Az-Zumar (The Groups)

52. Do they not know [yet] that Allah enlarges the provision for whom He wills? Indeed, in this are signs [of Divine Omniscience and Omnipotence] for those who believe.

Man’s knowledge and endeavor are the requisites for gaining provision, but they are not sufficient. He is not supposed to solely rely on his knowledge and capabilities, since everything depends on another Power.

In reply to those who considered their possessions as the fruits of their knowledge and capacities, the Holy Qur’an reminds man to take a glance at the history of ancient peoples and notice that others uttered such claims and experienced the afflictions and torments. It is a historical reply.

Thus the blessed Verse in question produces an intellectual reply:

“Do they not know that Allah enlarges the provision for whom He wills?”

There are many a worthy people overtaken by deprivation, privation, seclusion, and isolation and there exist many an incompetent and weak people enjoying all means of mundane welfare.

Had such means of worldly welfare the fruits of their endeavors and capabilities, there would not have been such discomfort for the worthy merits. It reveals that there is a Powerful Hand behind worldly affairs that manages everything as per a well measured plan.

It is true that man is supposed to make his level best in life and making effort serve as the key to many a problem, but it would be a gross mistake to forget the Cause of all the causes and merely perceive the causes and consider ourselves as the real author of all the causes.

One of secrets of the unfulfilled wishes of some competent and knowledgeable people and the success and prosperity of some incompetent ignorant people is to remind people that they should not lose the thread in the world of causes nor are they supposed to rely on their own capacities.

Thus the blessed Verse ends:

“Indeed, in this are signs [of Divine Omniscience and Omnipotence] for those who believe.”

In this vein, the Commander of the Faithful, Imam ‘Ali (as) says:

“I knew God through the abrogation of decisions, solution of problems, and abrogation of wills.”1

These beacon man’s frailty and weakness so as he may not forget his incompetence and be not ensnared by vanity.