Article appeared Friday, April 9th, 2010 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (125) yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

How many living creatures are there on earth that need sustenance or food for survival? For
example, do ants need food for survival? How many ants are there on earth? How many of
these ants have you seen die of starvation? How or Who organizes food for the billions of ants
on earth? Is such a task easy? Allah Enlightens us:
“And We have provided therein (on earth) means of subsistence for you and for those
for whose sustenance you are not responsible.” [15.20]

For those who worry about having too many mouths to feed in a family, Allah Reassures:
“Kill not your children for fear of want: We shall provide sustenance for them as well as
for you: verily the killing of them is a great sin.” [17.31]

What does Allah mean by means of subsistence? Just as ants get organized and help each
other get the food arranged by Allah for them, human beings also have to get organized to get
the food arranged for them. There is adequate food for everyone. Allah tells us exactly how
much provision or ration He arranges for each child on earth:
“… and He sent down for you eight head of cattle in pairs: He makes you in the wombs
of your mothers in stages one after another in three veils of darkness. Such is Allah your
Lord and Cherisher: to Him belongs (all) dominion. There is no god but He: then how are
you turned away (from the truth)?” [39.6]

If Allah can organize food for each and every ant on earth, would it be difficult for Him to
organize food for all the humans on earth? He tells us that with the Creation of every child He
organizes food equivalent to the count of “eight head of cattle in pairs”. Would food equivalent to
sixteen head of cattle be adequate for the lifetime of a person on earth? If so, why does one see
starvation? He tells us the purpose of our sojourn on earth and who will be those who will get
the benefit of the Hereafter:
“… We ask (of) you not to provide sustenance: We provide it for you. But the (fruit of)
the Hereafter is for Righteousness.” [20.132]

Once ants have collected food for their colony, are there ants who prevent other ants from
getting food? For example, has anyone heard of ants hoarding food to inflate food prices? So if
there is adequate food in the world for each child, where is all the food? Noble Prize winner
Amartya Sen points out in his book, Poverty and Famines: An Essay on Entitlement and
Deprivation: “Starvation is not the characteristic of there being not enough food to eat”, i.e. it is
more about the variety of ways access to resources is impeded for selfish gains at local,
national and international levels – deprivation of resources that would allow people to stand on
their own feet.

Is it a surprise that Allah says that the (fruit of) the Hereafter is for righteousness? What is the
righteousness that Allah talks about? Do human beings have something to learn from ants?

2.266 “Does any of you wish that he should have a garden with date-palms and
vines with streams flowing underneath supplying all kinds of fruit while he is
stricken with old age and his children are not strong (enough to look after
themselves); (and) that it (the garden) should be caught in a whirlwind with fire in
it so that it be burnt up? Thus does Allah make clear to you (His) Signs that you
may consider.”
How many of us desire a “garden with date-palms and vines with water flowing underneath
supplying all kinds of fruit”? The garden in the analogy could represent the reward that charity
brings as the preceding Verse 2.265 talks about. Equally the garden could be worldly provision
that Allah has arranged for one as pointed out in the next Verse 2.267. Would one want either
the reward or the provision to be burnt up and no benefit derived subsequently, especially for
the weak ones left behind? The reward of charity can easily be cancelled by reminders of
generosity [2.262 – 2.263] or if charity is given as a show of greatness [2.264].

Equally, as pointed out in the Verse (2.267) below, the reward or provision can be cancelled by
giving of charity with motives other than to please the Creator and to pass the tests that He has
laid out – in this category would be any ulterior motive, e.g. giving aid with strings attached or
with an aim to get profit in return.

2.267 “O you who believe! Give of the good things which you have (honorably)
earned and of the fruits of the earth which We have produced for you and do not
even aim at getting (out of it) anything which is bad in order that out of it you may
give away something when you yourselves would not receive it except with
closed eyes. And know that Allah is free of all wants and worthy of all praise.”
What are the good things one can earn honorably – knowledge, ideas, skills, wealth,
technology, status, power and position? What could be classified as “fruits of the earth” –
agricultural produce, fruits and vegetables of all kinds, milk and dairy products, oil, gas and
energy products, gemstones, minerals and iron – can any resource be classified as not a fruit of
the earth?

Now, out of these things, in what manner should one give? The simple test is ‘would oneself
receive the same gift or charity’? The principle of giving is none other than, ‘do as you would be
done by!’ In the last part of the Verse 2.267 Allah reminds us that giving of charity or even giving
of charity with good motives is not a favor to Him, it is for the salvation of our own souls.
“…and spend in charity for the benefit of your own souls: those saved from the
covetousness of their own souls they are the ones that achieve prosperity.” [64.16]

Covetousness is another word for greed and avarice. Allah enlightens us as to who lures us into
such acts that demonstrate disbelief in the Creator’s sustenance.

2.268 “The Evil One threatens you with poverty and bids you to a conduct
unseemly. Allah promises you His forgiveness and bounties and Allah cares for
all and He knows all things.”