Al-Mulk (The Sovereignty)

21. Who may provide for you if He should withhold His provision? However, they continue to be obdurate in their disobedience and evading the truth.

The preceding blessed Verse and the one in question allude to the causes of human misfortunes. In this respect, vanity, obduracy, disobedience, and evading the truth (‘utu) imply arrogance and transgressing the bounds set by the Truth. The Arabic word nufur connotes expression of disgust and evading the truth which pave the path for rebellion and disobedience which in turn pave the ground for hatred of and distancing from the truth.

It is worthy of note, however, that God Almighty is the only Provider Who provides in this world

(“He created you, then He provided for you,”1 )

the purgatory

(“Nay, they are alive with their Lord and they have provision,”2 ),

and the Hereafter

(“They shall enter Paradise where they shall be provided therein without limit,”3 ).

Thus, the blessed Verse is saying that if God Almighty withholds His Provision, no one may meet your requirements and provide for you. If he commands the heaven to desist from sending down rain, plants may not grow on the earth, and numerous blights may destroy the cultivated lands and no one may provide you with your daily sustenance.

If the spiritual provisions and Divine Revelation be withheld, no one will be able to guide you. These are evident truths, but your obduracy and disobedience serve as veils impeding you from perceiving the truth. Thus, the blessed Verse closes by saying that they continue their obduracy and evading the truth.

It is worthy of note, however, that despite all the advancements in different spheres of human life, particularly those made in the domain of nutrition industries, if it does not rain for one single year, a disaster shall befall throughout the world and if the hosts of locusts and other blights spread every corner, a great disaster shall be inflicted upon the world.