From Thirst to Abundance: The Responsibility Attached to Your Sustenance

Quran 2:60 teaches gratitude, unity, and trust in God’s sustenance as Moses brings water to his people—timeless wisdom for navigating hardship.

The Arabic Text

وَإِذِ اسْتَسْقَىٰ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ فَقُلْنَا اضْرِب بِّعَصَاكَ الْحَجَرَ ۖ فَانفَجَرَتْ مِنْهُ اثْنَتَا عَشْرَةَ عَيْنًا ۖ قَدْ عَلِمَ كُلُّ أُنَاسٍ مَّشْرَبَهُمْ ۖ كُلُوا وَاشْرَبُوا مِن رِّزْقِ اللَّهِ وَلَا تَعْثَوْا فِي الْأَرْضِ مُفْسِدِينَ

Transliteration

Wa idhi istasqā Mūsā liqawmihi faqulnā iḍrib biʿaṣāka l-ḥajara fanfajarat minhu ithnatā ʿashrata ʿaynan qad ʿalima kullu unāsin mashrabahum kulū wa-ishrabū min rizqi Llāhi wa lā taʿthaw fī l-arḍi mufsidīn

Simple English Translation

"And [remember] when Moses prayed for water for his people, so We said, 'Strike the stone with your staff.' Then twelve springs gushed forth; every people knew their drinking place. 'Eat and drink from the provision of Allah, and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.'"

Full Explanation in Easy English

This verse recounts one of the most vivid miracles of provision for the Israelites, establishing a profound principle: Allah's sustenance comes with a command for responsible stewardship and gratitude, not corruption.

1. The Past: Miraculous Provision and Tribal Order

Answering a Need: In the waterless desert, Prophet Musa (Moses) prayed for his people's most basic need: water. Allah answered directly and miraculously.
The Specific Miracle: Musa struck a stone with his staff, and twelve distinct springs gushed out. The number twelve corresponded to the twelve tribes of Israel, providing an organized, equitable solution where "every people knew their drinking place." This shows Allah's provision is both abundant and just, catering to structure and preventing conflict.
The Accompanying Command: With the provision came clear instruction: 1. Eat and drink (enjoy the blessing). 2. Do not commit abuse/corruption on earth. The Arabic 'ta'thaw implies wanton, aggressive transgression and spreading mischief (ifsad).

In the past, this was a divine object lesson: sustenance is a trust from Allah to be enjoyed lawfully and used to establish order, not chaos.

2. The Present: Your "Twelve Springs" and the Command Not to Corrupt

For us today, this miracle is a powerful metaphor for our relationship with Allah's provision (rizq):

Your "Springs" of Provision: Allah has provided each of us with unique "springs"—sources of sustenance and blessing. This includes:
- Your skills and intellect (your "staff" to strike the stone of opportunity).
- Your job, business, or income.
- Natural resources: water, food, energy, the stable environment we live in.
Order and Equity: The organization of the springs teaches that Allah loves equitable, structured provision. We are commanded to ensure our wealth and resources are gained and distributed justly (paying fair wages, giving Zakat, avoiding exploitation).
The Critical Warning: "Do not commit abuse as corruptors." This is the core modern relevance. Corruption (ifsad) today means:
- Environmental Corruption: Polluting the very water, air, and earth Allah provided.
- Economic/Social Corruption: Fraud, exploitation, spreading vice, injustice, and breaking down social trust.
- Personal Corruption: Using our blessings (health, wealth, time) in disobedience—to spread gossip, commit sins, or support oppression.

Today, this verse asks: Are you using your "springs" of provision gratefully and responsibly, or are you, through your actions or consumption, contributing to the corruption of the earth and society? Your sustenance is a test of your stewardship.

3. The Future: Accountability for How We Used the Provision

The command links directly to our eternal future:

Sustenance as a Trust for Accountability: On the Day of Judgment, we will be questioned about our wealth: "how we earned it and how we spent it." The miraculous springs were a pure, direct provision. Our provisions are tests of whether we use them in halal ways and for good ends.
Corruption Leads to Loss: The verse implies that corruption (ifsad) is an abuse of the trust of provision. In the Hereafter, those who corrupted the earth and spread mischief will be among the greatest losers, as they took Allah's blessings and used them to violate His law.
The Pure Sustenance of Paradise: For those who ate and drank lawfully and avoided corruption, the promise is the eternal, perfect sustenance of Jannah. The Quran describes the rivers and fruits of Paradise as the ultimate, pure provision for the righteous.

For the future, this verse teaches that our daily sustenance is not just physical; it's spiritual training. Using it with gratitude, justice, and responsibility is an investment in an eternal reward. Misusing it for corruption is a theft from the divine trust that will lead to ultimate poverty on the Day of Reckoning.

Summary for a Contemporary Audience

Imagine being lost in a desert with your family, dying of thirst. A benefactor not only gives you a personalized water supply for each family member but also says, "Here is pure water. Drink, be thankful, and promise not to poison the well or use this water to harm others."

Your takeaway: Every sip of water, every bite of food, every dollar you earn is from your "twelve springs"—a personalized provision from Allah. You are commanded to 1. Enjoy it with thanks, and 2. Never use it as a tool for corruption—whether by harming the planet, exploiting people, or funding sin. Your provision is a sacred trust. Handle it with the gratitude of a saved traveler and the responsibility of a faithful steward, and you will turn your earthly sustenance into the currency for eternal blessings.