The Story of Provision by God's Wisdom
The Story
An Arab man was placing stones on his donkey when a passerby saw him in the market and asked, "Don’t you have stones in your country?"
The Arab replied, "No."
The man asked, "Why are you placing stones on your donkey?"
The Arab explained, "To balance my donkey. I place the goods on the right side and the stones on the left side to balance the load so the goods don’t fall."
The man said, "Would you like me to show you a better idea than using stones?"
The Arab replied, "Please do." The man removed the stones and divided the goods, placing half on each side. He then told the Arab, "Now you can ride on the donkey instead of the stones."
The Arab was amazed by the idea and said to the man, "You are such a smart and brilliant man! With such intelligence, I’m sure you are wealthy. Tell me, how much is your fortune?"
The man, surprised by the question, replied, "No, I’m just a poor man working for my daily bread."
The Arab exclaimed, "What! You’re poor? Listen here, put the goods and stones back as they were, and take this hit on your head. If your poor ideas were useful, they would have benefited you."
The man returned everything as it was and sat down, bewildered by the Arab’s reaction. He repeated aloud, "Glory be to God." An elderly man nearby heard him and asked, "What’s wrong, my son?"
The man replied, "By God, I’m amazed at God’s wisdom, O Sheikh. How can the wise be deprived while the foolish are provided for?" The Sheikh smiled and said:
"God wanted to demonstrate His power. If He provided for every wise person and deprived every foolish one, people would think that wisdom is what brings provision and foolishness is what causes deprivation. But when they see the opposite, they realize that God is the Provider, distributing provisions with His wisdom, not based on our intellect. This is God’s wisdom in His creation... Just as that Arab man was provided for despite his simplicity, we see similar situations in our lives today."
Conclusion
At the end of this story, we find ourselves facing a profound lesson about God’s wisdom in distributing provisions. The story is not just a tale of an Arab man and a smart man, but a mirror reflecting our reality today. Often, we see people who possess all the qualifications and means for success, yet they remain deprived of provision. On the other hand, we see simple people with little, yet God opens doors of provision and blessings for them.
This unexpected distribution of provisions teaches us that God is the true Provider, and He distributes provisions with His unfathomable wisdom. If provision were tied to intelligence, beauty, or qualifications, people would think these attributes bring provision and forget that God is the source of everything. But when we see the opposite, we realize that God wanted to show us that provision is not tied to appearances or qualifications, but it is a divine gift given with wisdom.
The story also teaches us that we must take the means, but we must also leave the results to God. Taking the means is obligatory, but perfection and success are in God’s hands. If God’s will aligns with our means, He grants us from His bounty, even if our means are weak. If it does not align, He withholds for a wisdom He knows, even if our means are strong.
In the end, we must be content with God’s decree and trust His wisdom. As the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, "How amazing is the affair of the believer! All of his affairs are good for him. If something good happens to him, he is grateful, and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he is patient, and that is good for him. This is only for the believer." So let us always be grateful for what God has given us, patient with what He has withheld, and confident that everything is by His decree.
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