Does supplication avert the divine decree?
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Question:
Is it authentic that it is said that supplication changes the qadar (divine decree), or the qada' (divine decree)? That is, when a child is born, does the angel write in the book whether he is wretched or happy? If he is wretched, does supplication change wretchedness into happiness?
Answer:
The apparent meaning of the texts is that wretchedness and happiness are a definitive matter from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in which there is no change, and the destinies: the term of death, the sustenance, and the like, are all definitive. However, there is a qadar (divine decree) suspended upon things that the servant does, which Allah knew in advance that he would do.
So the qadar (divine decree) suspended upon something, upon being dutiful to his parents, and upon maintaining family ties, or upon doing such and such, exists when the person performs the action. So there are qadar (divine decree) suspended upon things that a person does. Allah knows everything, nothing is hidden from Him. He has made dutifulness to parents among the causes of increasing lifespan, and maintaining family ties likewise. He has made sins and evil deeds among the causes of removing blessing, and among the causes of shortening lifespans, and the like.
So the conclusion: is that there are qadar (divine decree) that exist by their causes and are suspended upon them, and there are qadar (divine decree) that are definitive in which there is no change, not changed by supplication, nor by anything other than supplication, such as wretchedness, happiness, the fixed and definitive destinies, and the like.
And some of the scholars went to the view that everything can be changed; because Allah said: [Surat al-Ra'd: 39] And that Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) commanded supplication, legislated the causes, and suspended what He wills upon what He wills. He suspended wretchedness upon something, and happiness upon something, and He is Wise and All-Knowing, knowing what the matter of the servant will come to.
So if he strives in the obedience of Allah, and asks his Lord ... from wretchedness to happiness, that this may happen, and the qadar (divine decree) is not definitive, but suspended. It is narrated from some of the Salaf, and from 'Umar as well, that he used to say: "O Allah, if You have written me as wretched, write me as happy." This was said by a group of the scholars.
And the famous view among the scholars, and the majority, is the first one, and that wretchedness, happiness, and destinies are already determined. And this is indicated by the authentic hadith, the hadith of 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him and grant him satisfaction), that they asked the Companions, they said: O Messenger of Allah, is this that we do in a matter that has passed and been completed, or in a future matter? He said: They said: O Messenger of Allah, then for what is the work? He said: Sahih al-Bukhari 4948 Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) recited: and he believed in the best, so We will make easy for him the easy path, and as for he who was stingy and considered himself self-sufficient, and denied the best, so We will make easy for him the difficult path [Surat al-Layl: 5-10].
And the correct view is the view of the majority, and that the things decreed have passed by the knowledge of Allah, and His knowledge has completed them. These are not changed; but Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) guides the servants to causes that lead them to what was decreed for them, leading the happy to happiness, and leading the wretched to wretchedness. There is no power and no strength except by Allah. Everyone is facilitated for what he was created for.
Question: This supplication, is it from 'Umar, or from his son?
Answer: What I remember is that it is narrated from 'Umar.
Question: The hadith that came from the Prophet (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) (O Allah, O Turner of hearts) ... and that the hearts of the servants are between two fingers of the fingers of the Most Merciful?
Answer: This contradicts ... what preceded by His knowledge, the Exalted. He is the Turner of hearts according to what preceded by His knowledge.
Question: O Shaykh, is there a hadith that says: that the trial and supplication are treated between the sky and the earth?
Answer: Yes
Question: Is this hadith authentic?
Answer: Good, yes, but it does not contradict what preceded by the knowledge of Allah. Everyone is guided to what was decreed for him.
Is it authentic that it is said that supplication changes the qadar (divine decree), or the qada' (divine decree)? That is, when a child is born, does the angel write in the book whether he is wretched or happy? If he is wretched, does supplication change wretchedness into happiness?
Answer:
The apparent meaning of the texts is that wretchedness and happiness are a definitive matter from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) in which there is no change, and the destinies: the term of death, the sustenance, and the like, are all definitive. However, there is a qadar (divine decree) suspended upon things that the servant does, which Allah knew in advance that he would do.
So the qadar (divine decree) suspended upon something, upon being dutiful to his parents, and upon maintaining family ties, or upon doing such and such, exists when the person performs the action. So there are qadar (divine decree) suspended upon things that a person does. Allah knows everything, nothing is hidden from Him. He has made dutifulness to parents among the causes of increasing lifespan, and maintaining family ties likewise. He has made sins and evil deeds among the causes of removing blessing, and among the causes of shortening lifespans, and the like.
So the conclusion: is that there are qadar (divine decree) that exist by their causes and are suspended upon them, and there are qadar (divine decree) that are definitive in which there is no change, not changed by supplication, nor by anything other than supplication, such as wretchedness, happiness, the fixed and definitive destinies, and the like.
And some of the scholars went to the view that everything can be changed; because Allah said:
Allah eliminates what He wills or confirms, and with Him is the Mother of the Book.
يَمْحُو اللّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِندَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِSo if he strives in the obedience of Allah, and asks his Lord ... from wretchedness to happiness, that this may happen, and the qadar (divine decree) is not definitive, but suspended. It is narrated from some of the Salaf, and from 'Umar as well, that he used to say: "O Allah, if You have written me as wretched, write me as happy." This was said by a group of the scholars.
And the famous view among the scholars, and the majority, is the first one, and that wretchedness, happiness, and destinies are already determined. And this is indicated by the authentic hadith, the hadith of 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him and grant him satisfaction), that they asked the Companions, they said: O Messenger of Allah, is this that we do in a matter that has passed and been completed, or in a future matter? He said:
Rather, in a matter that has been completed and passed, and it has been completed
بل في أمر قد فرغ، ومضى وفرغ منهThose who are destined to be happy (in the Hereafter) will find it easy and pleasant to do the deeds characteristic of those destined to happiness, while those who are to be among the miserable (in the Hereafter), will find it easy to do the deeds characteristic of those destined to misery.
اعملوا فكل ميسر لما خلق له، أما أهل السعادة فييسرون لعمل أهل السعادة، وأما أهل الشقاوة فييسرون لعمل أهل الشقاوةAs for he who gives and fears
فَأَمَّا مَن أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى And the correct view is the view of the majority, and that the things decreed have passed by the knowledge of Allah, and His knowledge has completed them. These are not changed; but Allah (Exalted and Majestic is He) guides the servants to causes that lead them to what was decreed for them, leading the happy to happiness, and leading the wretched to wretchedness. There is no power and no strength except by Allah. Everyone is facilitated for what he was created for.
Question: This supplication, is it from 'Umar, or from his son?
Answer: What I remember is that it is narrated from 'Umar.
Question: The hadith that came from the Prophet (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) (O Allah, O Turner of hearts) ... and that the hearts of the servants are between two fingers of the fingers of the Most Merciful?
Answer: This contradicts ... what preceded by His knowledge, the Exalted. He is the Turner of hearts according to what preceded by His knowledge.
Question: O Shaykh, is there a hadith that says: that the trial and supplication are treated between the sky and the earth?
Answer: Yes
Question: Is this hadith authentic?
Answer: Good, yes, but it does not contradict what preceded by the knowledge of Allah. Everyone is guided to what was decreed for him.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.