Divine Food

The Meaning of Divine Food

The Qur’an says:

“Do not regard with envy the worldly benefits We have given some of them, for with these We seek only to test them. The provision of your Lord is better and more lasting.”
(Qur’an 20:131)

It is this divine provision that was given to Mary. The Qur’an recounts:

“Every time Zachariah visited her in her chamber he found some provision with her. He asked, ‘Mary, where did this provision come from?’ She replied, ‘This is from God. God provides for whoever He wills without measure.”
(Qur’an 3:37)

The “food” mentioned here was not material food—it was divine or spiritual nourishment. Without such food, a person cannot truly grow and develop their soul.

More Than Bread Alone

Jesus Christ also said:

“Man cannot live by bread alone.”
(Matthew 4:4)

The world has two layers—material and spiritual. Just as the body draws sustenance from physical food, the soul draws strength from divine understanding. To live fully, one must learn the art of extraction—to extract the spiritual meaning from material experiences.

Learning to Extract the Spiritual

Consider a glass of water. Materially, it is a compound of hydrogen and oxygen. Spiritually, it is a reflection of divine wisdom: when water enters the human body, it becomes part of it and sustains life. Realizing this harmony between water and our body fills the heart with awe and gratitude for God’s perfect design.

Living Spiritually

This realization—that every ordinary thing contains extraordinary divine meaning—is spiritual food. It feeds the inner self with peace, awareness, and faith.
If material food maintains your physical health, spiritual food refines your inner being.

Learn to see the divine message hidden in the ordinary.
That is how the soul is nourished and the heart finds rest.

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Source: 
Quranic Wisdom by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Category: Mind-Based Spirituality » Intellectual Development