مَفَاتِـيحُ سَعَةِ الرِّزْقِ : Keys to Abundant Sustenance

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ 

In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

مَفَاتِـيحُ سَعَةِ الرِّزْقِ

Keys to Abundant Sustenance 

All praise is due to ALLAH, the Kind to His servants, Who provides sustenance to whom He wills, and He is the All-Strong, the All-Mighty. And I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, Alone, without any partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His servant and His Messenger. He clarified for his nation the reasons for sustenance and encouraged them to pursue them, and may peace and blessings be upon his family, his companions, and whoever follows his path until the Day of Judgment. 

To proceed: Fear Allah, O servants of Allah ; for indeed, piety is the key to all goodness and the path to abundance and sustenance. Allah, the Truth, says in Surah Al Talaq:

وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا 

"And whoever fears Allah – He will make for him a way out and will provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent." (At-Talaq: 2-3) 

O Believers: 

Indeed, sustenance and the expansion of livelihood are in the hand of Allah alone. He distributes it among His servants as He wills. But He, Glorified and Exalted be He, has encouraged His servants to strive in seeking sustenance and earning their livelihood. Our Lord, exalted be His Majesty, says in Surah Al Mulk:

هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِن رِزْقِهِ، وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ

"It is He who made the earth subservient to you, so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision – and to Him is the resurrection." (Al-Mulk: 15) 

And He, Glorified be He, has made available means that help the seeker in the blessing of his effort and the abundance of his sustenance. If he adopts them, he will attain a significant share of goodness. And if he adheres to them, his hope will not be disappointed in this world or the Hereafter. Among these means is the fear of Allah Almighty. 

For it is one of the greatest and most significant keys to sustenance. Our Lord, magnified be His glory, says in Surah Al Araf:

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى ءَامَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ 

"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;" (Al-A'raf: 96) 

And there is no wonder, O intelligent ones, that seeking forgiveness is closely associated with piety in the abundance and multiplicity of good things. Do you not see that Allah Almighty says in Surah Hud:

وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعَكُم مَّتَاعًا حَسَنًا إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ 

"And [saying], 'Seek forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him. He will let you enjoy a good provision for a specified term and give every doer of favor his due favor.'" (Hud: 3) 

And the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not abandon seeking forgiveness. 

Seyyedina Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: "By Allah, I seek forgiveness from Allah and repent to Him more than seventy times a day." 

O Muslims: 

Indeed, among Allah Almighty's mercy to His servants is that He made maintaining kinship ties and showing kindness to relatives among the causes of abundant sustenance. On the authority of Seyyedina ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever wishes that his sustenance be expanded for him or that his lifespan be extended, let him maintain his ties of kinship." In this Hadith, there is a right upon maintaining kinship ties, and in it is a clarification for the increase of sustenance and the expansion of good. And the Prophet (peace be upon him) was keen on visiting his relatives and being kind to them and he is the great example that a Muslim must follow in his life. 

And know, O servants of Allah, that among the results of your kindness and spending on those in need is that it will return to you with benefit and prosperity. Allah Almighty says in Surah Saba:

قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ، وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُ وَمَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ، وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ 

"Say, 'Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills of His servants and restricts it for him. But whatever thing you spend [in His cause] – He will compensate it; and He is the best of providers.'" (Saba: 39) 

So fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and seize the means of abundant sustenance , and avoid disobeying your Lord.

For disobedience is a lock to goodness and a remover of mercy. Indeed, a man is deprived of sustenance because of a sin he commits. ALLAH says in Surah Al Araf:

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى ءَامَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَكِن كَذَّبُوا فَأَخَذْنَهُم بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ 

"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 [instead], they denied, so We seized them for what they were earning." (Al-A'raf: 96) 

I say what you hear, and I seek forgiveness from Allah Almighty for myself and for you. So seek His forgiveness, and He will forgive you; indeed, He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. And supplicate to Him, and He will respond to you; indeed, He is the Most Benevolent, the Most Generous. 

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All praise is due to Allah, the Guardian, the Appreciative, Who brings His allies out of darkness into light. And we bear witness that there is no god but Allah, Alone, without any partner. And we bear witness that our master Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the Messenger of Allah. And may peace and blessings be upon his family and his pious companions , and whoever follows his footsteps until the Day the Trumpet is blown. 

