The Shaykh’s discussion with the students regarding divine decree.
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The Shaykh : We spoke last night about qadar (divine decree), did we not? Good. And we explained that the scholars said the levels of qadar (divine decree) are four. Please.
The student: Knowledge.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Writing.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Will.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Creation.
The Shaykh : Well done. And they composed a verse about it. Did you not memorize it? Please, take a rest. May Allah reward you with good.
The student: "The knowledge, the writing, the will of our Lord *** And His creation is it".
The Shaykh : What? "The knowledge, the writing, the will of our Lord"
The student: "His creation...".
The Shaykh : No, it appears you do not know the poetry.
The student: And His creation, and His creation...
The Shaykh : Please. Take a rest.
The student: "The knowledge of our Lord...".
The Shaykh : No, no. Take a rest.
The student: "The knowledge, the writing, the will of our Lord *** And His creation, which is bringing into existence and making"
The Shaykh : Well done, perfect. "The knowledge, the writing, the will of our Lord *** And His creation, which is bringing into existence and making". Good, what is the meaning of knowledge, which is the first level of qadar (divine decree)? Please.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : That you believe that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has encompassed everything with knowledge, in general or in detail?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Both, in general and in detail. May Allah bless you. Sit down. What is the evidence for the general? For Allah’s encompassing knowledge of everything in general?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. I am saying regarding Allah’s encompassing knowledge. Wait, my brother.
The student :[Al-Baqarah 2:255].
The Shaykh :[Al-Baqarah 2:255] This is a negation of the creation’s encompassing knowledge. Take a rest, please.
The student: He knows that Allah.
The Shaykh :.
The student:[At-Talaq 65:12].
The Shaykh : Well done. May Allah bless you.[At-Talaq 65:12] As for the verses of detail, they are many, and among them is the verse of the brother.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Rest.
The student:[Luqman 31:34].
The Shaykh : The rain.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. This is not it; this is part of what I want.
The student:[Al-An'am 6:59].
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: And He knows what is in the wombs.
The Shaykh : No, no.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : If you did not hide it, we will let one go. You have opened the door now.
The student: Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student:[Al-An'am 6:59].
The Shaykh : No, no, it is he. Yes.
The student:[Al-An'am 6:59].
The Shaykh : Well done, may Allah bless you.[Al-An'am 6:59] The keys of the unseen?
The student:[Luqman 31:34].
The Shaykh : Five are mentioned in the saying of Allah the Exalted.
The student:[Luqman 31:34].
The Shaykh : Well done, may Allah bless you. These are the keys of the unseen.[Luqman 31:34]. The second level? The brother. Did you not attend? Yes.
The student: Writing.
The Shaykh : Writing. Its evidence?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Well done, yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What? That Allah wrote in the Preserved Tablet.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : That you believe that Allah wrote in the Preserved Tablet the decrees of everything until the Day of Resurrection. Good, the evidence? Good, take a rest. Please.
The student:.
The Shaykh : Sit down, sit down, one... Good. The best of things is the middle.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : We need from the Qur'an before this. Have a rule: if you find evidence from the Qur'an, start with it. We do not accept the left hand, my brother, ever. Accustom yourself to taking and giving, and eating and drinking with the right hand. Yes. Sit down.
The student:.
The Shaykh : And what? And what? That reference goes back to what?
The student: The knowledge of Allah.
The Shaykh : Read the verse, read the verse.
The student:[Al-Baqarah 2:235]
The Shaykh :[Al-Hajj 22:70]
The student:.
The Shaykh : And this verse serves as evidence for knowledge and evidence for writing. Good. And also . Take a rest.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Please. The evidence for the will. Did you not attend? Yes?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : The evidence for the will.
The student:[Al-Insan 76:30].
The Shaykh : No, this is a negation. We said:[Ibrahim 14:27] [Ibrahim 14:27].
The student:[Ibrahim 14:27].
The Shaykh : Good, does the will include the actions of the servants or only the actions of Allah?
The student: It includes the actions of the servants.
The Shaykh : Good, the evidence?
The student:[Al-Insan 76:30].
The Shaykh : And other.
The student: The saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:253].
The Shaykh : Yes.[Al-Baqarah 2:253]. May Allah bless you. Take a rest. The third is creation. I say the third is wrong, do I not?
The student: The fourth.
The Shaykh : The fourth, the fourth is creation. Please.
The student: ...[Al-A'raf 7:54].
The Shaykh :[Al-A'raf 7:54]. That you believe that Allah is the Creator of everything. The evidence is His saying: [Al-A'raf 7:54]. But does the creation of the actions of the servant mean my action and your action and so-and-so’s action and so-and-so’s action, are they created by Allah? Say. O people. Answer, or say I do not know it and sit down. May Allah bless you.
