Explanation of the author's statement: "And faith in the divine decree, its good and its evil"
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The Shaykh : And his statement: "And faith in the divine decree, its good and its evil".
This is also the sixth pillar: faith in the divine decree, its good and its evil.
The divine decree: It is the determination of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for things. Allah has written the measures of all things fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Hajj 22:70].
And his statement: "its good and its evil". As for describing the divine decree with good, the matter is clear in that. As for describing the divine decree with evil, the intended meaning is the evil of the decreed matters, not the evil of the decree itself, which is the action of Allah. For the action of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) contains no evil; all His actions are good and wisdom. But the evil is in His created things and decreed matters. So the evil here is considered in relation to the decreed and the created, not in relation to the action. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:. For example, we find evil in the created and decreed things: snakes, scorpions, wild beasts, diseases, poverty, drought, and the like. All of these are evil for humans because they do not suit them. Also included are sins, transgression, disbelief, open sinfulness, killing, and the like. All of these are evil. But in relation to their attribution to Allah, they are good, because Allah (Mighty and Majestic) did not decree them except for a profound, great wisdom. Those who know it know it, and those who do not know it do not know it. Accordingly, you must know that the evil with which the divine decree is described is only in relation to the decreed and created matters, not in relation to the determination, which is the determination and action of Allah.
Then know also that this created thing, which is evil, may be evil in itself but good from another aspect. Allah the Exalted said:[Ar-Rum 30:41]. The outcome is good. And so the evil in this decreed matter is relative evil, meaning: it is not true evil, because its outcome will be what? Good.
Let us suppose, for example, the punishment of the fornicator if he is not married: that he is flogged one hundred lashes and exiled from the town for a year. This is undoubtedly evil for him, but it is good, even for him it is good, because it serves as an expiation for him. Is this good or not? Because the punishment in this world is lighter than the punishment in the Hereafter, so it is good for him.
Second: It serves as a deterrent for others and a warning for others. For if another person were to intend to commit fornication, knowing that what was done to this person would be done to him, yes, he would be deterred. Indeed, it may be good for him as well, in that he will not return to such an action that caused this thing for him.
As for cosmic, decreed matters, because this is evil in the sense that it is legislated, but there is something that is evil in the sense that it is decreed, such as disease. For example, if a person falls ill, there is no doubt that the disease is evil for him, but there is good for him in reality. What is its good? The expiation of sins. A person may have sins that have not been expiated by seeking forgiveness and repentance due to the presence of a barrier, for example, the lack of sincerity of his intention with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So these diseases and punishments come and expiate these sins.
Second: There is good in it in itself, regardless of the sins it expiates. For a person does not know the measure of Allah's blessing upon him with health until he falls ill. We are now healthy and do not know what the value of health is, but when illness occurs, we know the value of health. So health is a crown on the heads of the healthy, known only to the sick. This is also good: you know the measure of the blessing.
Third: There may be things in this disease that kill germs in the body which only the disease can kill. There are things, Glory be to Allah the Great. The doctors say: certain specific diseases kill these germs in the body, and you do not know. So the result is that we say:
First: Is the evil with which the divine decree is described in relation to the determination of Allah or in relation to what He decrees? It is in relation to what He decrees. As for the determination of Allah, it is all good. What is the evidence? The statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):.
Second: Is the evil in the decreed matter pure evil or not? No, it is not pure evil. Rather, this evil may result in matters that are good, so the evilness in relation to it is a relative matter.
This, and the author (may Allah have mercy on him) will speak about the divine decree in a detailed manner, clarifying its levels according to the people of the Sunnah and the community.
This is also the sixth pillar: faith in the divine decree, its good and its evil.
The divine decree: It is the determination of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for things. Allah has written the measures of all things fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as Allah the Exalted said:
Do you not know that Allah knows what is in the heaven and earth? Indeed, that is in a Record. Indeed that, for Allah, is easy.
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ فِي كِتَابٍ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌAnd his statement: "its good and its evil". As for describing the divine decree with good, the matter is clear in that. As for describing the divine decree with evil, the intended meaning is the evil of the decreed matters, not the evil of the decree itself, which is the action of Allah. For the action of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) contains no evil; all His actions are good and wisdom. But the evil is in His created things and decreed matters. So the evil here is considered in relation to the decreed and the created, not in relation to the action. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
And evil is not with You.
والشر ليس إليكThen know also that this created thing, which is evil, may be evil in itself but good from another aspect. Allah the Exalted said:
Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].
ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَLet us suppose, for example, the punishment of the fornicator if he is not married: that he is flogged one hundred lashes and exiled from the town for a year. This is undoubtedly evil for him, but it is good, even for him it is good, because it serves as an expiation for him. Is this good or not? Because the punishment in this world is lighter than the punishment in the Hereafter, so it is good for him.
Second: It serves as a deterrent for others and a warning for others. For if another person were to intend to commit fornication, knowing that what was done to this person would be done to him, yes, he would be deterred. Indeed, it may be good for him as well, in that he will not return to such an action that caused this thing for him.
As for cosmic, decreed matters, because this is evil in the sense that it is legislated, but there is something that is evil in the sense that it is decreed, such as disease. For example, if a person falls ill, there is no doubt that the disease is evil for him, but there is good for him in reality. What is its good? The expiation of sins. A person may have sins that have not been expiated by seeking forgiveness and repentance due to the presence of a barrier, for example, the lack of sincerity of his intention with Allah (Mighty and Majestic). So these diseases and punishments come and expiate these sins.
Second: There is good in it in itself, regardless of the sins it expiates. For a person does not know the measure of Allah's blessing upon him with health until he falls ill. We are now healthy and do not know what the value of health is, but when illness occurs, we know the value of health. So health is a crown on the heads of the healthy, known only to the sick. This is also good: you know the measure of the blessing.
Third: There may be things in this disease that kill germs in the body which only the disease can kill. There are things, Glory be to Allah the Great. The doctors say: certain specific diseases kill these germs in the body, and you do not know. So the result is that we say:
First: Is the evil with which the divine decree is described in relation to the determination of Allah or in relation to what He decrees? It is in relation to what He decrees. As for the determination of Allah, it is all good. What is the evidence? The statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
And evil is not with You.
والشر ليس إليكSecond: Is the evil in the decreed matter pure evil or not? No, it is not pure evil. Rather, this evil may result in matters that are good, so the evilness in relation to it is a relative matter.
This, and the author (may Allah have mercy on him) will speak about the divine decree in a detailed manner, clarifying its levels according to the people of the Sunnah and the community.