People frequently say: “O Allah, we do not ask You to change the decree, but we ask You for gentleness in it.” Is this phrase correct?
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The questioner : People frequently say: “O Allah, we do not ask You to change the decree, but we ask You for gentleness in it.” Is this phrase correct?
The Shaykh : This phrase is a great error, because saying “I do not ask You to change the decree, but I ask You for gentleness in it” is as if you are saying, “Punish me with whatever punishment You will, but be gentle with me in it.” This is a great error. When the questioner asks Allah, he does not ask Him from the very beginning to change the decree; rather, he sees that the asking itself is part of the decree. For who decreed for you the asking? Who decreed for you the asking? Allah. You will not do an action, nor say a word, nor leave a thing except by Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So when you ask Allah, you do not want... from Allah to change His decree, but rather you want Him to grant you what you are asking for. And your saying “O Allah, I do not ask You to change the decree” is as if you are saying, “O Allah, if You have decreed evil for me, be gentle with me in it.” This is an error. Rather, say, “O Allah, avert from me the evil that I do not know,” and similar phrases. As for saying “I do not ask You to change the decree, but I ask You for gentleness in it,” it is as if you are self-sufficient regarding Allah and indifferent to His decree, even if it contains evil. There is no doubt that this is an error. Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : This phrase is a great error, because saying “I do not ask You to change the decree, but I ask You for gentleness in it” is as if you are saying, “Punish me with whatever punishment You will, but be gentle with me in it.” This is a great error. When the questioner asks Allah, he does not ask Him from the very beginning to change the decree; rather, he sees that the asking itself is part of the decree. For who decreed for you the asking? Who decreed for you the asking? Allah. You will not do an action, nor say a word, nor leave a thing except by Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So when you ask Allah, you do not want... from Allah to change His decree, but rather you want Him to grant you what you are asking for. And your saying “O Allah, I do not ask You to change the decree” is as if you are saying, “O Allah, if You have decreed evil for me, be gentle with me in it.” This is an error. Rather, say, “O Allah, avert from me the evil that I do not know,” and similar phrases. As for saying “I do not ask You to change the decree, but I ask You for gentleness in it,” it is as if you are self-sufficient regarding Allah and indifferent to His decree, even if it contains evil. There is no doubt that this is an error. Yes, that is right.