A Glance At The History Of

QADAR (PREDESTINATION) Belief in qadar (predestination) is one of the basic principles of faith. The Quran and Sunnah explain the concept of qadar (predestination), and the Messenger (�) stated that doing deeds and taking the means to an end is part of qadar and does not contradict this idea. He warned his ummah against those who do not believe in qadar, or who use qadar as a pretext to oppose the commandments of Islam. The Messenger (�) became very angry when he came out one day and found his Companions debating about qadar; he was so angry that his face turned red as if a pomegranate had been squeezed over his face. He said: "Is this what you have been commanded to do? Is this why I was sent to you?

The people who came before you were destroyed when they disputed about this matter. I urge you not to dispute about this. " 1 The Sa�aabah (Companions) (may Allah be pleased with them) responded to the urging and direction of their Prophet. It is not known that any of them debated about qadar (predestination), either during his lifetime or after he died. It has not been narrated that any of the Muslims debated about qadar during the time of the Rightly Guided Khulafa (Caliphs) Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with them all). All that has been transmitted is that Abu 'Ubaydah 'Aamir ibn al-Jarraal;i 1 Tirmidbi, 2/223. objected to the fact that 'Umar went back with the people and did not enter Syria when the plague spread there.

He said to 'Umar ibn al­ Khattaab: "O' Ameer al-Mu 'mineen, are you running away from the decree (qadar) of Allah?" 'Umar said, "If only someone other than you had said this, O' Abu 'Ubaydah! Yes, we are running away from the decree of Allah towards the decree of Allah. Do you not see that if you had a camel and you came to a valley where there were two patches of land, one green and fertile, and the other dry and barren, if you let it graze in the green land, you do so by the decree of Allah, and if you let it graze in the dry land, you do so by the decree of Allah. " 2 Laalkaa'i narrated that 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab addressed the people in Al-Jaabiyah (in Syria) and said: "Whomever Allah sends astray, no one can guide him. " There was a Christian priest in front of him, who said, "Allah does not send anyone astray. " When 'Umar ibn al­ Khattaab repeated his statement, the priest started to brush his garment as an expression of his objection to 'Umar's words.

After his words had been translated to him, 'Umar said: "You are lying, O' enemy of Allah! For Allah has indeed created you, and Allah has sent you astray, then He will cause you to die, and will send you to Hell, in sha A llah ... Allah created His creation, and when He created Adam, He spread out his progeny in His hand, and decreed who would be the people of Paradise and what they would do, and who would be the people of Hell and what they would do. Then He said, ' These are for this, and these are for this. ' And the people dispersed with no dispute concerning qadar. "3 2 Al-Bukhari.

See Fatb al-Baari, 1 0/ 1 79, hadith no. 5729. 3 Sharb U�ool J 'tiqaad Ahl as-Sunnah by Al-Laalkaa'i, 3/659. The first person to discuss qadar was a man from among the people of Ba�rah, a grocer called Sansawayh. Al-Awzaa' i said, "The first person to speak about qadar was a man from ' Iraq called Sawsan. He was a Christian who became Muslim, then he went back to Christianity. Ma'bad al-Juhani learned from him, and Gheelaan learned from Ma'bad. " 4 Yoonus ibn 'Ubayd said: "I came to Ba�rah and there were no Qadaris there except for Sansawayh and Ma'bad al-Juhani, and another accursed individual from Bani 'Awaafah.

" 5 Muslim narrated that Buraydah ibn YaQ.yaa ibn Ya'mar said: "The first person who spoke about qadar in Ba�rah was Ma'bad al­ Jubani. " Buraydah mentioned in bis hadith that Ma 'bad and those who were with him claimed that there was no qadar, and that everything happened without being decreed.6 The Sa�aabah (Companions) who were still alive at this time, such as 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbaas, Waathilah ibn al-Asqa', Jaabir ibn 'Abdullah, Abu Hurayrah and Anas ibn Maalik launched a war against the people who held this opinion. 7 This opinion was later adopted from Ma'bad by the leaders of the Mu 'tazilah, such as Waa�il ibn 'Ataa', 'Amr ibn ' Ubayd and Gheelaan ad-Dimashqi. Waa�il ibn 'Ataa', the leader of the Mu 'tazilah, claimed that evil could not be attributed to Allah, because Allah is Wise and it could not be right to say that He would want His slaves to do anything different to that which He had commanded, or that He would decree upon them to do anything and then punish them for that. He stated in 4 Sharb Ufiool al-I'tiqaad, 3/750. Ash-Sharee 'ah by Aajiree, p. 242. 5 Sharb U!iool J 'tiqaad Ahl as-Sunnah, 3/749. 6 Sharb Al-Nawawi 'ala Muslim, 1 / 1 50. 7 Al-Farq bayna al-Firaq, p. 1 9. his writings that it is the individual acting on his own initiative who does good and evil, who believes or disbelieves, who obeys or disobeys Allah, and Allah is the One Who gives recompense for his deeds and enables him to do all that.8 An-Nazzaam, one of the Mu 'tazilah, said that Allah could not be described as having the power to create evil and sin, for this was not possible for Allah.9 This is the group which our scholars dubbed A l-Qadariyah. "They called them this because they affmned that the individual has the power (qudrah) to initiate his own actions independently of Allah, and they denied that things happen by the decree (qadar) and will (qa<f,aa ') of Allah.

