Divine Decree and Destiny and the Obligation to Take Means
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Question:
An explanation of the saying of the Truth, Blessed and Exalted is He, “I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed”: [Surah al-Ra'd: 11]. Our sister asks about this verse, saying: Since Allah is the One who created souls and the One who controls their change, how can people change what is in themselves and change what has been written for them? I ask Shaykh Abdulaziz to please provide a comprehensive explanation of this topic. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance.
As for what follows:
Allah is the Manager of affairs and the Disposer of the affairs of the servants as He wills . He possesses perfect wisdom and compelling proof. He, Glorified is He, has prescribed for His servants the means that bring them closer to Him and cause His mercy and favor to be bestowed upon them. He has forbidden them the means that cause His anger toward them, their distance from Him, and the descent of punishment upon them. Yet, by doing so, they do not step outside His decree. By acting upon the means He prescribed for them and the means He forbade them, they do not thereby step outside His decree, Glorified is He. Allah has given them minds, tools, and means by which they can control what they desire, whether bringing about good or warding off evil, and by doing so, they do not step outside His will. As He said, :[At-Takwir 81:28] AND YOU DO NOT WILL EXCEPT THAT ALLAH, THE LORD OF THE WORLDS, WILLS [Surah al-Takwir: 28-29].
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about this. They said to him: يا رسول الله! إذا كان ما نفعله قد كتب علينا وفرغ منه ففيم العمل؟ قال عليه الصلاة والسلام: اعملوا فكل ميسر لما خلق له، أما أهل السعادة فييسرون لعمل أهل السعادة، وأما أهل الشقاوة فييسرون لعمل أهل الشقاوة، ثم تلا عليه الصلاة والسلام قوله تعالى: فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى O Messenger of Allah! If what we do has been written for us and completed, then what is the use of action? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Work, for everyone is facilitated for what he was created for. As for the people of happiness, they are facilitated for the work of the people of happiness. And as for the people of misery, they are facilitated for the work of the people of misery. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited the saying of Allah the Exalted: BUT AS FOR HE WHO GIVES AND FEARs ALLAH, AND BELIEVES IN THE BEST REWARD, BUT WE SHALL MAKE IT EASY FOR HIM TOWARD THE EASY PATH. AND AS FOR HE WHO IS CHURLISH AND SELF-CONTENTED, AND WHO FALSIFIES THE BEST REWARD, WE SHALL MAKE IT EASY FOR HIM TOWARD THE DIFFICULT PATH [Surah al-Layl: 5-10]. Thus is the saying of the Exalted and Majestic is He: [Surah al-Ra'd: 11].
His command is effective , but He, Exalted and Majestic is He, changes what is in people when they change. If they are in obedience and uprightness and then change to sins, Allah changes their state from tranquility, happiness, abundance, and ease to the opposite thereof because of their sins and transgressions. He may also delay them, Glorified is He, or leave them in their state as a trial, then take them by surprise. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. As He said, : [Surah Ibrahim: 42]. And He, Glorified is He, said: [Surah al-An'am: 44].
Therefore, it is obligatory to be cautious. The believer must fear Allah, adhere to the truth, remain upright upon it, and not deviate from it to falsehood. For whenever he deviates from it to falsehood, he exposes himself to the anger of Allah, who may change his heart and change the blessing he has into barrenness, drought, poverty, and need. Similarly, after health comes illness, and after security comes fear, and so on, due to the causes of sins and transgressions.
And the reverse is the case: if they are in sins, evils, and deviation, and then they turn to the truth, repent to Allah, return to Him, and remain upright upon His religion, then Allah, Glorified is He, changes what is in them—fear, poverty, discord, and animosity—into security, well-being, uprightness, ease, love, cooperation, and closeness, as a favor and kindness from Him . From this is the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Surah al-Anfal: 53].
The servant has means, he has action, he has desire, and he has will, but by that, he does not step outside the decree of Allah . It is obligatory for him to utilize what he is able of the obedience of Allah and His Messenger, to remain upright upon what Allah has commanded him, to beware of what Allah has forbidden him, and to ask his Lord for help and success. Allah is the Bestower of favor, the One who grants success, and the Guide, Exalted and Majestic is He. To Him belongs the favor, to Him belongs the blessing, and to Him belongs the kindness . In His hand is the success of the servants, in His hand is their guidance, and in His hand is their misguidance. He guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills .
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good and benefit us with your knowledge. Perhaps the topic needs a summarized repetition, Shaykh Abdulaziz, for the topic has...
The Shaykh: The outcome is that the servant has means. The servant has means, and Allah has given him tools and a mind by which he knows what is harmful and beneficial, and what is good and evil. If he uses his mind and means in good, Allah rewards him for that with great good, bestows His blessings upon him, and places him in blessing and well-being after he was in badness and evil due to his previous sins. If he repents to Allah, turns back, and remains upright, then Allah, Exalted and Majestic is He, in His generosity and nobility, changes his bad state to a good state. And the reverse is the case: if the servant is in obedience, uprightness, and guidance, and then he deviates and strays from the path and follows desire and Satan, then Allah, Glorified is He, may hasten the punishment for him, may change his state, or may delay him . He should be cautious and should not be deceived by the delay of Allah if He delays him .
