Verses about Livelihood

Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you. And Allah determines [the extent of] the night and the day. He has known that you [Muslims] will not be able to do it and has turned to you in forgiveness, so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur’an. He has known that there will be among you those who are ill and others traveling throughout the land seeking [something] of the bounty of Allah and others fighting for the cause of Allah. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves - you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

And to whom I granted extensive wealth

And spread [everything] before him, easing [his life].

His wealth will not avail him or that which he gained.

And as for man, when his Lord tries him and [thus] is generous to him and favors him, he says, ‘ My Lord has honored me.’

And your Lord is going to give you, and you will be satisfied.

For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.

And that [incumbent] upon Him is the next creation

Then let mankind look at his food -

Let them worship the Lord of this House,

And We have sent down blessed rain from the sky and made grow thereby gardens and grain from the harvest

Follow, [O mankind], what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow other than Him any allies. Little do you remember.

And We have certainly established you upon the earth and made for you therein ways of livelihood. Little are you grateful.

Say, ‘ Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has produced for His servants and the good [lawful] things of provision?’ Say, ‘ They are for those who believe during the worldly life [but] exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection.’ Thus do We detail the verses for a people who know.

And the companions of the Fire will call to the companions of Paradise, ‘ Pour upon us some water or from whatever Allah has provided you.’ They will say, ‘ Indeed, Allah has forbidden them both to the disbelievers.’

And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning.’

And We divided them into twelve descendant tribes [as distinct] nations. And We inspired to Moses when his people implored him for water, ‘ Strike with your staff the stone,’ and there gushed forth from it twelve springs. Every people knew its watering place. And We shaded them with clouds and sent down upon them manna and quails, [saying], ‘ Eat from the good things with which We have provided you.’ And they wronged Us not, but they were [only] wronging themselves.

And a sign for them is the dead earth. We have brought it to life and brought forth from it grain, and from it they eat.

And when it is said to them, ‘ Spend from that which Allah has provided for you,’ those who disbelieve say to those who believe, ‘ Should we feed one whom, if Allah had willed, He would have fed? You are not but in clear error.’

Whatever Allah grants to people of mercy - none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds - none can release it thereafter. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah and establish prayer and spend [in His cause] out of what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, [can] expect a profit that will never perish -

[Saying], ‘ Eat from the good things with which We have provided you and do not transgress [or oppress others] therein, lest My anger should descend upon you. And he upon whom My anger descends has certainly fallen.’

[Allah] said, ‘ Descend from Paradise - all, [your descendants] being enemies to one another. And if there should come to you guidance from Me - then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter].

And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [its being but] the splendor of worldly life by which We test them. And the provision of your Lord is better and more enduring.

And make [the thanks for] your provision that you deny [the Provider]?

And it is He who feeds me and gives me drink.

Is He [not best] who begins creation and then repeats it and who provides for you from the heaven and earth? Is there a deity with Allah? Say, ‘ Produce your proof, if you should be truthful.’

Those will be given their reward twice for what they patiently endured and [because] they avert evil through good, and from what We have provided them they spend.

And they say, ‘ If we were to follow the guidance with you, we would be swept from our land.’ Have we not established for them a safe sanctuary to which are brought the fruits of all things as provision from Us? But most of them do not know.

Indeed, Qarun was from the people of Moses, but he tyrannized them. And We gave him of treasures whose keys would burden a band of strong men; thereupon his people said to him, ‘ Do not exult. Indeed, Allah does not like the exultant.

And We caused the earth to swallow him and his home. And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allah, nor was he of those who [could] defend themselves.

To each [category] We extend - to these and to those - from the gift of your Lord. And never has the gift of your Lord been restricted.

Indeed, your Lord extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. Indeed He is ever, concerning His servants, Acquainted and Seeing.

It is your Lord who drives the ship for you through the sea that you may seek of His bounty. Indeed, He is ever, to you, Merciful.

And We have certainly honored the children of Adam and carried them on the land and sea and provided for them of the good things and preferred them over much of what We have created, with [definite] preference.

