The Will and the Decree
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The ninth question of Fatwa No. ( 4476 ):
Q9: We know that worship is a matter of will; without will, the worshipper would not be able to perform his worship. Likewise, sins are a matter of will; without will, the sinner would not be able to commit his sins. Yet Allah does not reward the worshipper, even though his worship is a matter of will, without which he would not have been able to worship. And Allah does not punish the sinner for his sins, even though sins are a matter of will, without which the sinner would not have been able to sin, while He, the Exalted, is not unjust to His servants?
A9: The fundamental principle in this matter is that Allah, (Exalted and Majestic is He), is the One who disposes of His creation; He is not questioned about what He does, but they are questioned. He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), has creation and command. The servant has a will and a decree, but his decree is bound by the decree of Allah. He, the Exalted, said:[At-Takwir 81:28], and He, the Exalted, said: [At-Takwir 81:29]. Allah, (Exalted and Majestic is He), has made clear the path of good and commanded it, and He has made clear the path of evil and forbidden it. He has placed in the servant a choice and an intellect by which he distinguishes between good and evil. The servant is the one who chooses for himself from the two paths whatever he wills. He, the Exalted, said: [Al-Insan 76:3]
, and He, the Exalted, said:. The good that befalls the servant is from Allah, and the evil that befalls the servant is from himself. He, the Exalted, said: [An-Nisa 4:79]. From what has been mentioned, you learn that the worship performed by the servant, for which Allah rewards him, is a favor of Allah upon the servant, and it is achieved by his will and choice. And the sin committed by the servant is committed by the servant himself, by his will and choice. The punishment of Allah for the servant for this sin is incurred because of the servant, for he committed it. Allah treated him with justice in this. Both occurred from the servant by the will and prior decree of Allah, and He has the perfect wisdom in that. He, the Exalted, clarified this by saying: [An-Nisa 4:78]. And success is from Allah. May Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q9: We know that worship is a matter of will; without will, the worshipper would not be able to perform his worship. Likewise, sins are a matter of will; without will, the sinner would not be able to commit his sins. Yet Allah does not reward the worshipper, even though his worship is a matter of will, without which he would not have been able to worship. And Allah does not punish the sinner for his sins, even though sins are a matter of will, without which the sinner would not have been able to sin, while He, the Exalted, is not unjust to His servants?
A9: The fundamental principle in this matter is that Allah, (Exalted and Majestic is He), is the One who disposes of His creation; He is not questioned about what He does, but they are questioned. He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), has creation and command. The servant has a will and a decree, but his decree is bound by the decree of Allah. He, the Exalted, said:
For whoever wills among you to take a right course.
لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَAnd you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.
وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَIndeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful.
إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا, and He, the Exalted, said:
And We guided him to the two paths
وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِWhat comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, [O man], is from yourself
مَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ وَمَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنْ نَفْسِكَWherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, "This is from Allah "; and if evil befalls them, they say, "This is from you." Say, "All [things] are from Allah."
أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يُدْرِكْكُمُ الْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنْتُمْ فِي بُرُوجٍ مُشَيَّدَةٍ وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌ يَقُولُوا هَذِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَقُولُوا هَذِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ قُلْ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.