The Response to the Argument of Those Who Cite Divine Decree for Sins Using the Hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) Coming to 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah While They Had Not Risen
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The Shaykh : We remain with the story of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) answered this by stating that they did not argue for continuing in sin; rather, they argued regarding a matter that had already ended. He distinguished between a person who cites divine decree for a past matter, of which he is remorseful and intends not to return to it, and another person who cites divine decree to justify his continuation in sin. The first is accepted, and the second is not accepted.
That is to say, if a person is rebuked for committing a sin and says, "By Allah, this is by the decree and destiny of Allah," and the truth is that Satan misled him and he committed this sin, but he will not return to it, is this statement accepted from him or not?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, it is accepted.
But the one who is not accepted is the one who says this is by decree and destiny and will continue with it.
And this is what Ibn al-Qayyim also mentioned, which is a good point: if a person commits a sin, feels remorse, and cites divine decree after his remorse and repentance, there is no harm in that and no blame on him. As for a man who cites divine decree to continue in his error and justify his mistake, this is never accepted.
Now, if someone asks: How do you reconcile Allah’s (Glorified and Exalted is He) invalidation of the polytheists’ argument for their shirk (associating partners with Allah) by His will, with His (Glorified and Exalted is He) affirmation that their shirk occurred by His will? The invalidation of their argument is[Al-An'am 6:148] up to His saying: [Al-An'am 6:148], but in Surat al-An'am He said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): [Al-An'am 6:107], thereby affirming that their shirk occurred by His will.
So the answer is to say?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : I want to reconcile the two verses.
The student: Shaykh, the first verse is them justifying their continuation in shirk, saying, "If Allah had willed, we would not have associated partners with Him," and the second verse is Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) consoling the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and informing him that if He had willed, they would not have associated partners with Him.
The Shaykh : And they would have obeyed the Messenger.
The student: And they would have obeyed the Messenger.
The Shaykh : Well done. Rest.
We say: The reason for their blame is that they cite shirk to deflect blame from themselves and deflect punishment from themselves, so that they might say that Allah’s tormenting them is injustice. How can He decree something for them and then punish them for it?
As for the noble verse[Al-An'am 6:107], the intent is to console the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and that their shirk occurred by His will. Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has wisdom in the occurrence of shirk among the children of Adam, and if Allah had willed, He would have made the people one community upon the truth, but so that He may test some people with others.
And with this, we conclude our discussion of His saying:.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) answered this by stating that they did not argue for continuing in sin; rather, they argued regarding a matter that had already ended. He distinguished between a person who cites divine decree for a past matter, of which he is remorseful and intends not to return to it, and another person who cites divine decree to justify his continuation in sin. The first is accepted, and the second is not accepted.
That is to say, if a person is rebuked for committing a sin and says, "By Allah, this is by the decree and destiny of Allah," and the truth is that Satan misled him and he committed this sin, but he will not return to it, is this statement accepted from him or not?
The student: ...
The Shaykh : No, it is accepted.
But the one who is not accepted is the one who says this is by decree and destiny and will continue with it.
And this is what Ibn al-Qayyim also mentioned, which is a good point: if a person commits a sin, feels remorse, and cites divine decree after his remorse and repentance, there is no harm in that and no blame on him. As for a man who cites divine decree to continue in his error and justify his mistake, this is never accepted.
Now, if someone asks: How do you reconcile Allah’s (Glorified and Exalted is He) invalidation of the polytheists’ argument for their shirk (associating partners with Allah) by His will, with His (Glorified and Exalted is He) affirmation that their shirk occurred by His will? The invalidation of their argument is
Those who associated with Allah will say, "If Allah had willed, we would not have associated [anything] and neither would our fathers
سَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا لَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا أَشْرَكْنَا وَلَا آبَاؤُنَاLikewise did those before deny until they tasted Our punishment
كَذَلِكَ كَذَّبَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ حَتَّى ذَاقُوا بَأْسَنَاBut if Allah had willed, they would not have associated. And We have not appointed you over them as a guardian
ولو شاء الله ما أشركوا وما جعلناك عليهم حفيظاSo the answer is to say?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : I want to reconcile the two verses.
The student: Shaykh, the first verse is them justifying their continuation in shirk, saying, "If Allah had willed, we would not have associated partners with Him," and the second verse is Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) consoling the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and informing him that if He had willed, they would not have associated partners with Him.
The Shaykh : And they would have obeyed the Messenger.
The student: And they would have obeyed the Messenger.
The Shaykh : Well done. Rest.
We say: The reason for their blame is that they cite shirk to deflect blame from themselves and deflect punishment from themselves, so that they might say that Allah’s tormenting them is injustice. How can He decree something for them and then punish them for it?
As for the noble verse
But if Allah had willed, they would not have associated
ولو شاء الله ما أشركواAnd with this, we conclude our discussion of His saying: