Adam’s Argument with Divine Decree: How to Respond to This Argument, and Is It Permissible to Invoke Divine Decree for Committing Sins?
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The questioner : ... O Shaykh, regarding the argument between Adam and Musa (peace be upon them both), Adam said to Musa, "You are the one who was chosen, so why do you blame me for a matter that Allah wrote for me or decreed for me?"
The Shaykh : There is nothing else in it, ever. Divine decree is what Allah recorded in the Preserved Tablet, ... which is in accordance with divine knowledge. This is the intended meaning, and there is nothing else in it.
The questioner : Okay, here Adam invoked divine decree. So, is it permissible to invoke divine decree?
The Shaykh : It is not permissible to invoke divine decree. However, you must note that there is a difference between this argument, which our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) narrated regarding what happened between Adam and Musa, and the argument of someone other than Adam, such as the statement of the polytheists:[An-Nahl 16:35] The difference is very clear, and that is that the argumentation mentioned in the hadith took place in a realm other than the realm of religious obligation. Is that clear?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : This is the first point. Second, the accountability occurred after Adam (peace be upon him) had repented and turned back to Allah, as is explicit in the Qur'an, whereas invoking divine decree is to pass off and justify sin on the pretext that "Allah wrote this for us." There is a vast difference between the two matters.
The questioner : Okay, Shaykh, if a person is involved in an accident without his own action, is this divine decree and destiny? Is there not another expression other than this one? For example, if a person causes an accident unintentionally, is it divine decree and destiny?
The Shaykh : It is all divine decree and destiny.
The questioner : It is all divine decree and destiny, but is there not another expression we can say?
The Shaykh : No, there is not. But the important thing is that if a Muslim commits a grave sin, he should not invoke divine decree. However, everything that happens is by Allah's decree and judgment, without any doubt or hesitation, ever.
The questioner : Okay, what happens to us against our will, as they say.
The Shaykh : It is all decree. Yes, but there is a difference between a decree that befalls a person for which he is held accountable, and a decree that befalls a person for which he is not held accountable. As we all know, the distinction between intentional killing and accidental killing: for intentional killing, a person is held accountable in this world and the Hereafter, whereas for accidental killing, he is not held accountable except in this world, not in the Hereafter. And so it is with all sins: either they occur by a person's choice, in which case he is held accountable, and this is decreed upon him without doubt; or they occur against his will and without his choice, in which case the person is not held accountable for them.
The Shaykh : There is nothing else in it, ever. Divine decree is what Allah recorded in the Preserved Tablet, ... which is in accordance with divine knowledge. This is the intended meaning, and there is nothing else in it.
The questioner : Okay, here Adam invoked divine decree. So, is it permissible to invoke divine decree?
The Shaykh : It is not permissible to invoke divine decree. However, you must note that there is a difference between this argument, which our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) narrated regarding what happened between Adam and Musa, and the argument of someone other than Adam, such as the statement of the polytheists:
If Allah had willed, we would not have
ولو شاء الله ما عبدنا ...The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : This is the first point. Second, the accountability occurred after Adam (peace be upon him) had repented and turned back to Allah, as is explicit in the Qur'an, whereas invoking divine decree is to pass off and justify sin on the pretext that "Allah wrote this for us." There is a vast difference between the two matters.
The questioner : Okay, Shaykh, if a person is involved in an accident without his own action, is this divine decree and destiny? Is there not another expression other than this one? For example, if a person causes an accident unintentionally, is it divine decree and destiny?
The Shaykh : It is all divine decree and destiny.
The questioner : It is all divine decree and destiny, but is there not another expression we can say?
The Shaykh : No, there is not. But the important thing is that if a Muslim commits a grave sin, he should not invoke divine decree. However, everything that happens is by Allah's decree and judgment, without any doubt or hesitation, ever.
The questioner : Okay, what happens to us against our will, as they say.
The Shaykh : It is all decree. Yes, but there is a difference between a decree that befalls a person for which he is held accountable, and a decree that befalls a person for which he is not held accountable. As we all know, the distinction between intentional killing and accidental killing: for intentional killing, a person is held accountable in this world and the Hereafter, whereas for accidental killing, he is not held accountable except in this world, not in the Hereafter. And so it is with all sins: either they occur by a person's choice, in which case he is held accountable, and this is decreed upon him without doubt; or they occur against his will and without his choice, in which case the person is not held accountable for them.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.