The student:[Al-Insan 76:30].
The Shaykh : This is the will. I am speaking about creation.
The student:[As-Saffat 37:96].
The Shaykh :[As-Saffat 37:96]. Not here.
The student: For the generality.
The Shaykh : But is it a relative pronoun or a source particle?
The student: A relative pronoun meaning "that which."
The Shaykh : And that which you do. Therefore, there is no indication in it that the action of man is created. It is evidence that what is acted upon is created.
The student: The action of man.
The Shaykh : Not his action. I want his action, which is his deed. The reality is that we did not come to it, we did not bring it yesterday. Yes, but it is clear evidence.
The student:[Al-Insan 76:30].
The Shaykh : This is the will. Take a rest.[As-Saffat 37:96] Some scholars said: "ma" is a source particle, and the estimation of the verse is: "And Allah created you and your action." And this is explicit text that the action of man is created by Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
And the second opinion: that "ma" is a relative pronoun, meaning "and He created that which you do." And if the creation of what is acted upon for us is our made thing, then it is evidence that He created our actions, because this is the result of our action. And in any case, and in any estimation, there is evidence in the verse that the action of man is created by Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And similarly, like His saying:[Al-An'am 6:101] includes the actions of the servant. We have finished, and the discussion, praise be to Allah, was good. Yes?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : We remain in what I want to speak about, which is slipping twice now, but if Allah wills, this time it is stable.
The student: Knowledge.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Writing.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Will.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Creation.
The Shaykh : Well done. And they composed a verse about it. Did you not memorize it? Please, take a rest. May Allah reward you with good.
The student: "The knowledge, the writing, the will of our Lord *** And His creation is it".
The Shaykh : What? "The knowledge, the writing, the will of our Lord"
The student: "His creation...".
The Shaykh : No, it appears you do not know the poetry.
The student: And His creation, and His creation...
The Shaykh : Please. Take a rest.
The student: "The knowledge of our Lord...".
The Shaykh : No, no. Take a rest.
The student: "The knowledge, the writing, the will of our Lord *** And His creation, which is bringing into existence and making"
The Shaykh : Well done, perfect. "The knowledge, the writing, the will of our Lord *** And His creation, which is bringing into existence and making". Good, what is the meaning of knowledge, which is the first level of qadar (divine decree)? Please.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : That you believe that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has encompassed everything with knowledge, in general or in detail?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Both, in general and in detail. May Allah bless you. Sit down. What is the evidence for the general? For Allah’s encompassing knowledge of everything in general?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. I am saying regarding Allah’s encompassing knowledge. Wait, my brother.
The student :
they encompass not a thing of His knowledge
ولا يحيطون بشئ من علمهThe Shaykh :
a thing of His knowledge
بشيء من علمهThe student: He knows that Allah.
The Shaykh :
so that you may know
لتعلمواThe student:
so you may know that Allah is over all things competent and that Allah has encompassed all things in knowledge.
لتعلموا أن الله كل شيء قدير وأن الله قد أحاط بكل شيء علماThe Shaykh : Well done. May Allah bless you.
so you may know that Allah is over all things competent and that Allah has encompassed all things in knowledge.
لتعلموا أن الله كل شيء قدير وأن الله قد أحاط بكل شيء علماThe student: ... .
The Shaykh : Rest.
The student:
Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain
إن الله عنده علم الساعة وينزل الغيثThe Shaykh : The rain.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. This is not it; this is part of what I want.
The student:
And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him.
وعنده مفاتح الغيب لا يعلمها إلا هوThe Shaykh : Yes.
The student: And He knows what is in the wombs.
The Shaykh : No, no.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : If you did not hide it, we will let one go. You have opened the door now.
The student: Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student:
And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea
وعنده مفاتح الغيب لا يعلمها إلا هو ويعلم ما في البر والبحرThe Shaykh : No, no, it is he. Yes.
The student:
Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.
وما تسقط من ورقة إلا يعلمها ولا حبة في ظلمات الأرض ولا رطب ولا يابس إلا في كتاب مبينThe Shaykh : Well done, may Allah bless you.
And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.
وعنده مفاتح الغيب لا يعلمها إلا هو ويعلم ما في البر والبحر وما تسقط من ورقة إلا يعلمها ولا حبة في ظلمات الأرض ولا رطب ولا يابس إلا في كتاب مبينThe student:
Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour
إن الله عنده علم الساعةThe Shaykh : Five are mentioned in the saying of Allah the Exalted.
The student:
Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.
إن الله عنده علم الساعة وينزل الغيث ويعلم ما في الأرحام وما تدري نفس ماذا تكسب غدا وما تدري نفس بأي أرض تموت إن الله عليم خبيرThe Shaykh : Well done, may Allah bless you. These are the keys of the unseen.
Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.