To proceed, O servants of Allah: Know that relying upon Allah Almighty in life in general, and in earning sustenance in particular, brings nothing but good to a person. And in the Hadith, from the Prophet (peace be upon him): "If you were to rely upon Allah with true reliance, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds; they go out hungry in the morning and return with full stomachs in the evening." And a Muslim should train himself to rely upon Allah; 

For that is His command, Glorified be He, to His Prophet as He says in Surah Al Ahzab:

وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا 

"And rely upon Allah; and sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs." (Al-Ahzab: 48) 

And be, O servant of Allah, among those who have a good opinion of their Lord after relying upon Him. For in the Qudsi Hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) narrates from his Lord, the Mighty and Exalted: "I am as My servant expects Me to be, so let him expect what he wishes from Me." However, O servants of Allah, reliance is not an intention without action. Rather, a Muslim must strive in action after sincere reliance. Allah Almighty encourages His servants to strive in seeking sustenance after performing worship, saying in Surah Al Juma

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَوةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ 

"And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed." (Al-Jumu'ah: 10) 

So fear Allah, O servants of Allah, and remember the saying of your Lord, Exalted and Elevated as He says in Surah Hud:

وَلِلَّهِ غَيْبُ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَإِلَيْهِ يُرْجَعُ الْأَمْرُ كُلُّهُ فَاعْبُدْهُ وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَا رَبُّكَ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ 

"And to Allah belongs the unseen [aspects] of the heavens and the earth. And to Him will be returned the whole affair. So worship Him and rely upon Him. And your Lord is not unaware of that which you do." (Hud: 123) 

This being so, send blessings and peace upon the Imam of the Messengers, Muhammad the Guiding, the Trustworthy, for your Lord has commanded you to do so when He said:

O servants of Allah, remember this command of ALLAH:

قُلۡ يَـٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَسۡرَفُواْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ لَا تَقۡنَطُواْ مِن رَّحۡمَةِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَغۡفِرُ ٱلذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا‌ۚ إِنَّهُ ۥ هُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

Say: "O 'Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh, verily Allâh forgives all sins. Truly, He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Surah Az Zumr – 53

هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى إمَامِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ؛ مُحَمَّدٍ الهَادِي الأَمِينِ، فَقَدْ أَمَرَكُمْ رَبكُمْ بذَلكَ حينَ قَالَ

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَمَلَـٰٓٮِٕڪَتَهُ ۥ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِىِّۚ يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ صَلُّواْ عَلَيۡهِ وَسَلِّمُواْ تَسۡلِيمًا

Surah Al Ahzaab – 56

So pray and send peace upon the leader of the messengers, Muhammad, the guide and trustworthy. Your Lord has commanded you to do so when He said: “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, send blessings upon him and salute him with a worthy salutation.” 

He says in Surah Al Ahzab: ALLAH and His kingdom send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, pray upon him and grant him peace.

Surah Al Ahzaab – 56

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وسَلِّم عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ وسَلَّمتَ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ، وَبَارِكْ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ كَمَا بَارَكْتَ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَعَلَى آلِ نَبِيِّنَا إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي الْعَالَمِينَ، إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ، وَارْضَ اللَّهُمَّ عَنْ خُلَفَائِهِ الرَّاشِدِينَ، وَعَنْ أَزْوَاجِهِ أُمَّهَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَعَنْ سَائِرِ الصَّحَابَةِ أَجْمَعِينَ، وَعَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ، وعَنْ جَمْعِنَا هَذَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

O ALLAH, bless and grant peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon the family of our Prophet Muhammad, as You prayed and peace upon our Prophet Abraham and upon the family of our Prophet Abraham, and bless our Prophet Muhammad and the family of our Prophet Muhammad, just as You blessed our Prophet Abraham and the family of our Prophet Abraham in the worlds. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. And be pleased, O Allah, with his Rightly-Guided Caliphs, and with his wives, the Mothers of the Believers, and with all the rest of the Companions, and with the believing men and women, and with this gathering of ours, by Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ جَمْعَنَا هَذَا جَمْعًا مَرْحُوْمًا، وَاجْعَلْ تَفَرُّقَنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِ تَفَرُّقًا مَعْصُوْمًا وَلا تَدَعْ فِينَا وَلا مَعَنَا شَقِيًّا وَلا مَحْرُومًا

Oh ALLAH, make this gathering of us a merciful gathering, and make our separation after it an infallible separation, and do not leave among us or with us any wretched or deprived.

اللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلامَ وَاهْدِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَى الْحَقِّ، وَاجْمعْ كَلِمَتَهُمْ عَلَى الخَيْرِ، وَاكْسِرْ شَوْكَةَ الظَّالِمِينَ، وَاكْتُبِ السَّلامَ وَالأَمْنَ لِعِبادِكَ أَجْمَعِينَ

Oh ALLAH, honor Islam, guide Muslims to the truth, unite their words in goodness, break the power of the oppressors, and grant peace and security to your servants. All of them. 

