Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Allah is the Provider and the All-Wise. He has guaranteed the provision of all His creation. He provides for the believer and the disbeliever, the righteous and the sinful. A person's receiving something of the pleasures of this world does not indicate that Allah loves him or is pleased with him. The gift may be a favor and mercy, or it may be a test or a form of gradual entrapment.
One of the foundations of faith is for a servant to know that Allah is the Provider and that all His actions are based on wisdom. Allah تعالى says:
﴿He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.﴾ [Al-Anbiya: 23]
Allah has guaranteed the provision of His servants. He says:
﴿And there is no creature on earth except that its provision is upon Allah. He knows its place of dwelling and its place of storage. All is recorded in a clear Book.﴾ [Hud: 6]
Provision comes from Allah. He provides for the believer and the disbeliever, human beings and animals, and all other creatures.
Allah تعالى says:
﴿And if Allah were to expand provision for His servants, they would transgress throughout the earth; but He sends down in due measure whatever He wills. Indeed, He is All-Aware, All-Seeing of His servants.﴾ [Ash-Shura: 27]
Reliance upon Allah is among the greatest means of attaining what one seeks and receiving provision. Allah says:
﴿And whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for him, and provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah, then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set a measure for everything.﴾ [At-Talaq: 2–3]
However, this does not mean that someone who does not rely upon Allah will receive no provision. Worldly provision is broader than being exclusive to believers or being connected solely to reliance upon Allah.
Allah may provide for someone who does not believe in Him and for someone who relies on material causes. He may even give some people worldly blessings without obvious means, because His giving encompasses all His creation.
Allah تعالى says:
﴿Whoever desires the immediate life, We hasten for him therein whatever We will, for whomever We intend. Then We will appoint Hell for him, where he will enter condemned and banished. And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it with the striving it deserves, while being a believer—then the striving of such people will be appreciated. We provide for both these and those from the gift of your Lord, and the gift of your Lord is never restricted. See how We have favored some over others; but the Hereafter is greater in ranks and greater in فضل.﴾ [Al-Isra: 18–21]
It is a mistake to think that a disbeliever or sinner receiving wealth, good health, and children is evidence that Allah loves him or that he is upon the truth.
What a person is given may be a test and a gradual entrapment, as Allah says:
﴿Then, when they forgot what they had been reminded of, We opened for them the gates of everything, until when they rejoiced in what they had been given, We seized them suddenly, and they were left in despair.﴾ [Al-An'am: 44]
Allah سبحانه وتعالى also says:
﴿As for those who deny Our signs, We will gradually lead them to destruction from where they do not know. And I will give them respite. Indeed, My plan is firm.﴾ [Al-A'raf: 182–183]
And Allah تعالى says:
﴿So leave Me with those who reject this message. We will gradually lead them to destruction from where they do not know. And I will give them respite. Indeed, My plan is firm.﴾ [Al-Qalam: 44–45]
Ahmad (17311) narrated from ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“If you see Allah giving a servant of His whatever he loves from this world despite his sins, then it is only gradual entrapment.” He then recited the verse: ﴿Then, when they forgot what they had been reminded of...﴾ Shu‘ayb al-Arna'ut graded the hadith Hasan.
Thus, not every gift is a sign of goodness, just as every deprivation is not necessarily a sign of evil. What matters is the outcome of the servant's condition in this world and the Hereafter.
Because this world, in reality, is a temporary and insignificant enjoyment compared with the bliss of the Hereafter.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“If this world were worth to Allah even the wing of a mosquito, He would not give a disbeliever a sip of water from it.” Narrated by At-Tirmidhi (2320) and Ibn Majah (4110); authenticated by Al-Albani.
Therefore, possessing wealth, health, or children does not mean that a person has received the greatest gift Allah can give His servant. The greatest gift is faith, guidance, and success in the Hereafter.
Thus, Allah may give a disbeliever some worldly blessings while withholding some worldly things from a believer for a wisdom. He may also give the believer worldly blessings. This world is therefore not the measure by which Allah's pleasure with a servant is known.
Allah has made clear that both groups may share in some worldly enjoyment, but the real difference appears in the Hereafter.
Whoever seeks only this world may receive some of it according to what Allah wills for him, but if he dies upon disbelief, his ultimate fate is loss.
As for the believer who works for the Hereafter, his striving is appreciated, and he also has his share of this world, as Allah says:
﴿And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it with the striving it deserves, while being a believer—then the striving of such people will be appreciated.﴾ [Al-Isra: 19]
True فضل is not found in having abundant wealth. Rather, it is that Allah grants a servant faith, guidance, righteous deeds, and a good end.
Allah's giving a disbeliever or sinner wealth, health, and children does not mean that He loves him or is pleased with him. Allah provides for all His creation, and He gives worldly blessings to both the believer and the disbeliever. What is given to a servant may be a mercy and favor, or it may be a test or gradual entrapment.
As for reliance upon Allah, it is one of the greatest causes of goodness and provision, and it is a great act of worship that a believer should never replace with reliance on material causes alone.
The true measure is not how much worldly wealth a person possesses, but rather his faith in Allah, the righteousness of his deeds, and what Allah has prepared for him in the Hereafter.
And Allah knows best.