Are the disbelievers also written from eternity to be disbelievers, and why are they punished for what was written upon them in the past, if everything proceeds according to what preceded in eternity?
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The questioner : Are the disbelievers also written from eternity to be disbelievers, and why are they punished for what was written upon them in the past, if everything proceeds according to what preceded in eternity?
The Shaykh : We say, yes, the disbelievers are likewise written in eternity to perform their deeds, and the deed of a person is also written when he is formed in the womb of his mother, as established in the authentic hadith from Ibn Mas'ud, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told us, and he is the truthful and the veracious:Sahih al-Bukhari 3208 So the deeds of the disbelievers are written with Allah (Mighty and Majestic), known to Him, and the wretched is wretched with Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in eternity, and the happy is happy with Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in eternity. But a person might say, as this questioner raised:The questioner : How are they punished when Allah has written that upon them in eternity?
We say: They are punished because the proof has been established against them and the way has been made clear to them. The messengers were sent and the books were revealed, and guidance was distinguished from misguidance for them. They were encouraged to follow the path of guidance and warned against following the path of misguidance. They have minds, they have wills, and they have choices. For this reason, we find these disbelievers and others also striving for the benefits of this world by their will and choice. You will not find any one of them striving for something that harms him in his worldly life and saying, "This is written upon me forever." Everyone strives for what is beneficial to them. So it was incumbent upon them to strive for what is beneficial in the matters of their religion, just as they strive for what is beneficial in the matters of their worldly life, and there is no difference between the two. In fact, the clarification of good and evil in the matters of religion in the books revealed to the messengers (peace and blessings be upon them) is more and greater than the clarification of harmful matters in worldly affairs. So it was incumbent upon them to follow the paths in which is their salvation and their happiness, without following the paths in which is their destruction and their wretchedness.
Then we say: This disbeliever, when he commits disbelief, never feels that anyone forced him; rather, he feels that he did it by his own will and choice. So, when he committed this disbelief, was he aware of what Allah had written for him?
The answer is: No, because we do not know that something has been written except after it occurs. Before it occurs, we do not know what has been written, because it is from the knowledge of the unseen.
So we say to this disbeliever: Why did you not assume that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) wrote happiness for you and that you would believe? Until now, before you fell into disbelief, two things are before you: guidance and misguidance. Why do you not follow the path of guidance, assuming that Allah has written it for you? Why do you follow the path of misguidance, and then after following it, you argue that Allah (the Exalted) wrote it? Because we say to you: Before you entered this path, did you have knowledge that it was written upon you? He will say, "No," and he cannot say, "Yes." If he says, "No," we say: Then why did you not follow the path of guidance and assume that Allah (the Exalted) wrote that for you?
For this reason, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:[As-Saf 61:5] And He (the Exalted) says: [Al-Layl 92:5-9] And when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed his companions that: ما من أحد إلا وقد كتب مقعده من الجنة ومقعده من النار ، قالوا : يا رسول الله أفلا ندع العمل ونتكل على الكتاب قال : لا ، اعملوا فكل ميسر لما خلق له ثم قرأ قوله تعالى : فأما من أعطى واتقى وصدق بالحسنى فسنيسره لليسرى وأما من بخل واستغنى وكذب بالحسنى فسنيسره للعسرى There is no one except that his place in Paradise and his place in the Fire have been written for him. They said: O Messenger of Allah, should we then leave off doing deeds and rely on the record? He said: No, work, for everyone is facilitated for what he was created for. Then he recited His saying (the Exalted): "As for he who gives and fears Allah and believes in the good, We will make easy for him the easy. And as for he who is stingy and considers himself self-sufficient and denies the good, We will make easy for him the difficult." This is our answer to this question raised by this questioner.
