily, Allah is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong.” (Adh-Dhariyat: 58).

Peace be upon him, said: “God is Al-Musaeer, Al-Qabedd, Al-Basett, Ar-Raziq.”

The Linguistic Meaning:

Ar-Razzaq is the extreme of the provider.

Ar-Rezq: Is the constant donation, whether in this life or in the Hereafter. Ar-Rezq has 2 types: apparent which is for the body, such as food, and hidden and this is for the heart and the self such as knowledge and science.

He is the All-Provider, Constant Provider, to all creatures, giving food to every creature, providing it to believers and disbelievers, and also giving it to both the weak and the strong. His Sustenance for His slaves has 2 types: a type with reason: He made agriculture, trade and industry tools (means) by which people get the requested results, for He, the Exalted, said: “ And We have provided therein means of living .” (Al-Hijr: 20) Meaning causes of livelihood. The other type, God provides it to the slave without a cause: God gives the slave divine sustenance or gift without having the slave to do anything, for it is a gift destined for the slave, with or without the slave’s asking.

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