The Ruling on Delving into Divine Decree and Destiny

Question:
Many people delve into the topic of divine decree and destiny. Do you have any guidance for them?

Answer:
This is a topic that the early generations discussed and in which some erred, and it is obligatory to be cautious. Therefore, every believer, male and female, must submit to Allah, believe in His decree , strive to take hold of beneficial and good means, and stay away from harmful means, just as Allah has taught His servants, and just as He has given them the ability to do so by providing them with intellects and tools by which they assist themselves in obeying Him and leaving His disobedience .
One should refrain from delving into this topic, and believe that Allah has decreed things, known them, and counted them, and that what Allah willed came to be and what He did not will did not come to be, and that He is the Great Creator, capable of everything, and that all existing things are by His creation and decree , and that Allah has given the servant intellect, means, and the ability to do good and evil, just as he eats, drinks, wears clothes, marries, travels, resides, sleeps, and stands up, among other things, whereby he obeys and disobeys.
It is feared that those who delve into divine decree and destiny will either argue using the decree or deny it. Some people delved into it and denied it, such as the Qadariyyah who denied the decree. They said, "There is no decree," and claimed that they create their own actions, and that Allah the Exalted did not bestow obedience upon them nor decree disobedience for them. Others said, "Rather, Allah bestowed obedience, but He did not decree disobedience," so they fell into falsehood. Others delved into the decree and said, "We are compelled," meaning that nothing is required of them; whether they disobey or obey, nothing is required of them because they are compelled and have no ability. They went astray and led others astray. We ask Allah for safety.
The Majus of the Ummah are the Qadariyyah who denied the decree, who went astray regarding the decree. They said, "The matter is new," and the Majus said that the servants have two gods: Light and Darkness. They claim that Light created good and Darkness created evil. Thus, the deniers of the decree resembled them in that they made a partner for Allah in His actions and claimed that they create their own actions. We ask Allah for safety.
Every Muslim must believe in the divine decree, and be cautious about delving into it without knowledge, just as the innovators delved into it and were misguided. The only obligation upon every Muslim is to believe in the divine decree, submit to Allah in this matter, and know that Allah has decreed things, known them, and counted them, and that the servant has a will, a choice, and a selection, but he does not thereby go beyond what Allah has decreed .