And many of the people of misguidance argue with this, and it is astonishing of them, because they never argue with such an argument regarding worldly matters. Rather, you find them following in worldly matters what is more beneficial for them. It is not possible for anyone to be told, "The path before you is rough and difficult, with thieves and wild beasts, and this second path is easy, smooth, and safe." It is not possible for anyone to follow the first path and leave the second, even though this is analogous to the two paths: the path of the Fire and the path of Paradise. The messengers clarified the path of Paradise and said, "This is it," and clarified the path of the Fire and said, "This is it," and warned against the second and encouraged the first. And yet, these sinners argue with the divine decree and destiny, which they do not know, regarding their sins.
The Shaykh : We say, yes, the disbelievers are likewise written in eternity to perform their deeds, and the deed of a person is also written when he is formed in the womb of his mother, as established in the authentic hadith from Ibn Mas'ud, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told us, and he is the truthful and the veracious:
a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick blood for a similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar period. Then Allah sends an angel who is ordered to write four things. He is ordered to write down his (i.e. the new creature's) deeds, his livelihood, his (date of) death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched (in religion).
إن أحدكم يجمع خلقه في بطن أمه أربعين يوماً ثم يكون علقة مثل ذلك ثم يكون مضغة مثل ذلك ثم يرسل إليه الملك فيؤمر بأربع كلمات بكتب رزقه وأجله عمله وشقي أم سعيدWe say: They are punished because the proof has been established against them and the way has been made clear to them. The messengers were sent and the books were revealed, and guidance was distinguished from misguidance for them. They were encouraged to follow the path of guidance and warned against following the path of misguidance. They have minds, they have wills, and they have choices. For this reason, we find these disbelievers and others also striving for the benefits of this world by their will and choice. You will not find any one of them striving for something that harms him in his worldly life and saying, "This is written upon me forever." Everyone strives for what is beneficial to them. So it was incumbent upon them to strive for what is beneficial in the matters of their religion, just as they strive for what is beneficial in the matters of their worldly life, and there is no difference between the two. In fact, the clarification of good and evil in the matters of religion in the books revealed to the messengers (peace and blessings be upon them) is more and greater than the clarification of harmful matters in worldly affairs. So it was incumbent upon them to follow the paths in which is their salvation and their happiness, without following the paths in which is their destruction and their wretchedness.
Then we say: This disbeliever, when he commits disbelief, never feels that anyone forced him; rather, he feels that he did it by his own will and choice. So, when he committed this disbelief, was he aware of what Allah had written for him?
The answer is: No, because we do not know that something has been written except after it occurs. Before it occurs, we do not know what has been written, because it is from the knowledge of the unseen.
So we say to this disbeliever: Why did you not assume that Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) wrote happiness for you and that you would believe? Until now, before you fell into disbelief, two things are before you: guidance and misguidance. Why do you not follow the path of guidance, assuming that Allah has written it for you? Why do you follow the path of misguidance, and then after following it, you argue that Allah (the Exalted) wrote it? Because we say to you: Before you entered this path, did you have knowledge that it was written upon you? He will say, "No," and he cannot say, "Yes." If he says, "No," we say: Then why did you not follow the path of guidance and assume that Allah (the Exalted) wrote that for you?
For this reason, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:
And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate.
فلما زاغوا أزاغ الله قلوبهم(5) As for he who gives and fears Allah (6) And believes in the best [reward], (7) We will ease him toward ease. (8) But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need (9) And denies the best [reward],
فأما من أعطى واتقى وصدق بالحسنى فسنيسره لليسرى وأما من بخل واستغنى وكذب بالحسنى فسنيسره للعسرىAnd many of the people of misguidance argue with this, and it is astonishing of them, because they never argue with such an argument regarding worldly matters. Rather, you find them following in worldly matters what is more beneficial for them. It is not possible for anyone to be told, "The path before you is rough and difficult, with thieves and wild beasts, and this second path is easy, smooth, and safe." It is not possible for anyone to follow the first path and leave the second, even though this is analogous to the two paths: the path of the Fire and the path of Paradise. The messengers clarified the path of Paradise and said, "This is it," and clarified the path of the Fire and said, "This is it," and warned against the second and encouraged the first. And yet, these sinners argue with the divine decree and destiny, which they do not know, regarding their sins.