The Ruling on Citing Divine Decree in Response to Calamities and Sufferings
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Your Eminence, in the hadith of Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to his door at night, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to him and to Fatimah: “Will you not pray?” This is an authentic hadith. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) cited the will of Allah, as it is well known that souls are in the hand of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).Ibn al-Qayyim says: Ali’s (may Allah be pleased with him) citation of divine decree is correct. Your Eminence also states in your commentary on that in *Taqrib al-Tadmiriyyah*: Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not rebuke him. So what is the reason for the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) tapping his thigh while he was going out, reciting the words of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Kahf: 54] ?
The reason for that is that it would have been better for Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), when he said: “Will you not pray?” not to say it that way and cite divine decree, but rather to choose another phrase that is better than this one. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not rebuke him when he cited divine decree. This indicates what is mentioned in *Taqrib al-Tadmiriyyah* that citing divine decree regarding something that has already passed is permissible. The person, if it was a sin, should be repentant and seeking forgiveness, and if it was not a sin, such as leaving the night prayer, then he is leaving what is better.
but man has ever been, most of anything, [prone to] dispute.
وَكَانَ الْأِنْسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلاًThe reason for that is that it would have been better for Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), when he said: “Will you not pray?” not to say it that way and cite divine decree, but rather to choose another phrase that is better than this one. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not rebuke him when he cited divine decree. This indicates what is mentioned in *Taqrib al-Tadmiriyyah* that citing divine decree regarding something that has already passed is permissible. The person, if it was a sin, should be repentant and seeking forgiveness, and if it was not a sin, such as leaving the night prayer, then he is leaving what is better.