And when We bestow favor upon the disbeliever, he turns away and distances himself; and when evil touches him, he is ever despairing.

Say, ‘ Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? Or who controls hearing and sight and who brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and who arranges [every] matter?’ They will say, ‘ Allah,’ so say, ‘ Then will you not fear Him?’

Say, ‘ Have you seen what Allah has sent down to you of provision of which you have made [some] lawful and [some] unlawful?’ Say, ‘ Has Allah permitted you [to do so], or do you invent [something] about Allah?’

And We had certainty settled the Children of Israel in an agreeable settlement and provided them with good things. And they did not differ until [after] knowledge had come to them. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over which they used to differ

And if Allah should touch you with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him; and if He intends for you good, then there is no repeller of His bounty. He causes it to reach whom He wills of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful

And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision, and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register.

So when they entered upon Joseph, they said, ‘ O ‘Azeez, adversity has touched us and our family, and we have come with goods poor in quality, but give us full measure and be charitable to us. Indeed, Allah rewards the charitable.’

And the earth - We have spread it and cast therein firmly set mountains and caused to grow therein [something] of every well-balanced thing.

Those will have lost who killed their children in foolishness without knowledge and prohibited what Allah had provided for them, inventing untruth about Allah. They have gone astray and were not [rightly] guided.

Say, ‘ Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with Him, and to parents, good treatment, and do not kill your children out of poverty; We will provide for you and them. And do not approach immoralities - what is apparent of them and what is concealed. And do not kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed] except by [legal] right. This has He instructed you that you may use reason.’

But not the chosen servants of Allah.

Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent? But of the people is he who disputes about Allah without knowledge or guidance or an enlightening Book [from Him].

That He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds. Those will have forgiveness and noble provision.

There was for [the tribe of] Saba’ in their dwelling place a sign: two [fields of] gardens on the right and on the left. [They were told], ‘ Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land [have you], and a forgiving Lord.’

Say, ‘ Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth?’ Say, ‘ Allah. And indeed, we or you are either upon guidance or in clear error.’

And they said, ‘ We are more [than the believers] in wealth and children, and we are not to be punished.’

And when adversity touches man, he calls upon Us; then when We bestow on him a favor from Us, he says, ‘ I have only been given it because of [my] knowledge.’ Rather, it is a trial, but most of them do not know.

It is He who shows you His signs and sends down to you from the sky, provision. But none will remember except he who turns back [in repentance].

It is Allah who made for you the earth a place of settlement and the sky a ceiling and formed you and perfected your forms and provided you with good things. That is Allah, your Lord; then blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.

And He placed on the earth firmly set mountains over its surface, and He blessed it and determined therein its [creatures’] sustenance in four days without distinction - for [the information] of those who ask.

Man is not weary of supplication for good [things], but if evil touches him, he is hopeless and despairing.

To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. He extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. Indeed He is, of all things, Knowing.

Allah is Subtle with His servants; He gives provisions to whom He wills. And He is the Powerful, the Exalted in Might.

And if Allah had extended [excessively] provision for His servants, they would have committed tyranny throughout the earth. But He sends [it] down in an amount which He wills. Indeed He is, of His servants, Acquainted and Seeing.

And those who have responded to their lord and established prayer and whose affair is [determined by] consultation among themselves, and from what We have provided them, they spend.

Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may make use of one another for service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate.

And [in] the alternation of night and day and [in] what Allah sends down from the sky of provision and gives life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and [in His] directing of the winds are signs for a people who reason.

And We did certainly give the Children of Israel the Scripture and judgement and prophethood, and We provided them with good things and preferred them over the worlds.

And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised.

I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me.

And if you should count the favors of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.

And whatever you have of favor - it is from Allah. Then when adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help.

And they assign to what they do not know a portion of that which We have provided them. By Allah, you will surely be questioned about what you used to invent.

And indeed, for you in grazing livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from what is in their bellies - between excretion and blood - pure milk, palatable to drinkers.

And Allah has favored some of you over others in provision. But those who were favored would not hand over their provision to those whom their right hands possess so they would be equal to them therein. Then is it the favor of Allah they reject?

