We don’t always say it out loud, but many of us feel it deeply:

“If they win, I lose.”

“If they launched it first, I missed my chance.”

“If I don’t grab this now, I’ll be left behind.”

That’s the voice of scarcity.

And it’s quietly eating away at your soul, your creativity, your peace and your trust in Allah.

The Subtle Poison of Scarcity

Scarcity isn’t just about money.

It’s a way of seeing the world.

It teaches you that there isn’t enough success, time, love, or rizq to go around. That life is a competition where someone else’s blessing is automatically your loss. It manifests as:

• Constant comparison

• Envy masked as ambition

• Fear-driven hustling

• Inner panic when someone else “gets there first”

But here’s the truth:

Scarcity is a lie.

And worse—it’s a lie that directly contradicts belief in Ar-Razzaq: The One Who Provides.

Islamic Insight: What the Qur’an Says

“Shaytaan threatens you with poverty and orders you to immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness and bounty…”

— Qur’an 2:268

Look at the contrast:

Shaytaan whispers fear of running out.

Allah promises bounty and forgiveness.

So every time we panic about provision or feel anxious about someone else’s success, we need to ask whose voice are we listening to?

What Science Says About Scarcity

This isn’t just spiritual wisdom. It’s also backed by science and psychology.

In the book Scarcity by Harvard professor Sendhil Mullainathan and Princeton’s Eldar Shafir, researchers found that:

• Scarcity shrinks your mental bandwidth

• It leads to poor decisions, short-term thinking, and impulsiveness

• Even when the resource you’re lacking is unrelated (like time or money), it still makes you operate from fear

And the antidote?

A mindset rooted in trust, gratitude, and long-term thinking what we know in Islam as tawakkul and shukr.

Rizq Isn’t Pie. It’s Rain.

Let’s reframe this.

Your rizq is not like a pie that’s cut into limited slices.

It’s like rain falling at different times, in different places, for different reasons, according to the divine wisdom of Allah.

Your harvest is not meant to look like mine.

Mine is not meant to look like yours.

Trying to copy someone else’s rizq plan is like planting sunflowers and expecting figs.

Gratitude Rewires the Brain

Studies by neuroscientist Robert Emmons show that regular gratitude (like saying Alhamdulillah) leads to:

• Increased serotonin and dopamine

• Lower stress hormone levels

• Rewiring of brain patterns toward resilience and optimism

So yes—being grateful literally changes your brain.

And what’s incredible is that the Prophet ﷺ already told us:

“If you rely upon Allah as He should be relied upon, He would provide for you as He provides for the birds: they go out hungry in the morning and return full in the evening.”

— [Tirmidhi, Hasan Sahih]

Birds don’t stockpile. They just fly.

They work with trust.

That’s real abundance mindset.

The Real Cost of Scarcity

Operating from scarcity costs more than missed opportunity. It costs:

• Your ability to celebrate others

• Your creativity and originality

• Your inner calm

• And most dangerously your connection to Allah as The Provider

When you believe there’s not enough, you become desperate. And when you’re desperate, Shaytaan has leverage.

A Shift Toward Abundance (Without Fluff)

Let’s be clear: abundance isn’t manifesting Ferraris with positive vibes.

It’s a rooted belief that:

• Allah’s provision is infinite

• Your rizq is already written

• What’s meant for you will reach you—even if all of creation tries to block it

That mindset brings peace.

It allows you to cheer others on without envy.

To build slowly, sincerely.

To let go when needed.

To trust the rain will fall when it’s meant to.

What You Can Start Doing Today

1. Say “Alhamdulillah” intentionally.

   Not out of habit but with full awareness that this moment, even this breath, is provision.

2. Celebrate someone else’s success.

   Out loud. In your heart. Prove to your nafs it isn’t a threat.

3. Write down 3 things you didn’t get… that turned out to be a blessing.

   You’ll find more than three.

4. Start something you’ve been delaying due to fear.

   Do it knowing that the outcome is Allah’s business. Your job is the effort.

Final Reflection

If you’ve been feeling stuck, anxious, or “late to the game,” this post is for you.

You’re not behind.

You’re on a divine timeline.

Trust it.

“What missed you was never meant for you. What reached you was never going to miss.”

— Hadith, Musnad Ahmad

You are not in competition with the people around you.

You are in cooperation with the One who provides for all.

So breathe deep. Say Alhamdulillah. And walk forward like the birds with effort, and with trust.

If you found this reflection meaningful,

you’ll enjoy listening to the full conversation on The Goodly Tree Podcast—where we explore faith, mindset, parenting, purpose, and the quiet spiritual battles we all face.

Listen to this episode and more:

→ Spotify

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May it benefit your heart as it did mine.