Sustenance in the Qur’an and Narrations

In this paper sustenance is examined from the perspective of the Qur’an and narrations. In the first place, the paper focuses on some questions including: what does sustenance mean? Who is provider? What does this mean that the Transcendent God has made it incumbent upon Himself to provide for his creatures? Is there enough sustenance for all beings? The paper then focuses on the part man plays in obtaining his daily bread and how God determines the sustenance and distribute it as well as the factors that increase or decrease one’s sustenance. Later sections are devoted to responding to the following questions: What does without-reckoning sustenance mean? What does it mean that the sustenance is in the heavens? What is pure sustenance? Can we consider what is earned illegally as sustenance? And the final part of the paper addresses this question: Does substantial sustenance result in man’s rebellion and insubordination?