Allah presents an example: a slave [who is] owned and unable to do a thing and he to whom We have provided from Us good provision, so he spends from it secretly and publicly. Can they be equal? Praise to Allah! But most of them do not know.

They recognize the favor of Allah; then they deny it. And most of them are disbelievers.

And Allah presents an example: a city which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allah. So Allah made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.

Then eat of what Allah has provided for you [which is] lawful and good. And be grateful for the favor of Allah, if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.

And give you increase in wealth and children and provide for you gardens and provide for you rivers.

And Allah has caused you to grow from the earth a [progressive] growth.

[O Muhammad], tell My servants who have believed to establish prayer and spend from what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, before a Day comes in which there will be no exchange, nor any friendships.

Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House, our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide for them from the fruits that they might be grateful.

Or do you, [O Muhammad], ask them for payment? But the reward of your Lord is best, and He is the best of providers.

They arise from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend.

Or have they the depositories [containing the provision] of your Lord? Or are they the controllers [of them]?

It is He who made the earth tame for you - so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision - and to Him is the resurrection.

Or who is it that could provide for you if He withheld His provision? But they have persisted in insolence and aversion.

He extracted from it its water and its pasture,

He presents to you an example from yourselves. Do you have among those whom your right hands possess any partners in what We have provided for you so that you are equal therein [and] would fear them as your fear of one another [within a partnership]? Thus do We detail the verses for a people who use reason.

And when We let the people taste mercy, they rejoice therein, but if evil afflicts them for what their hands have put forth, immediately they despair.

Allah is the one who created you, then provided for you, then will cause you to die, and then will give you life. Are there any of your ‘ partners’ who does anything of that? Exalted is He and high above what they associate with Him.

It is Allah who sends the winds, and they stir the clouds and spread them in the sky however He wills, and He makes them fragments so you see the rain emerge from within them. And when He causes it to fall upon whom He wills of His servants, immediately they rejoice

You only worship, besides Allah, idols, and you produce a falsehood. Indeed, those you worship besides Allah do not possess for you [the power of] provision. So seek from Allah provision and worship Him and be grateful to Him. To Him you will be returned.’

And how many a creature carries not its [own] provision. Allah provides for it and for you. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

Allah extends provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts for him. Indeed Allah is, of all things, Knowing.

Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them,

[He] who made for you the earth a bed [spread out] and the sky a ceiling and sent down from the sky, rain and brought forth thereby fruits as provision for you. So do not attribute to Allah equals while you know [that there is nothing similar to Him].

And give good tidings to those who believe and do righteous deeds that they will have gardens [in Paradise] beneath which rivers flow. Whenever they are provided with a provision of fruit therefrom, they will say, ‘ This is what we were provided with before.’ And it is given to them in likeness. And they will have therein purified spouses, and they will abide therein eternally.

And We shaded you with clouds and sent down to you manna and quails, [saying], ‘ Eat from the good things with which We have provided you.’ And they wronged Us not - but they were [only] wronging themselves.

And [recall] when Moses prayed for water for his people, so We said, ‘ Strike with your staff the stone.’ And there gushed forth from it twelve springs, and every people knew its watering place. ‘ Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.’

And [mention] when Abraham said, ‘ My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its people with fruits - whoever of them believes in Allah and the Last Day.’ [Allah] said. ‘ And whoever disbelieves - I will grant him enjoyment for a little; then I will force him to the punishment of the Fire, and wretched is the destination.’

And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient,

O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.

Beautified for those who disbelieve is the life of this world, and they ridicule those who believe. But those who fear Allah are above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah gives provision to whom He wills without account.

O you who have believed, spend from that which We have provided for you before there comes a Day in which there is no exchange and no friendship and no intercession. And the disbelievers - they are the wrongdoers.

The ones who establish prayer, and from what We have provided them, they spend.

And remember when you were few and oppressed in the land, fearing that people might abduct you, but He sheltered you, supported you with His victory, and provided you with good things - that you might be grateful.

And know that your properties and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a great reward.

That is because Allah would not change a favor which He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves. And indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.