إن الله عنده علم الساعة وينزل الغيث ويعلم ما في الأرحام وما تدري نفس ماذا تكسب غدا وما تدري نفس بأي أرض تموت إن الله عليم خبيرThe student: Writing.
The Shaykh : Writing. Its evidence?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Well done, yes.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : What? That Allah wrote in the Preserved Tablet.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : That you believe that Allah wrote in the Preserved Tablet the decrees of everything until the Day of Resurrection. Good, the evidence? Good, take a rest. Please.
The student:
Indeed, Allah created the Pen.
إن الله خلق القلمThe Shaykh : Sit down, sit down, one... Good. The best of things is the middle.
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : We need from the Qur'an before this. Have a rule: if you find evidence from the Qur'an, start with it. We do not accept the left hand, my brother, ever. Accustom yourself to taking and giving, and eating and drinking with the right hand. Yes. Sit down.
The student:
Indeed, that is in a Book.
إن ذلك في كتابThe Shaykh : And what? And what? That reference goes back to what?
The student: The knowledge of Allah.
The Shaykh : Read the verse, read the verse.
Do you not know?
ألم تعلمThe student:
Allah knows what is
إن الله يعلم ما فيThe Shaykh :
what is in the heaven and earth? Indeed, that
ما في السماء والأرض إن ذلكThe student:
Indeed, that is in a Book.
إن ذلك في كتابThe Shaykh :
Indeed, that is easy for Allah.
إن ذلك على الله يسيرWhen Allah created the Pen, He said, "Write." It said, "My Lord, what shall I write?" He said, "Write what is to occur until the Day of Resurrection."
لما خلق الله القلم قال اكتب. قال: ربي وماذا أكتب. قال : اكتب ما هو كائن إلى يوم القيامةThe student: ... .
The Shaykh : Please. The evidence for the will. Did you not attend? Yes?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : The evidence for the will.
The student:
you do not will except that Allah wills
ما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء اللهThe Shaykh : No, this is a negation. We said:
And Allah does what He wills.
ويفعل الله ما يشاءAnd Allah does what He wills.
ويفعل الله ما يشاءThe student:
And Allah does what He wills.
ويفعل الله ما يشاءThe Shaykh : Good, does the will include the actions of the servants or only the actions of Allah?
The student: It includes the actions of the servants.
The Shaykh : Good, the evidence?
The student:
you do not will except that Allah wills
ما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء اللهThe Shaykh : And other.
The student: The saying of Allah the Exalted:
And if Allah had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He intends.
ولو شاء الله ما اقتتلوا ولكن الله يفعل ما يريدThe Shaykh : Yes.
If Allah had willed, those [generations] succeeding them would not have fought each other after the clear proofs had come to them. But they differed, and some of them believed and some of them disbelieved. And if Allah had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He intends.
ولو شاء الله ما اقتتل الذين من بعدهم من بعد ما جاءتهم البينات ولكن اختلفوا فمنهم من آمن ومنهم من كفر ولو شاء الله ما اقتتلوا ولكن الله يفعل ما يريدThe student: The fourth.
The Shaykh : The fourth, the fourth is creation. Please.
The student: ...
Unquestionably, His is the creation and the command
ألا له الخلق والأمرThe Shaykh :
Unquestionably, His is the creation
ألا له الخلقUnquestionably, His is the creation and the command
ألا له الخلق والأمرThe student:
you do not will except that Allah wills
ما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء اللهThe Shaykh : This is the will. I am speaking about creation.
The student:
While Allah created you and that which you do?"
والله خلقكم وما تعملونThe Shaykh :
While Allah created you and that which you do?"
والله خلقكم وما تعملونThe student: For the generality.
The Shaykh : But is it a relative pronoun or a source particle?
The student: A relative pronoun meaning "that which."
The Shaykh : And that which you do. Therefore, there is no indication in it that the action of man is created. It is evidence that what is acted upon is created.
The student: The action of man.
The Shaykh : Not his action. I want his action, which is his deed. The reality is that we did not come to it, we did not bring it yesterday. Yes, but it is clear evidence.
The student:
you do not will except that Allah wills
ما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء اللهThe Shaykh : This is the will. Take a rest.
While Allah created you and that which you do?"
والله خلقكم وما تعملونAnd the second opinion: that "ma" is a relative pronoun, meaning "and He created that which you do." And if the creation of what is acted upon for us is our made thing, then it is evidence that He created our actions, because this is the result of our action. And in any case, and in any estimation, there is evidence in the verse that the action of man is created by Allah (Mighty and Majestic). And similarly, like His saying:
He created all things
وخلق كل شيءAnd Allah is the Creator of all things
والله خالق كل شيءThe student: ... .
The Shaykh : We remain in what I want to speak about, which is slipping twice now, but if Allah wills, this time it is stable.