In their misguidance, they themselves gave this name to their opponents, the people of guidance, and said: you are the qadariyah because you say that things happen by a decree (qadar) from Allah, so you are more deserving of this name than we are. " 10 In his commentary on Sal;eel; Muslim, Al-Nawawi said: "Some of the qadariyah said: we are not qadariyyah, you are qadariyy a h, because you believe in qadar. Ibn Qutaybah and the Imam (i.e., Imam al-Juwayni) said: this is a false and foolish argument on the part of these ignorant people, for the followers of truth refer all their affairs to Allah, the All-High, and attribute qadar and deeds to Him, whilst these ignorant people attribute it to themselves and claim that it belongs to them. The one who claims that something belongs to him and attributes it to himself is more entitled to be named after it than one who attributes it to someone other than himself and denies that it belongs to him. " 11 8 Al-Mila/ wan-Nif;al by Shahrastaani, 1 /47. 9 Ibid, 1 154. 10 Jaami ' al-U!fool by Ibn al-Atheer, 1 0/ 1 28. 11 Sharl; Al-Nawawi 'ala Muslim, 1 11 54. It is narrated in an authentic report that the Messenger (�) called the Qadariyah, the Magians (Zoroastrians) of this ummah.

The hadith is narrated by Abu Dawood in his Sunan and by Al-I:Iaakim in A l­ Mustadrak, and it is $a�ee� according to the conditions of A$­ Sa�ee�ayn (the two most authentic collection ofhadith - Bukhari and Muslim). He said: it is $a�ee� according to the conditions of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim), if it is proven that Abu I:Jaazim heard it from Ibn 'Umar.12 The reason why this group is described as the Magians of this ummah is "because of the similarity to the Magian belief that there are two origins, light and darkness. They claim that good comes from the action of the light, and evil comes from the action of darkness, and so they are dualists. Similarly, the Qadariyah attribute good to Allah, and evil to someone or something other than Allah. But Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Creator of both good and evil, and nothing of them happens except by His Will. So both are attributed to Him in the sense that He creates them and brings them into being, and they are attributed to the people who do them in the sense that they do them and have earned them.

" 13 At the end of the Umawi (Umayyad) period, there emerged groups who claimed that the individual is compelled to do what he does, and that he has no choice as to whether he does it or not. Some of them claimed that the individual has some power, but that it is ineffective. The first person to say such things was Al-Jahm ibn �afwaan; from this bid 'ah (reprehensible innovation) there stemmed a number of 12 Opt. cit 13 Nawawi quoted this from Al-Khattaabi in his commentary on fial}eel} Muslim (Sharl} 'ala Sa!Jee!J Muslim, 1 / 1 54. See also Jaami ' al-U!jool, 1 0/ 1 28). We will discuss this group and its beliefs further, and explain how misguided it is, when we discuss those who went astray concerning qadar. objectionable beliefs, and great deviation and misguidance. 1 4 This belief spread throughout the ummah and was adopted by many worshippers, ascetics and Sufis. If the previous group was akin to the Magians, this group is more like the mushrikeen (polytheists) who said: . . . ;:;, � C_?. .q_; Gj�1: �j �� t �\ {G _;1 � �@ � . . .