But those who have believed and emigrated and fought in the cause of Allah and those who gave shelter and aided - it is they who are the believers, truly. For them is forgiveness and noble provision.

You cause the night to enter the day, and You cause the day to enter the night; and You bring the living out of the dead, and You bring the dead out of the living. And You give provision to whom You will without account.’

So her Lord accepted her with good acceptance and caused her to grow in a good manner and put her in the care of Zechariah. Every time Zechariah entered upon her in the prayer chamber, he found with her provision. He said, ‘ O Mary, from where is this [coming] to you?’ She said, ‘ It is from Allah. Indeed, Allah provides for whom He wills without account.’

And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision,

And whoever of you devoutly obeys Allah and His Messenger and does righteousness - We will give her her reward twice; and We have prepared for her a noble provision.

And what [harm would come] upon them if they believed in Allah and the Last Day and spent out of what Allah provided for them? And Allah is ever, about them, Knowing.

And whoever emigrates for the cause of Allah will find on the earth many [alternative] locations and abundance. And whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him - his reward has already become incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.

[This is] so that the People of the Scripture may know that they are not able [to obtain] anything from the bounty of Allah and that [all] bounty is in the hand of Allah; He gives it to whom He wills. And Allah is the possessor of great bounty.

And those who are patient, seeking the countenance of their Lord, and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided for them secretly and publicly and prevent evil with good - those will have the good consequence of [this] home -

Allah extends provision for whom He wills and restricts [it]. And they rejoice in the worldly life, while the worldly life is not, compared to the Hereafter, except [brief] enjoyment.

And when they have [nearly] fulfilled their term, either retain them according to acceptable terms or part with them according to acceptable terms. And bring to witness two just men from among you and establish the testimony for [the acceptance of] Allah. That is instructed to whoever should believe in Allah and the Last day. And whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out

Let a man of wealth spend from his wealth, and he whose provision is restricted - let him spend from what Allah has given him. Allah does not charge a soul except [according to] what He has given it. Allah will bring about, after hardship, ease.

[He sent] a Messenger [Muhammad] reciting to you the distinct verses of Allah that He may bring out those who believe and do righteous deeds from darknesses into the light. And whoever believes in Allah and does righteousness - He will admit him into gardens beneath which rivers flow to abide therein forever. Allah will have perfected for him a provision.

Evil words are for evil men, and evil men are [subjected] to evil words. And good words are for good men, and good men are [an object] of good words. Those [good people] are declared innocent of what the slanderers say. For them is forgiveness and noble provision.

That Allah may reward them [according to] the best of what they did and increase them from His bounty. And Allah gives provision to whom He wills without account.

That they may witness benefits for themselves and mention the name of Allah on known days over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. So eat of them and feed the miserable and poor.

And for all religion We have appointed a rite [of sacrifice] that they may mention the name of Allah over what He has provided for them of [sacrificial] animals. For your god is one God, so to Him submit. And, [O Muhammad], give good tidings to the humble [before their Lord]

And those who have believed and done righteous deeds - for them is forgiveness and noble provision.

And those who emigrated for the cause of Allah and then were killed or died - Allah will surely provide for them a good provision. And indeed, it is Allah who is the best of providers.

And spend [in the way of Allah] from what We have provided you before death approaches one of you and he says, ‘ My Lord, if only You would delay me for a brief term so I would give charity and be among the righteous.’

O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu’ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.

And eat of what Allah has provided for you [which is] lawful and good. And fear Allah, in whom you are believers.

Said Jesus, the son of Mary, ‘ O Allah, our Lord, send down to us a table [spread with food] from the heaven to be for us a festival for the first of us and the last of us and a sign from You. And provide for us, and You are the best of providers.’

Say, [O Muhammad], ‘ If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.’

O you who have believed, indeed the polytheists are unclean, so let them not approach al-Masjid al-Haram after this, their [final] year. And if you fear privation, Allah will enrich you from His bounty if He wills. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Wise.

If only they had been satisfied with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and said, ‘ Sufficient for us is Allah; Allah will give us of His bounty, and [so will] His Messenger; indeed, we are desirous toward Allah,’ [it would have been better for them].