How do we reconcile the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “If I had known what I know now about my past, I would have done what I am doing now”
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Now, regarding the prohibition against “if only,” O Shaykh, the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih al-Bukhari 7229 and so on.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : How do we reconcile them?
The Shaykh : I had read a reconciliation between the prohibition against one of us saying “if only,” for “if only” opens the door to Satan, opens the door to what?
The questioner : The work of Satan.
The Shaykh : Yes, and what came in such a hadith. But the truth is that I do not recall the answer right now. You must recall it, so please inform the listeners... Half of knowledge, I do not know. And by my refusal to answer, I have become a half-scholar. So let none of us be distressed if he does not know the answer and says, “I do not know.”
The questioner : The explanation of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that is said in this matter is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said it because it is prescribed for his Ummah, so he said it to indicate to them the better or obligatory matter, as is the saying of some scholars.
The Shaykh : But no, this is not the answer to the problem you raised, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) could have used a phrase that did not contain “if only.” Yes, but, glory be to Allah, it has slipped my mind, because a matter like this is not a practical issue that a person reads and then, with time, old age, and fatigue, it becomes forgotten.
The student: What I recall, O Shaykh, is that you mentioned it in the sermon of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: That if it is for regret, it is not permissible, but if it is for wishing for good, such as saying, “If only I had money.”
The Shaykh : Raise your voice so your brothers can catch it.
The questioner : Say what I recall that you mentioned in the sermon of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): that if it is for regret, it is not permissible, but if it is for wishing for good, such as the one who says, “If only I had as much money as so-and-so, I would give it in charity,” for example, this is permissible.
The Shaykh : Correct, this is it, and this is the sought-after merchandise.
If I had formerly known what I came to know recently
لو استقبلت من أمري ما استدبرتThe Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : How do we reconcile them?
The Shaykh : I had read a reconciliation between the prohibition against one of us saying “if only,” for “if only” opens the door to Satan, opens the door to what?
The questioner : The work of Satan.
The Shaykh : Yes, and what came in such a hadith. But the truth is that I do not recall the answer right now. You must recall it, so please inform the listeners... Half of knowledge, I do not know. And by my refusal to answer, I have become a half-scholar. So let none of us be distressed if he does not know the answer and says, “I do not know.”
The questioner : The explanation of the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that is said in this matter is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said it because it is prescribed for his Ummah, so he said it to indicate to them the better or obligatory matter, as is the saying of some scholars.
The Shaykh : But no, this is not the answer to the problem you raised, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) could have used a phrase that did not contain “if only.” Yes, but, glory be to Allah, it has slipped my mind, because a matter like this is not a practical issue that a person reads and then, with time, old age, and fatigue, it becomes forgotten.
The student: What I recall, O Shaykh, is that you mentioned it in the sermon of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: That if it is for regret, it is not permissible, but if it is for wishing for good, such as saying, “If only I had money.”
The Shaykh : Raise your voice so your brothers can catch it.
The questioner : Say what I recall that you mentioned in the sermon of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): that if it is for regret, it is not permissible, but if it is for wishing for good, such as the one who says, “If only I had as much money as so-and-so, I would give it in charity,” for example, this is permissible.
The Shaykh : Correct, this is it, and this is the sought-after merchandise.