' If Allah had willed, we would not have taken partners [in worship] with Him, nor would our fathers, and we would not have forbidden anything [against His Will] ' .. ) (Qur 'an 6: 1 48) This latter group is worse than the former, because the former respected the commands and prohibitions (of Islam), although they said that people's actions were not created by Allah. But this (latter) group, although they believed in qadar, used it as pretext and evidence to negate the importance of the commands and prohibitions. 1 5 · 14 Majmoo · al-Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam, 8/46 0 ; A l-Mila/ wan-Ni�al by Shahrastaani, 1 /85. 15 'Aqeedat as-Safaareeni, 1 1306. More information about those who follow this view will be given below. DEFINITION OF QAIJAA (DIVINE WILL) AND QADAR (PREDESTINATION) 1Definition of Qadar (Predestination) The root of qadar is qadara. In Arabic it is said "Qadartu ash-shay 'a qadran (or qadaran) (I evaluated the thing), " if one knows its quantity and other attributes. 1 In Arabic, qadar means decree, judgement, ultimate destiny. Taqdeer means to think about how to sort things out. 2 In a technical sense, qadar means, "something of which there was prior knowledge, one of the things which was written by the Pen when it wrote down everything that was going to happen for the rest of eternity, when Allah decreed the affairs of all His creation and what would happen before it happened.

He knew that these things would happen at certain times that were known to Him, and in specific ways, and so things happen in the way that He has decreed. "3 lbn I:Iajar said in his definition: "What is meant is that Allah knows how things will be and when they will happen, before He initiates them. Then He creates that which He already knows will happen. Hence everything that happens stems from His knowledge, power and will. " 4 1 Fat� al-Baari by Ibn I;lajar al-'Asqalaani, 1/1 1 8. 2 Al-Qaamoos al-Mu�ee( by Al-Fayroozabaadi, p. 59 1 . 3 'Aqeedat as-Safaareeni, 1 /348. 4 Fat� al-Baari, !/! 1 8. As-Safaareeni said, narrating from the Ash'ariyah: "Qadar means that Allah brings things into being in a specific manner with regard to its essence and qualities, and in accordance with His prior knowledge and that which has been written by the Pen.

"5 These definitions are similar to one another. They indicate that qadar (predestination) includes two things: ( 1 ) The eternal knowledge of Allah, by which He ruled that He would create whatever He wanted to exist, and that He specified the qualities of the things He wanted to create. He wrote down all of that in A l-Lau}J al-Ma}Jfoo� (the Preserved Tablet) in His words. So the heavens and the earth, their size and dimensions, the way they are formed and everything in between them and in them - all of that is preserved in A l-Lau}J al-Ma}Jfoo� in precise detail. (2) The creation of whatever Allah, the Almighty, has decreed should exist, according to His prior knowledge and what was written by His Pen; whatever happens in reality is identical to that prior, written knowledge. Qadar (Predestination) is a general word, referring to the prior knowledge of Allah and that which He created in accordance with that knowledge.

Imam ash-Shaafa' i (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked about qadar, and he responded in verse: "Whatever You want happens, even if I do not want it to, and whatever I want, if You do not want it to happen, it does not happen. You created mankind according to Your knowledge, and according to Your knowledge, young and old behave accordingly. You have blessed this one and forsaken that one; You have helped this one and not that one. 5 'Aqeedat as-Safaareeni, 1 1345. Some of them are doomed and some are blessed; some are ugly and some are beautiful. " 6 2Definition of Al-Qatf,aa' (Divine Will) Al-Qa<f.aa 'means: decision, decree, judgement. Qa<f.aa ' is mentioned frequently in the a�aadeeth of the Prophet (�).

The root meaning is decision. The verb qa<f.aa yaq<f.ee and the words qa<f.aa ' and qaa<f.i ("judge") are used to refer to matters where decisions and judgements are made. Qa<f.aa ' (Divine Will) implies doing a thing properly, finishing it and concluding the matter. Thus it also conveys the meaning of creating. Az-Zuhri said: in Arabic, qa<f.aa ' carries a number of different meanings. It refers to when something is completed and finished, everything that is carried out properly, completed, fulfilled, has become obligatory, is known or is done.

