Indonesia
The Director of Postgraduate Program, Prof. M. Mas’ud Said, MM., Ph.D., delivered a short post-Dhuhr lecture (kultum) on the essence of sustenance (rizki) at the Ainul Yaqin Mosque, Universitas Islam Malang, on 17 June 2020.
He conveyed that the true nature of sustenance is vast and far-reaching, citing the Qur’anic verse: “Wa in ta’uddu ni’matallahi la tuhsuha” “And if you were to count the blessings of Allah, you could never enumerate them. Truly, Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah An-Nahl: 18)
Many of us tend to equate sustenance with material possessions alone. However, as one reaches a certain age, this perspective often shifts and the understanding emerges that sustenance extends far beyond worldly things, beyond wealth, status, and access to education or governance.
Prof. Mas’ud reflected that there is no symmetrical relationship between hard work, income, and sustenance. He observed that some people do not work particularly hard, yet earn considerably, simply by virtue of holding a certain position.
Some among the wealthy fall into a first error: the inability to be grateful. Such a person forgets that what they possess belongs ultimately not to themselves alone, and fails to give back to those in need.
The second error of some among the wealthy is falling into the trap of greed an insatiable appetite that renders them incapable of experiencing genuine happiness, creating an inherent asymmetry between material accumulation and true peace and contentment.
The kultum was closed with an earnest invitation to be grateful for all forms of sustenance in our lives with a reminder that good health, too, is among the most precious blessings bestowed upon us. (AL/PPS)
