Reconciling the statement of Allah the Exalted: “When their appointed time comes, they neither delay it by an hour nor hasten it” with the statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)

The Shaykh: Here arises a topic in which many scholars have long been engaged in reconciling divine decree with the causes that, if one acts upon them, some believe contradict the decree. We know with certainty, as you heard in the verse: and the other famous verse: We are certain that this meaning in this verse and the one before it is a matter settled in belief. But does this conflict with some of the legal texts? Some of them, which are the point of difficulty for some mentioned earlier, relate to the length of life and the abundance of provision. The others are exactly like the first group; there is no difference between them at all, and yet they keep raising the issue regarding this other group. I want to say that we know, in the authentic hadith in al-Bukhari and others, ; so the appointed time can be delayed. How is this, when the verse and the verse indicate that ? Similarly, the lifespan mentioned in the Qur'an is exactly like happiness and misery, which are undoubtedly written beforehand in the Preserved Tablet. Then, as Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) establishes in his great book on divine decree and destiny, what is its name? What is it?
The student: “Shifa al-‘Atil” (The Healing of the Sick).

The Shaykh: “Shifa al-‘Atil” (The Healing of the Sick). He says that there are multiple writings. The later writings do not contradict the first writing but confirm it. It is of this nature when the angel seeks permission from his Lord regarding this fetus in which the soul is breathed or is to be breathed. Is he happy or miserable? What is his lifespan? What is his appointed time? Some of these scholars search for the difficulty in the length of life and the abundance of provision, even though provision is apportioned in the Preserved Tablet. And similarly, when it is confirmed on occasions, including the writing of the angel tasked with breathing the soul, regarding his happiness or misery. So if the appointed time is decreed, what is the meaning of ? How do these meet? The answer is, first, we humans do not know what is decreed for each of us. This is part of the wisdom of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) in concealing from us what our destiny is, because if that were known, people’s lives might be disrupted, either with joy or with sorrow. So divine wisdom required that this be hidden from humans. Therefore, we do not know how long the lifespan is, how much the provision is, whether happiness is what is written or misery, and so on. Therefore, we must act as He said: So we take the means.
The student: Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
We take the means for what we desire for ourselves of good, if Allah wills, or of evil, may Allah forbid, of happiness, if Allah wills, or misery, may Allah forbid. Because both happiness and misery are connected to what? To action. Similarly, a person’s lifespan and his provision are both connected to his striving and his action. So, since we are ignorant of what is in the Mother of the Book, we take the means to match what is in the Mother of the Book. Therefore, when the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) speaks in this hadith: , it does not mean that this striving and this maintaining of ties changes what is in the Preserved Tablet. Rather, it realizes what is in the Preserved Tablet. So here, some jurists, in directing and approximating this unseen matter, say that there is a decree that is final and cut off, and there is a decree that is suspended. This suspended decree relates to some of Allah’s creation, namely the angels. The final decree relates to the knowledge of Allah, which does not accept change or alteration. For example, the angels may be informed of what is written for a person: if he maintains his family ties, his lifespan will be so much; if he does not maintain them, his lifespan will be so much. If a person, for example, expands in provision by improving his treatment of people, as in the other hadith: , then whoever takes these legal means will have that longer lifespan compared to one who does not take them, and will have that abundance in provision compared to one who does not take these means. So there is absolutely no contradiction between what is in the Preserved Tablet, because first, it is unknown to us, and second, because what is in the Preserved Tablet was not decreed by Allah (Mighty and Majestic) by mere power and force, but it is accompanied by justice and wisdom, which are two attributes of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). Just as happiness and misery in the verse, as you heard earlier: , and the beginning of the hadith, as you know, is “Act”: .