The Meaning of the Hadith: Nothing Averts the Decree Except Supplication

Question:
The questioner says: Your Eminence the Shaykh! What is the authenticity of this hadith: "Nothing averts the decree except supplication"? How authentic is this hadith? And how do we reconcile it with the fact that nothing averts the decree? May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
There is nothing wrong with it. A servant is not deprived of his provision by a sin that befalls him, , and nothing extends life except righteousness. This means the conditional decree, the decree that is contingent upon causes. If supplication is present, it prevents the decree from occurring, so it is prevented. This is because Allah, Mighty and Majestic, has diverse decrees. Some of His decrees are fixed and not contingent, meaning they will occur. Others are contingent upon their causes. So Allah made it contingent that so-and-so will not be afflicted with such-and-such an illness because he supplicates and his supplication is accepted. He made it contingent that so-and-so will not be harmed by so-and-so because he will supplicate and his supplication will be accepted; it is contingent upon supplication. And something else is contingent upon righteousness: if he is dutiful to his parents, such-and-such will not befall him; it is contingent upon righteousness, so it will not occur if he is dutiful to his parents. And Allah knows from him that he will be dutiful to his parents. Likewise, maintaining family ties, as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said, . So the contingent decrees do not occur when their conditions are not met, whereas the decrees that are not contingent do occur.