Explanation of the author's statement: "Its good and its evil"
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Then he said: "Its good and its evil". In divine decree there is good and there is evil. And the decree is the decree of whom? The decree of Allah.
How can there be evil in the decree of Allah, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ?
The answer to this is that we say:
First: Let us know what is the good in the decree and what is the evil?
Evil is that which does not suit the nature of the human being, such that it brings him harm or injury; this is evil.
And good is that which suits his nature, such that it brings him good, or comfort, joy, and delight.
All of that, the good and the evil, is from Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
But let us return now to raising the issue: How is it said that the decree is good and evil, and that the decree is from Allah, while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says:?
So the answer to that is that it is said: The evil in the decree is not considered in terms of Allah's decreeing it, but it is considered in terms of the decreed thing, because we have a decree and a decreed thing—pay attention—decree and decreed thing, just as there is creation and the created, and will and the willed. Is that clear, everyone?
Fine, so in terms of Allah's decreeing it, it is not evil, but it is good, even if it does not suit the human being, even if it harms him, even if it injures him, it is good in terms of what? Allah's decreeing it.
But in terms of the decreed thing, the division comes, and we say: The decreed thing is either good or evil. So "the good and evil of the decree" here means what? The good and evil of the decreed thing.
And we give an example for this by which the matter becomes clear[Ar-Rum 30:41].
So in this noble verse, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) explained what happened, its cause, and its wisdom or purpose.
Is corruption evil or good? Hmm? Evil? Is corruption evil? There is no doubt. Fine, its cause is the human being, its purpose is[Ar-Rum 30:41].
So now, the fact that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) manifests corruption, or that corruption manifests by the decree of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in the land and the sea, is there wisdom in it or not? There is wisdom. It is itself evil, but for a great wisdom by which its decreeing becomes good.
Fine, and we give another example. A man was told: The illness in your child will not be cured except by cauterization. Cauterization, O Bukhari, is it hot or not hot?
The student: Cauterization?
The Shaykh : Yes, is it hot?
The student: ... It is hot.
The Shaykh : And it is painful?
The student: It is painful.
The Shaykh : This is a man who was told that his child will not be cured except by cauterization, so he heated the iron over the fire and cauterized his son. Is the cauterization, which is the action performed, evil or not? It is evil, but is the act good or not? It is good, because this one who cauterized his son did not intend to hurt him, nor did he intend to harm him; he only intended good.
Likewise, the decreed thing in relation to what Allah (Mighty and Majestic) decreed, Allah only intended the noble purpose with it, so it is good in terms of Allah's decreeing it, and evil in terms of it being decreed for him or decreed upon him. So there is a difference between the decree and the decreed thing. I think it is clear, if Allah wills? Fine.
Are sins good or evil? Evil. Is disbelief evil? Yes, and it is from the decree of Allah, but for a great wisdom. Were it not for that, the laws would have been nullified, and were it not for that, the creation of the Fire would have been in vain, even though Allah created the Fire and promised to fill it, and He created Paradise and promised to fill it. Fine.
"In the decree, its good and its evil".
Does faith in the decree, its good and its evil, include faith in every decreed thing? Is it from the aspect that Allah decreed it, or from the aspect of being pleased with it? No, the decreed thing is divided into cosmic and legal:
So the cosmic decreed thing: If Allah decrees something disliked upon you, whether you are pleased with it or not, it must happen.
The legal decreed thing: A person may do it or may not do it.
But in terms of being pleased with it:
If it is a matter, if it is obedience to Allah, it is obligatory to be pleased with it. If it is disobedience, it is obligatory to be displeased with it, to hate it, to fight it, and to put an end to it, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said:[Ali 'Imran 3:104] As for the cosmic decree, whether everyone is pleased with it or not, it must happen. Fine.
Then he said: "Faith in the decree is on two levels", and the author (may Allah have mercy on him) will speak about it from the aspect of the disagreement of the Ummah in it, and not its divisions. Yes?
