The ruling on qualifying faith or a promise with the phrase "if Allah wills"
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His Eminence the Shaykh: What is your opinion regarding the statement of one who says: "I am fasting, if Allah wills," or "I am a believer, if Allah wills,"And his statement likewise: "I will come to you tomorrow, if Allah wills," as a statement of certainty rather than as a qualification?
As for those who said: "I am fasting, if Allah wills," or "I am a believer, if Allah wills." If the intention behind this is seeking blessing through the mention of Allah's will, then there is no harm, and nothing is diminished from his faith, nor from his fasting.And likewise, if the intention behind his statement is: "If Allah wills" as an attribution of cause means: I am fasting by the will of Allah, or I am a believer by the will of Allah. There is no harm in this either; because attributing cause to the will of Allah is established even in matters of certainty.Do you not see the statement of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Fath: 27] Even though this is a confirmed report from Allah, and yet it was qualified with the will of Allah.Do you not see the statement of one who visits graves: (And indeed, if Allah wills, we will be with you) It is known that a person will certainly catch up with them, but this is in the category of attributing cause to the will of Allah.
If the intention is seeking blessing, then it is permissible, or if it is attributing cause to the will of Allah, then that is also permissible.As for if he says: If "if Allah wills" is said with hesitation regarding it, then he is not a believer; because faith requires certainty.If he said: "I am a believer, if Allah wills," with hesitation regarding it, means he has not believed and is considered a disbeliever; because it is obligatory to be certain in one's faith.And likewise, it is said regarding fasting: If he is hesitant, then his fast is not valid. However, if he mentions it by way of seeking blessing or by way of attributing cause to the will of Allah, then there is no harm in it.
The questioner: His statement: "I will come to you tomorrow, if Allah wills," as a statement of certainty rather than as a qualification?The Shaykh: This is also not appropriate.Rather, if I wished, I would say: This falls under the prohibition in [Al-Kahf: 23-24] And if he says: "if Allah wills" as a statement of certainty rather than as a qualification, he gains nothing from saying "if Allah wills," as long as he is certain. This is among the manners of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by which He has disciplined the servants: that a person should not be certain about anything in the future.One should not say: "I will come tomorrow, it will certainly happen; because the matter is in the hand of Allah." As for one who informs about what is in his heart that he is determined to come tomorrow, then here he does not need to mention the will of Allah; because he is informing about a present reality, and informing about a present reality does not require being coupled with the will of Allah.So if a person says: "Will you visit me tomorrow?"I said: Yes, you want to inform about what is in your heart that you are determined to visit. This is permissible; because the determination has already occurred.But if you say: Yes, meaning: you want this to actually happen, so do not [Al-Kahf: 23-24].
The questioner: And the statement of the Shaykh al-Islam?The Shaykh: The Shaykh al-Islam's intention was to encourage the soldiers to advance.
As for those who said: "I am fasting, if Allah wills," or "I am a believer, if Allah wills." If the intention behind this is seeking blessing through the mention of Allah's will, then there is no harm, and nothing is diminished from his faith, nor from his fasting.And likewise, if the intention behind his statement is: "If Allah wills" as an attribution of cause means: I am fasting by the will of Allah, or I am a believer by the will of Allah. There is no harm in this either; because attributing cause to the will of Allah is established even in matters of certainty.Do you not see the statement of Allah the Exalted:
You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram, if Allah wills
لَتَدْخُلُنَّ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَ إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُIf the intention is seeking blessing, then it is permissible, or if it is attributing cause to the will of Allah, then that is also permissible.As for if he says: If "if Allah wills" is said with hesitation regarding it, then he is not a believer; because faith requires certainty.If he said: "I am a believer, if Allah wills," with hesitation regarding it, means he has not believed and is considered a disbeliever; because it is obligatory to be certain in one's faith.And likewise, it is said regarding fasting: If he is hesitant, then his fast is not valid. However, if he mentions it by way of seeking blessing or by way of attributing cause to the will of Allah, then there is no harm in it.
The questioner: His statement: "I will come to you tomorrow, if Allah wills," as a statement of certainty rather than as a qualification?The Shaykh: This is also not appropriate.Rather, if I wished, I would say: This falls under the prohibition in
(23) And never say of anything, "Indeed, I will do that tomorrow," (24) Except [when adding], "If Allah wills."
وَلا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَلِكَ غَداً * إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ(23) And never say of anything, "Indeed, I will do that tomorrow," (24) Except [when adding], "If Allah wills."
وَلا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَلِكَ غَداً * إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُThe questioner: And the statement of the Shaykh al-Islam?The Shaykh: The Shaykh al-Islam's intention was to encourage the soldiers to advance.