If Allah’s decree and destiny have preceded a person with happiness or misery, what is the ruling on abandoning the taking of means and action?
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The questioner : He says: If Allah’s decree and destiny have preceded a person with happiness or misery, what is the ruling on abandoning the taking of means and action?
The Shaykh : The ruling on abandoning the means and action is foolishness, for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) decrees things by their causes. By His wisdom (Exalted and Majestic is He), every thing has a cause. Everything that happens must have a cause, either known to us or unknown to us. Allah has made clear to us the causes of happiness and the causes of misery, and He commanded us to work in the causes of happiness. He said (Exalted and Majestic is He):[Al-Layl 92:5-9] And when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed his Companions that no one exists except that his place in Paradise and his place in the Fire have been written for him, they said, “Should we not abandon action and rely on the decree?” He said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2136 Then he recited this verse: [Al-Layl 92:5-9].
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is what the Shari'ah indicates: that it is necessary to take the means. Reason also indicates this. If a person were to say, “I will not marry, but if Allah has written children for me, they will come,” people would count him among the most foolish of the foolish. Likewise, if he were to say, “I will not strive to seek provision, and if Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) decrees for me that I be sated and quenched,” that would be counted among the most foolish of foolishness. It is necessary to perform the means, and reliance upon Allah and dependence on Him are not completed except by obeying the command of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to perform the beneficial means that lead to the intended goal.
The questioner : The listener is from the city of Mosul in Iraq. He named himself a servant among the servants of Allah. He sent several questions. In reality, we apologize for not presenting some of his questions because the program has already addressed them in past episodes.
The remaining questions that we will present in this episode: he says in his first question.
The Shaykh : The ruling on abandoning the means and action is foolishness, for Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) decrees things by their causes. By His wisdom (Exalted and Majestic is He), every thing has a cause. Everything that happens must have a cause, either known to us or unknown to us. Allah has made clear to us the causes of happiness and the causes of misery, and He commanded us to work in the causes of happiness. He said (Exalted and Majestic is He):
(5) As for he who gives and fears Allah (6) And believes in the best [reward], (7) We will ease him toward ease. (8) But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need (9) And denies the best [reward],
فأما من أعطى واتقى وصدق بالحسنى فسنيسره لليسرى وأما من بخل واستغنى وكذب بالحسنى فسنيسره للعسرىWork, for everyone is facilitated for what he was created.
اعملوا فكل ميسر لما خلق له(5) As for he who gives and fears Allah (6) And believes in the best [reward], (7) We will ease him toward ease. (8) But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need (9) And denies the best [reward],
فأما من أعطى واتقى وصدق بالحسنى فسنيسّره لليسرى وأما من بخل واستغنى وكذب بالحسنى فسنيسره للعسرىThe questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : This is what the Shari'ah indicates: that it is necessary to take the means. Reason also indicates this. If a person were to say, “I will not marry, but if Allah has written children for me, they will come,” people would count him among the most foolish of the foolish. Likewise, if he were to say, “I will not strive to seek provision, and if Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) decrees for me that I be sated and quenched,” that would be counted among the most foolish of foolishness. It is necessary to perform the means, and reliance upon Allah and dependence on Him are not completed except by obeying the command of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) to perform the beneficial means that lead to the intended goal.
The questioner : The listener is from the city of Mosul in Iraq. He named himself a servant among the servants of Allah. He sent several questions. In reality, we apologize for not presenting some of his questions because the program has already addressed them in past episodes.
The remaining questions that we will present in this episode: he says in his first question.