“Have our hearts ever felt anxious, afraid that our sustenance would stop because we chose a path that was in accordance with Islamic law?”
Sometimes we often worry without realizing it. If we’re honest, the client will run away. If we reject a conventional mortgage, when will we ever own a home? Without a “grease line,” how will we win the tender?
Such fears seem normal, but they could be a sign that our understanding of sustenance isn’t quite right. We strive to obey the Shari’a, but on the other hand, we still wonder if this obedience is actually making life difficult. Yet, when we learn to trust and surrender, we begin to realize that life is beautiful when lived with faith and obedience to Allah ﷻ .
That’s precisely where the test of faith lies. Sharia is not a barrier to sustenance, but rather a guide to transforming it into blessings. The problem is, we often only feel confident in Allah’s promises when we see tangible results.
Obedience to Sharia is not a barrier to sustenance
Many people want to be honest but are afraid of losing. They want to be free from usury but are afraid of being homeless. They want to refuse bribes but are afraid of not getting projects.
Even though Allah ﷻ has emphasized:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ
“And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out, and provide for him from sources he could never imagine.”( Quran Surah At-Talaq [65]: 2–3)
The meaning is clear: piety opens the way to sustenance, not blocks it. If we feel like our sustenance is stalled while we’re obedient, it’s probably not because the sharia is too strict, but because our hearts are still half-hearted in their faith.
Please remember, the only provider of sustenance is Allah ﷻ . So, obedience to the Shari’a is not an obstacle. All the promises of Allah ﷻ will be fulfilled, even if sometimes in ways we don’t expect.
Indeed, sometimes fortune comes through efforts we expect, but trials can also come through the purity and sincerity of our activities. When we pass these trials, fortune may not come through the business path we hoped for, but through other, far better and unexpected means.
Also read: The Benefit of Investing Since Youth
Your fortune will surely arrive, but how you achieve it will be tested.
Many people are tired because they are focused on the wrong thing, busy chasing after sustenance, forgetting that sustenance will not come to the wrong address.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَجْمِلُوا فِي الطَّلَبِ فَإِنَّ نَفْسًا لَنْ تَمُوتَ حَتَّى تَسْتَوْفِيَ رِزْقَهَا وَإِنْ أَبْطَأَ عَنْهَا فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَأَجْمِلُوا فِي الطَّلَبِ خُذُوا مَا حَلَّ وَدَعُوا مَا حَرُمَ
“O people, fear Allah and be moderate in seeking a living, for no soul will die until it has received all its provision, even if it is slow in coming. So fear Allah and be moderate in seeking provision; take that which is permissible and leave that which is forbidden.” ( Hadith Narrated by Ibn Majah , no. 2144)
This hadith isn’t just a comforting reminder. It’s a direct guarantee from heaven. It means that as long as we’re alive, our sustenance isn’t finished being distributed. So, there’s no need to fear stagnation in our sustenance; what we need to fear is the wrong way to seek it.
Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah said:
“Whoever is pleased with Allah’s destiny, his heart will be calm in every situation.” ( Madarij as-Salikin , Volume 2)
Therefore, if sustenance feels slow, it doesn’t mean that Allah ﷻ is holding it back, but is teaching us how to obtain it properly.
Also read: The Concept of Sustenance and How It Is Perceived in Islam
When Obedience Becomes a Strong Path, Not a Barrier
People often think that obedience slows down business. In fact, it’s not obedience that slows down business, but hesitation in executing it .
A pious person knows that sustenance isn’t just about the numbers in a bank account, but also about peace of mind . Others are busy cheating to get projects; they’re busy improving their intentions and service. Others are afraid of losing their market, afraid of losing blessings.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَدَعَ شَيْئاً لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلاَّ بَدَّلَكَ اللَّهُ بِهِ مَا هُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْهُ
“Indeed, if you leave something for the sake of Allah, Allah will replace it for you with something better.” (Hadith narrated by Ahmad, 5: 363)
This means that every time we leave something that is forbidden for the sake of Allah ﷻ , we are opening the door to something better, cleaner, calmer, and more blessed .
And interestingly, the more a person adheres to sharia, the more relaxed they feel in the face of competition. Because they realize that the deciding factor is not the client, nor the market, but Allah ﷻ, the All-Powerful .
Also read: How to Build Tawakkal in Allah ﷻ While Doing Business
Conclusion, Let Sharia be a Way, Not Just a Slogan
If we’re honest, everyone wants the same thing: a steady stream of income and a peaceful heart . But those two things will never be found if we continue to be suspicious of Allah’s rules .
Obeying sharia law isn’t just a symbol of being a “good Muslim,” but rather a correct way of thinking about life . What makes life is beautiful isn’t cunning strategies, but the blessings of obedience .
So, if we have been afraid that our sustenance will be stagnant because of our obedience, perhaps what needs to be improved is not our way of doing business, but our way of understanding who the Giver of sustenance really is .
“Sustenance is not about fast or slow, but about where it comes from and what it is used for.”
Also read: Qarun: A Story of Arrogance and Wealth
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Reference
Al-Qur’an Surah Ath-Thalaq [65]: 2–3.
Ibn Majah. Sunan Ibn Majah , Hadith no. 2144. Accessed from: https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah:2144
Ahmad bin Hanbal. Musnad Ahmad , Hadith 5: 363.
Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah. Madarij as-Salikin , Volume 2.
