Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Manifestations of the All-Merciful O Allāh, Satisfy Every Hungry Person أَللٌّهُمَّ أَشْبِعْ كُلَّ جَائِعٍ Experiencing Hunger One of the philosophies behind fasting in the holy month of Ramadān is to experience hunger and thereby understand the situation of those who are hungry and cannot afford to feed themselves properly.
The following tradition quoted by Mawlā Fayd Kāshānī from Man Lā Yahduruhu’l Faqīh , speaks of the same: in an authentic narration, Imām al-Sādiq (as), whilst explaining the philosophy of fasting, says: أَرَادَ اللٌّهُ عَزَّ وجَلَّ أنْ يُسَوِّيَ بَيْنَ خَلْقِهِ، وَأَنْ يُذِيقَ الْغَنِيَّ نَيْلَ الْجُوْعِ وَالأَلَمِ، لِيَرِقَّ عَلى الضَّعِيفِ وَيَرْحَمَ الْجَائِعَ.
“Allāh, the Exalted and Glorious, desired to maintain equality between His creatures and make the rich person experience hunger and pain so that he may have pity on the weak and mercy on the hungry one.”[^1] Causes of Hunger Hunger is a widespread problem in today’s world and has several causes, which may be classified into two kinds: self-related and external. The source of the self-related causes is the sufferer himself, whereas external causes stem from the society and other natural phenomena.
To discuss both these kinds of causes is beyond the scope of this limited commentary. It is important however to study the limitations of these causes so that we may be able to attempt to avoid or eradicate them altogether. The verse under discussion, as can be observed clearly, is also closely related to poverty. We had earlier mentioned the fact that every dependent thing stands by Allāh’s permission.
Hence, if Allāh (swt) does not want one to encounter disasters or be affected by them nothing would happen to him. This universal law, as pointed out earlier, is not only presented by revelation, but also established by reason. Ensuring Sustenance Having realized this important truth, let us now look at the following verses of the Holy Qur’ān: Chapter al-Ā‘rāf - 7:96: وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَآءِ وَالأَرْضِ...
“And if the people of the towns were to believe and observe piety, surely we would have opened to them the blessings of the heaven and the earth…” Chapter al-Talāq - 65:2-3: وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللٌّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا.