The meaning of the statement: "Then Allah sends to him an angel with four words, in which He writes his deeds, his lifespan, his provision, and whether he will be wretched or happy, and then He breathes into him the soul."
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The Shaykh : After this, the angel in charge of the wombs is sent to him to breathe the soul into him. The angel now reaches the fetus in its mother's womb, for the angels are not like the bodies of the sons of Adam, which are dense bodies. They also change in form as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) commands them. Jibril (peace be upon him) was seen by the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) once on earth, and he had six hundred wings that covered the entire horizon; the whole horizon was covered by the wings of Jibril (peace be upon him). He saw him likewise a second time at the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary during the Night Journey. He saw him once in the form of a man with much black hair and intensely white garments. Yes, no trace of travel was seen on him, and no one recognized him. He saw him once in the form of Dhiyyah al-Kalbi. They change in form as Allah wills. This angel in charge of the womb reaches the fetus and breathes the soul into him. He is commanded with four words: to write his provision, which is one; his lifespan, which is two; his deeds, which is three; and whether he is wretched or happy, which is one of two, is that not so? Because he is either wretched or happy; the two cannot coexist. The two cannot coexist. Therefore, he said "with four words."
This provision is written; its measure is decreed. How a person obtains it—whether through a lawful means or an unlawful means, with difficulty or ease, in large or small amounts—is written completely. Even the morsel he raises to his mouth is written. His entire provision is written.
Second: his lifespan, meaning the duration of his stay in this world. The duration of staying in this world may be long or short. A son may die before his father, and a son may die before his grandfather, because lifespans are written by the decree of whom? By the decree of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Man has no say in it. How many men are struck by the same accident, with the same wound in the same location, yet one dies and the other survives? Because the first one's time had completed, and the second one's time had not completed. The lifespan is written and determined exactly by the hour, not by the day? By the moment, which is less than a second. It is written; it cannot be exceeded.
And his deeds, and this is the important point. The deeds are written: good, bad, or a mixture of good and bad. Written: much or little. The deeds are written.
The fourth: wretched or happy. We ask Allah to make me and you among the happy ones by His grace and generosity. Wretched or happy: if his deeds are good, he is happy; and if his deeds are bad, he is wretched. All of this is written.
This provision is written; its measure is decreed. How a person obtains it—whether through a lawful means or an unlawful means, with difficulty or ease, in large or small amounts—is written completely. Even the morsel he raises to his mouth is written. His entire provision is written.
Second: his lifespan, meaning the duration of his stay in this world. The duration of staying in this world may be long or short. A son may die before his father, and a son may die before his grandfather, because lifespans are written by the decree of whom? By the decree of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Man has no say in it. How many men are struck by the same accident, with the same wound in the same location, yet one dies and the other survives? Because the first one's time had completed, and the second one's time had not completed. The lifespan is written and determined exactly by the hour, not by the day? By the moment, which is less than a second. It is written; it cannot be exceeded.
And his deeds, and this is the important point. The deeds are written: good, bad, or a mixture of good and bad. Written: much or little. The deeds are written.
The fourth: wretched or happy. We ask Allah to make me and you among the happy ones by His grace and generosity. Wretched or happy: if his deeds are good, he is happy; and if his deeds are bad, he is wretched. All of this is written.