Alhamdulillah. My elder one had shawarma at a Turkish restaurant in Toronto. After finishing, he went to the owner and complimented him, saying it was delicious, mashaAllah.
The owner smiled and shared something beautiful. He said he begins preparing his shawarma after doing wudu, and recites surah fatiha and surah ikhlas and a sincere du‘a that whoever eats from what he prepares is taken from zulumaat (darknesses) into noor (light). SubhanAllah!
They then spoke at length about life, and purpose. A simple meal turned into a meaningful exchange mashaAllah.
SubhanAllah! We live in a world, especially in the west, that has reduced “work” to income, hustle, branding, and profit margins. What that Turkish brother quietly conveyed is that rizq is not neutral. It either carries barakah or it does not. It either lifts souls or just fills stomachs.
He did not say, “I make good shawarma.”
He said, I start with wudu and make du‘a for people’s hearts while I make food.
That is a different worldview.
He is not just running a restaurant. Every customer becomes a potential recipient of du‘a. SubhanAllah! A believer plants light in every actions.