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
An explanation of the saying of the Truth, Blessed and Exalted is He, “I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed”:
Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْAnswer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send blessings and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance.
As for what follows:
Allah is the Manager of affairs and the Disposer of the affairs of the servants as He wills . He possesses perfect wisdom and compelling proof. He, Glorified is He, has prescribed for His servants the means that bring them closer to Him and cause His mercy and favor to be bestowed upon them. He has forbidden them the means that cause His anger toward them, their distance from Him, and the descent of punishment upon them. Yet, by doing so, they do not step outside His decree. By acting upon the means He prescribed for them and the means He forbade them, they do not thereby step outside His decree, Glorified is He. Allah has given them minds, tools, and means by which they can control what they desire, whether bringing about good or warding off evil, and by doing so, they do not step outside His will. As He said, :
For whoever wills among you to take a right course.
لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about this. They said to him: يا رسول الله! إذا كان ما نفعله قد كتب علينا وفرغ منه ففيم العمل؟ قال عليه الصلاة والسلام: اعملوا فكل ميسر لما خلق له، أما أهل السعادة فييسرون لعمل أهل السعادة، وأما أهل الشقاوة فييسرون لعمل أهل الشقاوة، ثم تلا عليه الصلاة والسلام قوله تعالى: فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى O Messenger of Allah! If what we do has been written for us and completed, then what is the use of action? He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Work, for everyone is facilitated for what he was created for. As for the people of happiness, they are facilitated for the work of the people of happiness. And as for the people of misery, they are facilitated for the work of the people of misery. Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) recited the saying of Allah the Exalted: BUT AS FOR HE WHO GIVES AND FEARs ALLAH, AND BELIEVES IN THE BEST REWARD, BUT WE SHALL MAKE IT EASY FOR HIM TOWARD THE EASY PATH. AND AS FOR HE WHO IS CHURLISH AND SELF-CONTENTED, AND WHO FALSIFIES THE BEST REWARD, WE SHALL MAKE IT EASY FOR HIM TOWARD THE DIFFICULT PATH [Surah al-Layl: 5-10]. Thus is the saying of the Exalted and Majestic is He:
Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلا مَرَدَّ لَهُ وَمَا لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهِ مِنْ وَالٍHis command is effective , but He, Exalted and Majestic is He, changes what is in people when they change. If they are in obedience and uprightness and then change to sins, Allah changes their state from tranquility, happiness, abundance, and ease to the opposite thereof because of their sins and transgressions. He may also delay them, Glorified is He, or leave them in their state as a trial, then take them by surprise. There is no power and no strength except with Allah. As He said, :
And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror].
وَلا تَحْسَبَنَّ اللَّهَ غَافِلًا عَمَّا يَعْمَلُ الظَّالِمُونَ إِنَّمَا يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ لِيَوْمٍ تَشْخَصُ فِيهِ الأَبْصَارُSo when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.
فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّى إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُمْ بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ مُبْلِسُونَTherefore, it is obligatory to be cautious. The believer must fear Allah, adhere to the truth, remain upright upon it, and not deviate from it to falsehood. For whenever he deviates from it to falsehood, he exposes himself to the anger of Allah, who may change his heart and change the blessing he has into barrenness, drought, poverty, and need. Similarly, after health comes illness, and after security comes fear, and so on, due to the causes of sins and transgressions.
And the reverse is the case: if they are in sins, evils, and deviation, and then they turn to the truth, repent to Allah, return to Him, and remain upright upon His religion, then Allah, Glorified is He, changes what is in them—fear, poverty, discord, and animosity—into security, well-being, uprightness, ease, love, cooperation, and closeness, as a favor and kindness from Him . From this is the saying of Allah the Exalted:
That is because Allah would not change a favor which He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves
ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَكُ مُغَيِّرًا نِعْمَةً أَنْعَمَهَا عَلَى قَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْThe servant has means, he has action, he has desire, and he has will, but by that, he does not step outside the decree of Allah . It is obligatory for him to utilize what he is able of the obedience of Allah and His Messenger, to remain upright upon what Allah has commanded him, to beware of what Allah has forbidden him, and to ask his Lord for help and success. Allah is the Bestower of favor, the One who grants success, and the Guide, Exalted and Majestic is He. To Him belongs the favor, to Him belongs the blessing, and to Him belongs the kindness . In His hand is the success of the servants, in His hand is their guidance, and in His hand is their misguidance. He guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills .
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good and benefit us with your knowledge. Perhaps the topic needs a summarized repetition, Shaykh Abdulaziz, for the topic has...
The Shaykh: The outcome is that the servant has means. The servant has means, and Allah has given him tools and a mind by which he knows what is harmful and beneficial, and what is good and evil. If he uses his mind and means in good, Allah rewards him for that with great good, bestows His blessings upon him, and places him in blessing and well-being after he was in badness and evil due to his previous sins. If he repents to Allah, turns back, and remains upright, then Allah, Exalted and Majestic is He, in His generosity and nobility, changes his bad state to a good state. And the reverse is the case: if the servant is in obedience, uprightness, and guidance, and then he deviates and strays from the path and follows desire and Satan, then Allah, Glorified is He, may hasten the punishment for him, may change his state, or may delay him . He should be cautious and should not be deceived by the delay of Allah if He delays him .
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.