What is your opinion of one who says: "I am fasting, if Allah wills," or "I am a believer, if Allah wills," or "I will come to you tomorrow, if Allah wills," as a statement of certainty rather than a condition?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh. What is your opinion of the one who says: "I am fasting, if Allah wills," or "I am a believer, if Allah wills," and likewise his saying: "I will come to you tomorrow, if Allah wills," as a statement of certainty rather than a condition?
The Shaykh : Yes. As for the one who says: "I am fasting, if Allah wills," or "I am a believer, if Allah wills," if his intention is to seek blessing in mentioning the will of Allah, there is nothing wrong with it, and it does not diminish his faith in any way, nor his fasting in any way. Likewise, if his intention in saying "if Allah wills" is to attribute the cause to the will of Allah, meaning that I am fasting by the will of Allah, or that I am a believer by the will of Allah, there is nothing wrong with that either, because attributing the cause to the will of Allah is established even in matters of certainty. Do you not see the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Fath 48:27] What is it? [Al-Baqarah 2:70] Even though this is a confirmed report from Allah, and yet it is conditioned by the will of Allah.
Do you not see the saying of the one who visits graves:Sunan Abi Dawud 3237Sahih (Al-Albani) And it is known that a person will certainly catch up with them, but this is from the category of attributing the cause to the will of Allah. Did you understand now? What did you understand? That if one intends to seek blessing.
The questioner : Then this is permissible.
The Shaykh : Then this is permissible, or attributing the cause to the will of Allah, then this is also permissible.
As for if he says: "if Allah wills," while hesitating about it, then he is not a believer, because faith must involve certainty. So if he says: "I am a believer, if Allah wills," meaning he is hesitating about it, then he has not believed and is considered a disbeliever, because it is obligatory to be certain in faith. Likewise, it is said regarding fasting: if he is hesitating, then his fasting is not valid. But if he mentions it by way of seeking blessing, or by way of attributing the cause to the will of Allah, then there is nothing wrong with it. The second issue.
The questioner : His saying: "I will come to you tomorrow, if Allah wills," as a statement of certainty rather than a condition?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is also not befitting. In fact, if I wished, I would say: this falls under the prohibition of[Al-Kahf 18:23-24] which is when he says: "if Allah wills" as a statement of certainty rather than a condition, he does not benefit from his saying "if Allah wills" anything, as long as he is certain. And this is among the manners of Allah Mighty and Majestic with which He has disciplined the servants, that a person should not be certain about something in the future. He should not say: "I will come tomorrow, it will certainly happen," because the matter is in the hand of Allah. As for the one who informs about what is in his heart that he is determined to come tomorrow, then here he does not need to mention the will of Allah, because he is informing about a present reality, and informing about a present reality does not need to be coupled with the will of Allah. So if a person says: "Will you visit me tomorrow?" and you say: "Yes," intending to inform about what is in your heart of your determination to visit, this is permissible, because the determination has occurred. But if you say: "Yes," meaning you intend for this to actually happen, then no [Al-Kahf 18:23-24] Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you.
Another questioner: The saying of the Shaykh al-Islam?
The Shaykh : Yes, the Shaykh al-Islam's intention was encouragement, encouraging the soldiers to advance. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes. As for the one who says: "I am fasting, if Allah wills," or "I am a believer, if Allah wills," if his intention is to seek blessing in mentioning the will of Allah, there is nothing wrong with it, and it does not diminish his faith in any way, nor his fasting in any way. Likewise, if his intention in saying "if Allah wills" is to attribute the cause to the will of Allah, meaning that I am fasting by the will of Allah, or that I am a believer by the will of Allah, there is nothing wrong with that either, because attributing the cause to the will of Allah is established even in matters of certainty. Do you not see the saying of Allah the Exalted:
You will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram
لَتَدْخُلُنَّ الْمَسْجِدَ الْحَرَامَif Allah wills
إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُDo you not see the saying of the one who visits graves:
If Allah wills we shall join you.
وإنا إن شاء الله بكم لاحقونThe questioner : Then this is permissible.
The Shaykh : Then this is permissible, or attributing the cause to the will of Allah, then this is also permissible.
As for if he says: "if Allah wills," while hesitating about it, then he is not a believer, because faith must involve certainty. So if he says: "I am a believer, if Allah wills," meaning he is hesitating about it, then he has not believed and is considered a disbeliever, because it is obligatory to be certain in faith. Likewise, it is said regarding fasting: if he is hesitating, then his fasting is not valid. But if he mentions it by way of seeking blessing, or by way of attributing the cause to the will of Allah, then there is nothing wrong with it. The second issue.
The questioner : His saying: "I will come to you tomorrow, if Allah wills," as a statement of certainty rather than a condition?
The Shaykh : Yes, this is also not befitting. In fact, if I wished, I would say: this falls under the prohibition of
(23) And never say of anything, "Indeed, I will do that tomorrow," (24) Except [when adding], "If Allah wills."
وَلا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَلِكَ غَداً * إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ(23) And never say of anything, "Indeed, I will do that tomorrow," (24) Except [when adding], "If Allah wills."
وَلا تَقُولَنَّ لِشَيْءٍ إِنِّي فَاعِلٌ ذَلِكَ غَداً * إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُThe questioner : May Allah reward you.
Another questioner: The saying of the Shaykh al-Islam?
The Shaykh : Yes, the Shaykh al-Islam's intention was encouragement, encouraging the soldiers to advance. Yes.