Continuation of the response to those who cite divine decree as an excuse for sins, using the hadith of Adam’s dispute with Moses (peace be upon them both).
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : That is, he overcame him with argument. This is an argument based on divine decree, in which Adam argued with Moses.
Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with them both) while they had not risen for the night prayer. It seemed as if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked them, so 'Ali said: "O Messenger of Allah, our souls are in the hand of Allah"—meaning we were sleeping. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went out, striking his thigh and saying:Sunan an-Nasa'i 1612Sahih (Darussalam).
Here, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not accept 'Ali ibn Abi Talib’s argument that he had slept and that his soul was in the hand of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and if He had willed, he would have performed the prayer.
Now, these two hadiths may be cited by those who argue using divine decree.
However, the scholars responded to this by saying: As for the story of Adam and Moses, Moses (peace be upon him) did not blame Adam for the sin he committed, which was eating from the tree. Rather, he cited the calamity, which was being expelled from Paradise. The evidence for this is that Moses (peace be upon him) was more knowledgeable, more juristic, and more polite than to blame his father for a sin from which he had repented, and Allah said of him:[Taha 20:121-122]. Therefore, it is not possible for Moses to take offense at his father for a sin from which he had repented, and which Allah the Exalted had accepted and guided him after. Rather, Moses’s complaint to Adam was regarding what? Being expelled from Paradise. Is being expelled from Paradise a calamity or not? It is a calamity. And it is permissible for a person to cite divine decree regarding a calamity, because the calamity is not from your action, but from the decree of Allah the Mighty and Majestic.
A similar case is a man who traveled from the city and was involved in an accident. If you come to blame him, saying: "You made a mistake, why did you travel?" Does this blame apply or not? This blame does not apply, because he did not travel for the sake of the accident. And if you blame him, he will say to you: "This is by the decree and destiny of Allah." And if he says this is by the decree and destiny of Allah, is he blamed, or is his excuse accepted? It is accepted, because the man did not go out or travel for the sake of the accident happening to him.
So Adam did not eat the tree in order to be expelled from Paradise, absolutely not. But Satan whispered to him, tempted him, and deceived him, saying:[Taha 20:120]. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) forgot what Allah had commanded him in His saying: . So the calamity occurred, and he was expelled from Paradise.
The important point is that Adam’s (peace and blessings be upon him) argument is not in the category of citing divine decree for a sin, but in the category of citing divine decree for a calamity, and this is permissible, and there is no harm in it.
Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with them both) while they had not risen for the night prayer. It seemed as if the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked them, so 'Ali said: "O Messenger of Allah, our souls are in the hand of Allah"—meaning we were sleeping. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went out, striking his thigh and saying:
But man is ever more quarrelsome than anything.
وكان الإنسان أكثر شيء جدلاHere, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did not accept 'Ali ibn Abi Talib’s argument that he had slept and that his soul was in the hand of Allah the Mighty and Majestic, and if He had willed, he would have performed the prayer.
Now, these two hadiths may be cited by those who argue using divine decree.
However, the scholars responded to this by saying: As for the story of Adam and Moses, Moses (peace be upon him) did not blame Adam for the sin he committed, which was eating from the tree. Rather, he cited the calamity, which was being expelled from Paradise. The evidence for this is that Moses (peace be upon him) was more knowledgeable, more juristic, and more polite than to blame his father for a sin from which he had repented, and Allah said of him:
And Adam disobeyed his Lord and erred. (122) Then his Lord chose him and turned to him in forgiveness and guided [him].
وعصى آدم ربه فغوى ثم اجتباه ربه فتاب عليه وهدىA similar case is a man who traveled from the city and was involved in an accident. If you come to blame him, saying: "You made a mistake, why did you travel?" Does this blame apply or not? This blame does not apply, because he did not travel for the sake of the accident. And if you blame him, he will say to you: "This is by the decree and destiny of Allah." And if he says this is by the decree and destiny of Allah, is he blamed, or is his excuse accepted? It is accepted, because the man did not go out or travel for the sake of the accident happening to him.
So Adam did not eat the tree in order to be expelled from Paradise, absolutely not. But Satan whispered to him, tempted him, and deceived him, saying:
shall I direct you to the tree of eternity and possession that will not deteriorate?"
هل أدلك على شجرة الخلد وملك لا يبلىAnd do not approach this tree
ولا تقربا هذه الشجرةThe important point is that Adam’s (peace and blessings be upon him) argument is not in the category of citing divine decree for a sin, but in the category of citing divine decree for a calamity, and this is permissible, and there is no harm in it.