Page 204 - Names of Allah

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The All-Provider
Truly, Allah is the Provider, the Possessor of Strength, the
Sure. (Surat adh-Dhariyat, 51:58)

Imagine that you open your eyes in a world without mountains
or oceans; with black, very dry and barren land; without animals or
food for human beings, except for grass; and with infertile soil and
water located hundreds of kilometers away. In order to survive, you
would eat only that bitter grass and walk hundreds of kilometers to
drink water. And, after a life of hardship, you would die.
Interestingly, you would never ask: “Why can’t we grow juicy, deli-
cious fruits, vegetables, and various other crops in this land?” be-
cause you would not even be aware that the land could yield such
crops.
Allah, Who is very compassionate and merciful toward His ser-
vants, places people on fertile lands that yield countless blessings.
Indeed, even without tilling them, lands yield green crops and clus-
ters of flowers. Yellow, red, green, and orange fruits and vegetables
come out of the soil, and the blue oceans abound with tasty fish.
These aside, Allah places the meat of most animals and birds at our
service, and gives them pure milk and honey. All of these are all
blessings from Allah.
As Allah informs us in “Who is there who could provide for
you if He withholds His provision? Yet still they obstinately per-
sist in insolence and evasion” (Surat al-Mulk, 67:21), if He wills,
lands do not yield crops, rain does not fall, and soil turns barren. But
since Allah is Most Gracious, Most Merciful, it is impossible to num-

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