Warning Against Delving into the Matter of Divine Decree
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Shaykh Abdul Aziz, many people delve into the topic of divine decree and destiny. Perhaps you have some guidance?
Answer:
This is a chapter that the predecessors also delved into, and some of them erred in it. It is obligatory for every believer, male and female, to submit to Allah, to believe in His divine decree, to strive to take hold of the beneficial and good means, and to 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 off His disobedience .
The presenter: So you do not advise delving into this matter?
The Shaykh: We do not advise it, no. Rather, one should not delve into this matter, but should believe that Allah decreed things, knew 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 formation , and that Allah the Exalted has given the servant an intellect, agency, 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, so too he obeys and disobeys.
The presenter: Are there any dangers, Shaykh Abdul Aziz, that you fear for those who delve into divine decree and destiny?
The Shaykh: We fear that they will argue using the divine decree or deny it. This is because some people delved into it and denied it, like the Qadariyyah who denied it, and they said: there is no divine decree. They claimed that they create their own actions, and that Allah did not bestow obedience upon them nor decree disobedience for them. And some people said: rather, Allah bestowed obedience, but did not decree disobedience. So they also fell into falsehood.
And some people delved into the divine decree and said: we are compelled. They said that nothing is upon them whether they disobeyed or obeyed, because they are compelled and have no ability. So they went astray and led others astray. We ask Allah for safety.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Shaykh Abdul Aziz, many people delve into the topic of divine decree and destiny. Perhaps you have some guidance?
Answer:
This is a chapter that the predecessors also delved into, and some of them erred in it. It is obligatory for every believer, male and female, to submit to Allah, to believe in His divine decree, to strive to take hold of the beneficial and good means, and to 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 off His disobedience .
The presenter: So you do not advise delving into this matter?
The Shaykh: We do not advise it, no. Rather, one should not delve into this matter, but should believe that Allah decreed things, knew 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 formation , and that Allah the Exalted has given the servant an intellect, agency, 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, so too he obeys and disobeys.
The presenter: Are there any dangers, Shaykh Abdul Aziz, that you fear for those who delve into divine decree and destiny?
The Shaykh: We fear that they will argue using the divine decree or deny it. This is because some people delved into it and denied it, like the Qadariyyah who denied it, and they said: there is no divine decree. They claimed that they create their own actions, and that Allah did not bestow obedience upon them nor decree disobedience for them. And some people said: rather, Allah bestowed obedience, but did not decree disobedience. So they also fell into falsehood.
And some people delved into the divine decree and said: we are compelled. They said that nothing is upon them whether they disobeyed or obeyed, because they are compelled and have no ability. So they went astray and led others astray. We ask Allah for safety.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.