وَفِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ 22
Translations
And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised.
Transliteration
Wa fi as-sama'i rizqukum wa ma tu'adun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that sustenance (rizq) and all promised blessings are in the heavens, meaning they originate from Allah's divine provision and are decreed in the heavens before manifestation on earth. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this to mean that all provisions—material and spiritual—are predetermined by Allah and descend from the heavens as divine grace. The phrase 'what you are promised' refers to ultimate rewards and blessings, emphasizing that trust in Allah's provision should be absolute since He alone controls all sources of sustenance.
Revelation Context
Surah Adh-Dhariyat was revealed in Mecca during a period when the polytheists rejected the message of monotheism and divine providence. This ayah appears within a series of verses emphasizing Allah's power and provision to encourage believers to place their trust in Him alone rather than in material means or false gods.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Everyone of you will be collected on the Day of Resurrection on a place he knows' (Sahih Muslim 2858). Also relevant is the hadith: 'No soul will die until it completes its appointed term and gets what is decreed for it' (Sunan Ibn Majah 76), emphasizing predetermined sustenance.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that all sustenance comes from Allah and is already decreed in the heavens, encouraging complete reliance on God rather than anxiety about material needs. For modern readers, it serves as a reminder that pursuing lawful means while maintaining trust in Allah is the balanced Islamic approach to livelihood.