اللَّهُمَّ كُنْ عَوْنًا لإِخْوَانِنَا فِي أَرْضِ الأَقْصَى المُبَارَكِ، وَكُنْ مَعَهُمْ وَثَبِّـتْهُمْ وَارْبِطْ عَلَى قُلُوبِهِمْ وَصَبِّرْهُمْ، وَاخْذُلْ عَدُوَّكَ وَعَدُوَّهُمْ، وَاجْعَلِ الدَّائِرَةَ عَلَيْهِ يَا ذَا الجَلالِ وَالإِكْرَامِ

O Allah, be a helper to our brothers in the blessed land of Al-Aqsa, be with them, strengthen them, strengthen their hearts, and grant them patience. Disappoint Your enemy and their enemy, and turn the tables on him, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الثَّباتَ فِي الأَمْرِ، وَالعَزِيمَةَ عَلَى الرُّشْدِ، ونَسْأَلُكَ شُكْرَ نِعْمَتِكَ، وَحُسْنَ عِبَادَتِكَ، ونَسْأَلُكَ قُلُوبًا سَلِيمةً وأَلْسِنةً صَادِقةً، ونَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا تَعْلَمُ، وَنعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا تَعْلَمُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُكَ لِمَا تَعْلَمُ

O Allah, we ask You for steadfastness in our affairs and determination to do what is right. We ask You for gratitude for Your blessings and proper worship of You. We ask You for sound hearts and truthful tongues. We ask You for the best of what You know and seek refuge in You from the worst of what You know. We seek Your forgiveness for what You know.

اللَّهُمَّ يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّومُ يَا ذَا الجَلالِ وَالإِكْرَامِ، لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ بِكَ نَستَجِيرُ وَبِرَحْمَتِكَ نَستَغِيثُ أَلاَّ تَكِلَنَا إِلَى أَنفُسِنَا طَرفَةَ عَينٍ، وَلاَ أَدنَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَأَصلِحْ لَنَا شَأْنَنَا كُلَّهُ يَا مُصلِحَ شَأْنِ الصَّالِحِينَ

Oh ALLAH, O Ever-Living, O Ever-Living, O Possessor of Majesty and Honour, there is no god but You, Glory be to You, by You we seek refuge and by Your mercy we seek help, that you will not leave us to Our souls are within the blink of an eye, and nothing is closer than that. And rectify for us all our affairs, O Reconciliator, the affairs of the righteous.

اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا احْفَظْ أَوْطَانَنَا وَأَعِزَّ سُلْطَانَنَا وَأَيِّدْهُ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَيِّدْ بِهِ الْحَقَّ يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِينَ، اللَّهُمَّ أَسْبِغْ عَلَيْهِ نِعمَتَكَ، وَأَيِّدْهُ بِنُورِ حِكْمَتِكَ، وَسَدِّدْهُ بِتَوفِيقِكَ، وَاحفَظْهُ بِعَينِ رعَايَتِكَ

Oh ALLAH, our Lord, protect our countries, honor our authority, support it with the truth, and support it with the truth, O Lord of the worlds. Oh God, bestow your blessing upon him, Support it with the light of your wisdom, guide it with your blessings, and protect it with your care.

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ بَرَكَاتِ السَّمَاء وَأَخْرِجْ لَنَا مِنْ خَيْرَاتِ الأَرْضِ، وَبَارِكْ لَنَا في ثِمَارِنَا وَزُرُوعِنَا وكُلِّ أَرزَاقِنَا يَا ذَا الْجَلالِ وَالإِكْرَامِ

O ALLAH, send down upon us from the blessings of the sky and bring forth for us from the goodness of the earth, and bless for us our fruits and our crops and all our provisions, O Possessor of Majesty and Generosity.

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا في الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالمُؤْمِنَات، المُسْلِمِينَ وَالمُسْلِمَات، الأَحْيَاءِ مِنْهُمْ وَالأَمْوَاتِ، إِنَّكَ سَمِيعٌ قَرِيبٌ مُجِيبُ الدُّعَاءِ

O ALLAH, forgive the believing men and women, the Muslim men and women, the living and the dead among them. Indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the Near, the Answerer of supplications.

عِبَادَ الله

 إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِ وَٱلۡإِحۡسَـٰنِ وَإِيتَآىِٕ ذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَيَنۡهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلۡفَحۡشَآءِ وَٱلۡمُنڪَرِ وَٱلۡبَغۡىِ‌ۚ يَعِظُكُمۡ لَعَلَّڪُمۡ تَذَكَّرُونَ

O servants of ALLAH - Indeed, ALLAH commands justice and good deeds, and bestows favor on relatives, and forbids indecency. And the denier and the transgressor admonish you that you may remember.

Surah An Nahl-90

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وآخر دعوانا ان الحمد للہ رب العالمین- سبحان ربک رب العزة عما يصفون، وسلام على المرسلين، والحمد لله رب العالمين