Reconciling Traditions Concerning Livelihood Being...

Reconciling Traditions Concerning Livelihood Being Apportioned And Traditions Exhorting Effort It should be known that the like of these noble traditions whose literal import is that the rizq is apportioned and predetermined-something which is also indicated by the noble verses of the Qur’an-do not contradict the traditions which command one to seek livelihood and exhort one to make effort in one’s occupation and trade, and even consider the lack of effort as reprehensible and blameworthy.

Thus, they consider one who fails to make an effort to seek livelihood as one whose prayers are not answered and whom God does not provide with livelihood.

From Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, the Shaykh al-Ta’ifah al-Tusi (Q) who narrates with his isnad from ‘Ali ibn ‘Abd al-’Aziz that he said, “Abu ‘Abd Allah (A) asked me, “What is ‘Umar ibn Muslim doing?” I said, “May I be made your ransom, he has devoted himself to worship and he has abandoned his trade.” He said, “Woe to him! Doesn’t he know that the prayer of one who abandons the search (of livelihood) is not accepted?