What is the validity of the supplication of the one who says, "O Allah, I do not ask You to reverse the decree, but I ask You for gentleness in it"?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. We often hear in...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : We often hear in supplication "O Allah, we do not ask You to reverse the decree, but we ask You for gentleness in it". What is the validity of this?
The Shaykh : This supplication that you heard, "O Allah, we do not ask You to reverse the decree, but we ask You for gentleness in it", is forbidden and not permissible. This is because supplication reverses the decree, as stated in the hadithSunan Ibn Majah 4022Da’if (Darussalam). Also, it is as if this questioner is challenging Allah, saying: "Decree what You will, but [I ask for] gentleness and supplication."
A person should be decisive and say: "O Allah, I ask You to have mercy on me. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from being punished," and the like. As for saying, "I do not ask You to reverse the decree," what is the benefit of supplication if one does not ask Him to reverse the decree? Supplication reverses the decree. Perhaps Allah decrees something and makes for it a cause that prevents it. Yes, the important point is that this supplication is not permissible. A person must avoid it and advise anyone who hears it not to make this supplication.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : We often hear in supplication "O Allah, we do not ask You to reverse the decree, but we ask You for gentleness in it". What is the validity of this?
The Shaykh : This supplication that you heard, "O Allah, we do not ask You to reverse the decree, but we ask You for gentleness in it", is forbidden and not permissible. This is because supplication reverses the decree, as stated in the hadith
nothing repels the Divine decree except supplication
لا يرد القدر إلا الدعاءA person should be decisive and say: "O Allah, I ask You to have mercy on me. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from being punished," and the like. As for saying, "I do not ask You to reverse the decree," what is the benefit of supplication if one does not ask Him to reverse the decree? Supplication reverses the decree. Perhaps Allah decrees something and makes for it a cause that prevents it. Yes, the important point is that this supplication is not permissible. A person must avoid it and advise anyone who hears it not to make this supplication.