Assalaamu alaykum. There is a verse that says that it is upon Allaah to provide provison. How do we relate this with the idea of world hunger?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger. 

Perhaps you are referring to the verse that reads (what means): {And there is no creature on earth but that upon Allaah is its provision, and He knows its place of dwelling and place of storage. All is in a clear register.} [Quran 11:6]

The verse clearly indicates that Allaah took it upon Himself to provide sustenance to His servants, but once we understand the meaning of "taking it upon Himself" in the verse, the problematic aspect ceases to exist and it becomes clear that this does not contradict with the hunger that creatures might suffer.

Tafseer Al-Manaar reads:

“You should find no contradiction in the fact that some creatures - including even man - may face strained circumstances to the extent that some may die of hunger. The verse does not mean that Allaah has taken it upon Himself to provide all creatures with all the provision that they need to stay alive and made them obtain it through His Omnipotence, whether they seek after it by instinct or by the knowledge of the means to obtain it imparted by Allaah to them. Rather, the verse means that Allaah created for each kind of creature the provision that sustains it, and guided it to the means to obtain it. Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means): {He said: Our Lord is He Who gave each thing its form and then guided it.} [Quran 20:50].” [End of quote]

Many other verses indicate that hunger and deprivation of provision are afflictions with which Allaah tests His slaves; this means that there is no contradiction between the occurrence of famines and the fact that it is upon Allaah to provide sustenance. No living creature shall die before receiving its predestined provision prescribed for it. Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means):

- {And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient.} [Quran 2:155]

- {Indeed, your Lord extends provision for whom He wills and restricts (it). Indeed He is ever, concerning His servants, Acquainted and Seeing.} [Quran 17:30]

- {Say: Indeed, my Lord extends provision for whom He wills and restricts (it), but most of the people do not know.} [Quran 34:36]

The Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, “The Holy Spirit (Jibreel [Gabriel]) has communicated to me that no soul dies before its appointed time and without having received its provisions in full; so fear Allaah and seek provision with decency, and do not let the slow coming of provision cause you to seek it by disobeying Allaah, for that which is with Allaah cannot be attained except by obeying Him.” [Ibn Mardawayh - Al-Albaani graded it hasan (good)]

Shaykh Ibn Baaz was asked a similar question and answered:

“The meaning of the verse conforms to its apparent indication. Allaah, The Exalted, decrees that famines and disasters should occur, but their consequent harms only affect those who have received their provisions in the worldly life in full and whose lives on earth have come to an end. As for those who have not received their predestined provisions in full or whose lives have not come to an end, He confers His provisions on them in many ways that may be known to us or not. Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means):

- {And whoever fears Allaah - He will make for him a way out and will provide for him from where he does not expect.} [Quran 65:2-3]

- {And how many a creature carries not its (own) provision. Allaah provides for it and for you. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing.} [Quran 29:60]

Man may also be punished with poverty and deprivation of provision and be denied access to the means of obtaining provision because of his laziness or failing to pursue the means for obtaining provision that Allaah guided him to, or committing sins and prohibited acts. Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means):

- {What comes to you of good is from Allaah, but what comes to you of evil, (O man), is from yourself.} [Quran 4:79]

- {And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.} [Quran 42:30]

 The Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, 'A man may be deprived of provision by a sin that he commits.' [Ahmad, An-Nasaa'i, Ibn Maajah with a good chain of narration]

Man may be tested with poverty, sickness, and other trials and calamities to reveal whether he would be patient and express gratitude to Allaah or not. Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means):

- {And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, who, when disaster strikes them, say: Indeed we belong to Allaah, and indeed to Him we will return.} [Quran 2:155-156]

Allaah, The Exalted, says (what means) {And We divided them throughout the earth into nations. Of them some were righteous, and of them some were otherwise. And We tested them with good and bad that perhaps they would return (to obedience).} [Quran 7:176] The verse refers to 'blessings' with the term 'good' and to 'afflictions' with the term 'bad'.

The Prophet, sallallaahu ʻalayhi wa sallam, said, 'Strange are the ways of a believer, for there is good in every affair of his, and this is not the case with anyone except the believer; for if he receives a blessing, he thanks (Allaah), thus there is a good for him in it, and if he receives an affliction, he shows resignation (and endures it patiently), thus there is a good for him in it.' [Muslim]

There are many other verses and ahaadeeth to this effect.”

Allaah knows best.