All of these meanings are to be found in the a�aadeeth. 7 There are two scholarly views concerning the difference between qa<f.aa ' and qadar: ( 1 ) Qa<f.aa ' means the previous knowledge according to which Allah created all things and ruled by it from eternity, and qadar (predestination) refers to when creation follows that which has already been decreed .. Ibn I:Iajar al-' Asqalaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "The scholars said that qa<f.aa ' is the total and general decree from eternity, and qadar refers to the details of that decree. "8 Elsewhere he said: "Qa<f.aa ' is 6 Al-J 'tiqaad by Al-Bayhaqi, p. 162; Shar� U!jool l'tiqaad Ahl as-Sunnah by Al­ Laalkaa 'i, 1 1702. 7 An-Nihaayah Ji Ghareeb al-Hadith, by Ibn al-Atbeer, 4178. 8 Fat� al-Baari, 1 1 1477. the decree in general terms from eternity, and qadar refers to the details of how that decree is applied. "9 (2) The second view is the opposite of the above, i.e., that qadar is the prior decree, and that qarj,aa ' refers to the creation. Ibn Battaal said: "Qarj,aa ' refers to creation." 1 0 This was also the view of Al-KhatJ:aabi. In Ma 'aalim as-Sunan he said: "Qadar is a name for that which has been decreed as a result of the actions of A l­ Qaadir (Allah, the All-High). ..

Qarj,aa ' in this sense refers to creation, as Allah (�), says: ,L � '� • . • ;.;,; :;- j"' ..:.. ... ...7,. ; :_r-\ � I...,.;. ;.:::. .., �'' ::-� },.. �Then He completed and finished from their creation [fa qarj,aahunna] [as] seven heavens in two Days . . ) (Qur 'an 41 : 1 2), i.e., He created them. " 1 1 On this basis, "qarj,aa ' is more specific than qadar, because qarj,aa ' refers to the time when things are brought into existence. So qadar means the decree, and qarj,aa ' means the implementation of that decree. " 1 2 This view i s supported by many texts of the Quran. Allah (�), says: ,L � \ � - � -; > :>\ ,;_;_.>b /0 "I'. � � � },.. J · · · "f' �- . . and it is a matter [already] decreed [by Allah].) (Qur 'an 1 9: 21) ,L � \"�- ;.� "I'. � � : � �/ ;r� Zif . }.,_ }> Lr "!' . . 9 Fat� al-Baari, 1 1/ 1 49.

IO Jbid. 11 Ma 'aalim as-Sunan by Al-Khanaabi, 7170. 12 Al-Mufradaat by Raaghib al-Asfahaani, p. 406. �- . .this is with your Lord, a Decree which must be accomplished) (Qur 'an 1 9: 71) "' � "I'. � "'u� �' l. J' �,. c� (I?1 ,.--: .>< � j� ' � � 1�1µ,. . . . }..JP � .. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it: ' Be ! ' - . and it is) (Qur 'an 2: 11 7) So qa<f,aa ' and qadar - according to this opinion - are two interwoven matters which cannot be separated from one another, because one of them, qadar, is the foundation, and the other, qa<f,aa ', is the structure. Whoever wants to separate them will destroy the entire structure. 1 3 3 - The Pillars of Belief in Qadar (Predestination) Belief in qadar is based on four pillars (essential components). Whoever affirms all of them has attained perfect belief in qadar.

Whoever is sceptic about one or more of them does not have the correct belief in qadar. These four pillars are: ( 1 ) Belief that the knowledge of Allah is all-encompassing. (2) Belief that Allah has written in A l-Lau� a l-Ma�foo'? (the Preserved Tablet) everything that will come to pass until the Day of Resurrection. (3) Belief in the irresistible will and perfect power of Allah; so what He wills happens and what He does not will does not happen. (4) Belief that Allah has created everything that exists, and that Allah has no partner in His creation.

We will discuss these four principles in more detail below. 13 An-Nihaayah ft Ghareeb al-Hadith by Ibn al-Atheer, 4/78; see also Jaami ' al­ Usool, I 0/1 04. The first pillar: belief in the all-encompassing knowledge of Allah This great principle is frequently reiterated in the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (�). The knowledge of Allah encompasses all things: He knows what was and what is yet to come; with regard to that which does not happen, if it were to happen, He knows how it would be. He knows what exists and what does not exist, what is possible and what is impossible. Allah (�), knows about His slaves, how Jong their lives will be, what their provision will be, their circumstances, their movements, whether they are doomed or blessed. He knows who among them are the people of Paradise and who are the people of Hell, from before the time when He created them, and created the heavens and the earth.

