What is the response to the doubt regarding the utility of action in light of divine decree?
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Question:
A questioner says: Satan and bad companions influence some of the youth regarding the issue of qadar (divine decree), and that there is no benefit in holding fast to the religion as long as the matter has already been decided. We ask for guidance from your eminence. May Allah reward you with the best reward.
Answer:
This doubt occurred in the past during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It occurred with the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) . When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) informed them and said:Sahih al-Bukhari 4945, they said: O Messenger of Allah, then what is the use of working in that case? He said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2136; as for the people of happiness, they are facilitated for the deeds of the people of happiness, and as for the people of misery, they are facilitated for the deeds of the people of misery. Then he recited the words of the Exalted: and believed in the best then We will make it easy for him for the easy path and as for he who was stingy and considered himself self-sufficient and denied the best then We will make it easy for him for the difficult path [Surah al-Layl: 5-10].
This clarifies for us that qadar (divine decree) is already decided, and that Allah knows everything and has counted everything ; but He has made causes for this and causes for that. There are causes for good, and causes for evil, and deeds for Paradise, and deeds for the Fire. So whoever is among the people of happiness, Allah guides him to the deeds of the people of happiness and helps him, and whoever is among the people of misery is facilitated for the deeds of the people of misery... and there is no power and no strength except by Allah.
So the believer must be earnest in the work that he knows is good, and that it is from the deeds of the people of happiness. The believer must be earnest in it, hasten to it, increase in it, and beware of the deeds that Allah has made from the deeds of the people of misery, and distance himself from them, and warn people against them.
A questioner says: Satan and bad companions influence some of the youth regarding the issue of qadar (divine decree), and that there is no benefit in holding fast to the religion as long as the matter has already been decided. We ask for guidance from your eminence. May Allah reward you with the best reward.
Answer:
This doubt occurred in the past during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). It occurred with the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) . When the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) informed them and said:
There is none of you but has his place written for him in Paradise or in the Hell- Fire.
ما منكم من أحد إلا وقد عُلِمَ مقعده من الجنة ومقعده من النارWork, for everyone is facilitated for what he was created.
اعملوا فكل ميسر لما خلق لهThen as for he who gives and fears Allah
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى واتَّقَى This clarifies for us that qadar (divine decree) is already decided, and that Allah knows everything and has counted everything ; but He has made causes for this and causes for that. There are causes for good, and causes for evil, and deeds for Paradise, and deeds for the Fire. So whoever is among the people of happiness, Allah guides him to the deeds of the people of happiness and helps him, and whoever is among the people of misery is facilitated for the deeds of the people of misery... and there is no power and no strength except by Allah.
So the believer must be earnest in the work that he knows is good, and that it is from the deeds of the people of happiness. The believer must be earnest in it, hasten to it, increase in it, and beware of the deeds that Allah has made from the deeds of the people of misery, and distance himself from them, and warn people against them.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.