How can there be evil in the decree of Allah, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Evil is not from You
الشر ليس إليكEvil is not from You
الشر ليس إليكThe answer to this is that we say:
First: Let us know what is the good in the decree and what is the evil?
Evil is that which does not suit the nature of the human being, such that it brings him harm or injury; this is evil.
And good is that which suits his nature, such that it brings him good, or comfort, joy, and delight.
All of that, the good and the evil, is from Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
But let us return now to raising the issue: How is it said that the decree is good and evil, and that the decree is from Allah, while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says:
And evil is not with You.
والشر ليس إليكSo the answer to that is that it is said: The evil in the decree is not considered in terms of Allah's decreeing it, but it is considered in terms of the decreed thing, because we have a decree and a decreed thing—pay attention—decree and decreed thing, just as there is creation and the created, and will and the willed. Is that clear, everyone?
Fine, so in terms of Allah's decreeing it, it is not evil, but it is good, even if it does not suit the human being, even if it harms him, even if it injures him, it is good in terms of what? Allah's decreeing it.
But in terms of the decreed thing, the division comes, and we say: The decreed thing is either good or evil. So "the good and evil of the decree" here means what? The good and evil of the decreed thing.
And we give an example for this by which the matter becomes clear
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
ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِي النَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُواSo in this noble verse, Allah (Mighty and Majestic) explained what happened, its cause, and its wisdom or purpose.
Is corruption evil or good? Hmm? Evil? Is corruption evil? There is no doubt. Fine, its cause is the human being, its purpose is
so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].
لِيُذِيقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِي عَمِلُوا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَSo now, the fact that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) manifests corruption, or that corruption manifests by the decree of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in the land and the sea, is there wisdom in it or not? There is wisdom. It is itself evil, but for a great wisdom by which its decreeing becomes good.
Fine, and we give another example. A man was told: The illness in your child will not be cured except by cauterization. Cauterization, O Bukhari, is it hot or not hot?
The student: Cauterization?
The Shaykh : Yes, is it hot?
The student: ... It is hot.
The Shaykh : And it is painful?
The student: It is painful.
The Shaykh : This is a man who was told that his child will not be cured except by cauterization, so he heated the iron over the fire and cauterized his son. Is the cauterization, which is the action performed, evil or not? It is evil, but is the act good or not? It is good, because this one who cauterized his son did not intend to hurt him, nor did he intend to harm him; he only intended good.
Likewise, the decreed thing in relation to what Allah (Mighty and Majestic) decreed, Allah only intended the noble purpose with it, so it is good in terms of Allah's decreeing it, and evil in terms of it being decreed for him or decreed upon him. So there is a difference between the decree and the decreed thing. I think it is clear, if Allah wills? Fine.
Are sins good or evil? Evil. Is disbelief evil? Yes, and it is from the decree of Allah, but for a great wisdom. Were it not for that, the laws would have been nullified, and were it not for that, the creation of the Fire would have been in vain, even though Allah created the Fire and promised to fill it, and He created Paradise and promised to fill it. Fine.
"In the decree, its good and its evil".
Does faith in the decree, its good and its evil, include faith in every decreed thing? Is it from the aspect that Allah decreed it, or from the aspect of being pleased with it? No, the decreed thing is divided into cosmic and legal:
So the cosmic decreed thing: If Allah decrees something disliked upon you, whether you are pleased with it or not, it must happen.
The legal decreed thing: A person may do it or may not do it.
But in terms of being pleased with it:
If it is a matter, if it is obedience to Allah, it is obligatory to be pleased with it. If it is disobedience, it is obligatory to be displeased with it, to hate it, to fight it, and to put an end to it, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) said:
And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong
وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِThen he said: "Faith in the decree is on two levels", and the author (may Allah have mercy on him) will speak about it from the aspect of the disagreement of the Ummah in it, and not its divisions. Yes?