Many people say, “O Allah, we do not ask You to reverse the decree, but we ask You for gentleness in it.” What is the ruling on this?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Many people say: “O Allah, we do not ask You to reverse the decree, but we ask You for gentleness in it.” What is the ruling on this? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : We do not approve of this supplication. Rather, we consider it forbidden, and it is greater than the statement of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3497Sahih (Darussalam) This is because supplication is among the things by which Allah reverses the decree, as stated in the hadith: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2139Da'if (Darussalam).
Allah (Mighty and Majestic) decrees a thing and then provides obstacles for it. Thus, He decrees the thing, and He also decrees that this man will supplicate and thereby reverse the decree. The one who reverses the decree is Allah (Mighty and Majestic). For example, should a sick person say: “O Allah, I do not ask You for healing, but I ask You to make the illness easy”?
No, he should say: “O Allah, we ask You for healing.” He should be decisive in asking for what is beloved to Him, without saying: “O Lord, leave what I dislike, but be gentle with me in it.” That is wrong. Is Allah (Mighty and Majestic) not the most generous of the generous and the most bountiful of the bountiful? Is He not capable of averting from you what He originally intended because of your supplication?
Therefore, we consider this phrase forbidden, and it is obligatory for us to say: “O Allah, I ask You to grant me health, to heal me, to restore my lost property, and the like.”
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : We do not approve of this supplication. Rather, we consider it forbidden, and it is greater than the statement of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
None of you should say: ‘O Allah forgive me if You wish. O Allah have mercy on me if You wish.’
لا يقل أحدكم : اللهم اغفر لي إن شئت، اللهم ارحمني إن شئتNothing turns back the Decree except supplication
لا يرد القضاء إلا الدعاءAllah (Mighty and Majestic) decrees a thing and then provides obstacles for it. Thus, He decrees the thing, and He also decrees that this man will supplicate and thereby reverse the decree. The one who reverses the decree is Allah (Mighty and Majestic). For example, should a sick person say: “O Allah, I do not ask You for healing, but I ask You to make the illness easy”?
No, he should say: “O Allah, we ask You for healing.” He should be decisive in asking for what is beloved to Him, without saying: “O Lord, leave what I dislike, but be gentle with me in it.” That is wrong. Is Allah (Mighty and Majestic) not the most generous of the generous and the most bountiful of the bountiful? Is He not capable of averting from you what He originally intended because of your supplication?
Therefore, we consider this phrase forbidden, and it is obligatory for us to say: “O Allah, I ask You to grant me health, to heal me, to restore my lost property, and the like.”
The questioner : May Allah bless you.