If only you relied on Allah the way you should, He would provide for you as He provides for birds; they set out hungry in the morning and return satiated in the evening
‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"If only you relied on Allah the way you should, He would provide for you as He provides for birds; they set out hungry in the morning and return satiated in the evening."
Reported by At-Tirmidhi (No. 2344), Ibn Majah (No. 4164) and Ahmad (No. 200, 348, 351).
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urges us to rely upon Allah Almighty in bringing about benefits and warding off evils in terms of worldly and religious affairs, for indeed, no one gives or withholds and causes harm or brings benefit except He, Exalted be He. And that we should pursue the proper means to achieve the benefits and avert the evils while relying on Allah. Once we do this, Allah will provide for us as He provides for birds, who go hungry in the morning and return in the evening with full bellies. This practice of the birds falls under the pursuit of the proper means of seeking sustenance without lethargy and passive reliance.
Lessons
The Hadīth highlights the merit of reliance upon Allah and that it is one of the best means whereby sustenance can be obtained.
Reliance upon Allah does not contradict the pursuit of the proper means, as he informed that true reliance does not run counter to going out in the morning and returning in the evening in search of sustenance.
The Shariah devotes attention to the acts of the heart, as reliance upon Allah falls under this category.
Attachment to the means alone constitutes a deficiency in one's religion, and abandonment of the means denotes a deficiency in one's reason.
Explanation in Arabic
يَحُثُّنا النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أن نَعتَمِد على الله عز وجل في استجلاب المنافع ودفع المضار في أمور الدنيا والدين، فإنه لا يُعطي ولا يَمنع ولا يَضر ولا يَنفع إلا هو سبحانه وتعالى، وأن نفعل الأسباب التي تَجْلُب المنافع وتدفع المضار مع صدق الاعتماد على الله، فمتى فعلنا ذلك رزَقَنا اللهُ كما يرزق الطير التي تخرج صباحًا وهي جياع، ثم تعود مساءً وهي ممتلئة البطون، وهذا الفعلُ من الطير نوعٌ من الأسباب في السعي لطلب الرزق، دون التواكل والتكاسل.
فضيلة التوكل، وأنه من أعظم الأسباب التي يُسْتَجْلَبُ بها الرزق.
التوكل لا ينافي فعل الأسباب، فإنه أخبر أن التوكل الحقيقي لا يضادُّه الغدوُّ والرَّوَاحُ في طلب الرزق.
اهتمام الشريعة بأعمال القلوب؛ لأن التوكل عمل قلبيٌّ.
التعلق بالأسباب فقط نقصٌ في الدين، وترك الأسباب نقصٌ في العقل.
"If only you rely upon Allah the way you should, He will provide for you as He provides for birds: They set out hungry in the morning and return with full bellies in the evening."
