Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Studies, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran. , a.ghadrdan@tabrizu.ac.ir
Abstract: (327 Views)
This study examines the theological interpretation of the divine guarantee of children’s sustenance (rizq) as articulated in the verses of the Holy Qurʾān. Although the Qurʾānic verses in Sūrat al-Anʿām and Sūrat al-Isrāʾ explicitly affirm God’s commitment to providing sustenance, the precise manner and mechanism of this guarantee have not been systematically clarified in exegetical literature. Accordingly, the central question of this research is: How does God provide for the sustenance of children? Through a critical investigation of this issue, the present study seeks to offer a comprehensive and argument-based account of the divine promise. To this end, it undertakes a theological analysis and explanation of the relevant Qurʾānic verses and examines the relationship between childbearing and the provision of sustenance. In terms of its nature, this research is theoretical, and methodologically it adopts a problem-oriented exegetical approach. It relies on library-based research and engages extensively with Qurʾānic exegesis, theological writings, and philosophical sources, supplemented by rational and theological analysis, with the aim of developing and refining existing scholarly discussions. The findings indicate that God’s promise to provide sustenance for children is a truthful and reliable promise, and that this guarantee is realized through the receptivity and responsiveness of natural causes to influences originating in metaphysical factors. Specifically, three non-material (invisible) causes operate following childbearing to facilitate the provision of sustenance: 1. the elevation and perfection of the human soul in light of childbearing, 2. the inner (esoteric) form of the relationship between childbearing and sustenance, and 3. the divine will directed toward providing sustenance for children.
Ghadrdan Gharamaleki A. A Theological Interpretation of the Divine Guarantee of Children’s Sustenance With Emphasis on Qurʾān 17:31 (Sūrat al-Isrāʾ). مطالعات تفسیری 2025; 16 (63) :9-40 URL: http://tafsir.maaref.ac.ir/article-1-3489-en.html