The benefits of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. He expands provision for whom He wills and restricts it. Indeed, He is, of all things, Knowing.”

This verse contains several benefits, among them: that the control of all affairs belongs to Allah alone in the heavens and the earth. He is the One who manages affairs, alternates days among people, and changes circumstances. How many a man was a disbeliever in the morning and became a believer in the evening, and how many a person was a believer in the morning and became a disbeliever in the evening. As the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us regarding the trials of the end times: that a person may be a disbeliever in the evening and a believer in the morning, and a believer in the morning and a disbeliever in the evening.
Among the benefits of this noble verse: that the expansion and restriction of provisions are in the hand of whom? In the hand of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Does this imply that we should not perform the causes? No, because that would be a weakness in reliance upon Allah. If you do not perform the causes, then perform the causes and rely upon the Creator (Mighty and Majestic).
Among the benefits of this noble verse: that we should not seek provision except from Allah, because He is the One who expands or restricts it.
Among the benefits of this noble verse: affirming the will of Allah, as He the Exalted said: If someone asks: Is this will devoid of wisdom or accompanied by wisdom? The answer is the latter, without doubt. That is to say, the giving or withholding of Allah is not merely that He willed it. No, it must be for a wisdom. This is a principle you must engrave in your mind: everything that Allah has coupled with His will is necessarily accompanied by wisdom. It is impossible for Him to do anything in vain, as He the Exalted said: And He the Exalted said: So whenever you encounter something coupled with the will, know that it follows the wisdom of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And read the saying of Allah the Exalted: followed by: meaning that His will is coupled with knowledge and wisdom.
Among the benefits of this noble verse: affirming the comprehensiveness of Allah’s knowledge, as He said: Of every existing thing or every known thing?
The student: Both.

The Shaykh : Both. Of every necessary existent, or every possible, or every impossible?
The student: Everything.

The Shaykh : Everything, even the impossible?
The student: Yes.

The Shaykh : He knows even the impossible. He knows it, as Allah the Exalted said: Is it possible for there to be gods in them other than Allah? It is not possible. And yet, the knowledge of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is that if that were the case, the heavens and the earth would be corrupted. For this reason, we say: The knowledge of Allah the Exalted is related to everything: to the necessary, as His knowledge of Himself; to the impossible, as His knowledge of the corruption of the heavens and the earth if there were gods in them other than Allah; and to the possible, as His knowledge of the created things. Thus, the knowledge of Allah is related to everything: the necessary, the impossible, and the possible.