All of this is connected to His having knowledge and to the fact that He is the All-Knowing, All-Aware, All-Hearing, All-Seeing. Allah (�), says: J,,, � ,,.. ,... ;;.:114 �.1 \"'.J ._:;JI "> ']1i, �1i, y -s,,iii �\ y. � y. --> },._r /_ "'" ' ttAA. . � .. , . ,, , • 4He is Allah, beside Whom Laa ilaaha ilia Huwa [none has the right to be worshipped but He] the All-Knower of the unseen and the seen . . ) (Qur 'an 59: 22) �� � � "� :t. ld � ;&\ �� �� ..j $' � 411 Yi . �) ,,,,. 1J- ,,... ,,., _.,. " ; "'-" / .. 4 ... that you may know that Allah has power over all things, and that Allah surrounds all things in [His] Knowledge) (Qur 'an 65: 12) �"11 � 1� .;.S<�JI � ;�� j� � �� 1 �:_;.ii � ... )> "'\ � '!:i> � -.! '1� >/. "i _,,,, /, � � � 'lj �\ '1_) ,, A. � �i _,, /, v • ,, , � .. .the All-Knower of the Unseen . . . not even the weight of an atom [or a small ant] or less than that or greater escapes His Knowledge in the heavens or in the earth but it is in a Clear Book [Al-Lau� al-Ma�foo�].� (Qur 'an 34: 3) £� � � �.,,1-:_f.it"" � /> / .--� . ,, i .:. . / �1;5 /> �/ �l 1');.. r Y.J ,, ,, .;.. iY- � 1.r r __,,,. .'J �Verily, your Lord! It is He Who knows best who strays from His Way, and He knows best the rightly guided ones.� (Qur 'an 6: 11 7) 0 _;>< �,..

"i j•l � �i,, ·>>"I.. •:il, J ._f�..'l\., / ;i�'> � ,,,, �I-t ,,yA> r ,, • • • 1' :i:.. � @ ... � �-. . He knows you well when He created you from the earth [Adam], and when you were fetuses in your mothers' wombs . . . � (Qur 'an 53: 32) Allah (�), tells us that He knows how things that do not happen would happen if they were to happen: � . . . But if they [the kuffaar - disbelievers] were returned [to the world], they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden .. ) (Qur 'an 6: 28) So Allah knows about these liars, who will wish on the Day of Resurrection that they could go back to the world; He knows that if they were returned, they would go back to their disbelief and misguidance. Allah, the Exalted, tells us about the kuffaar (disbelievers), who cannot bear to hear words of guidance: �� ,.( � ..:...:. /. .!-"" > J-;' i'.Yi"�\ ·� r-'" �-!""" r� )-//,..� (•� •>,,,- • 1 Y.\"J �� �\; Y.\_..J );..1' !P.- � �\ r::"'" • 0 �Had Allah known of any good in them, He would indeed have made them listen; and even if He had made them listen, they would but have turned away with aversion [to the truth].� (Qur 'an 8: 23) One aspect of Allah's knowledge of what is to come is that He knows what the children who die in infancy would have done if they had grown up before they died. Bukhari narrates in his $al},eel}, that Ibn 'Abbaas said: "The Prophet (�) was asked about the children of the mushrikeen (polytheists), and he said, 'Allah knows best what they would have done. ""4 Muslim narrated that Umm al-Mu 'mineen (the mother of the faithful) 'Aaishah, said: "A little boy died, and I said, ' It is better for him, he is one of the little birds of Paradise.' The Messenger of Allah (�) said, 'Do you not know that Allah created Paradise and Hell, and He created people for the one and people for the other?'" According to another report narrated by Muslim, 'Aa 'ishah said: "The Messenger of Allah (�) was called to attend the funeral of a young boy among the An�aar, and I said, 'O' Messenger of Allah, it is good for him; he is one of the little birds of Paradise.

He did not do evil and did not reach the age to do evil. ' He said, ' It is not like that, O' 'Aa'ishah. Allah created people for Paradise; He created them for it when they were still in the loins of their forefathers. And He created people for Hell; He created them for it when they were still in the loins of their forefathers. "' 1 5 14 Fat� al-Baari, 1 1 /493. Muslim (4/2049, no. 2659) narrated a slightly different version from Abu Hurayrah. 15 Muslim, 4/2050, no. 2662.

These alJ,aadeeth refer to the knowledge of Allah concerning those who die in childhood; they do not imply that Allah will send them to Hell on the basis of that knowledge alone, without them having done anything wrong. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said, concerning the hadith about the children of the mushrikeen (polytheists), "Allah knows best what they would have done" : "This means, Allah knows who among them would have believed, and who would have disbelieved, if they had reached full maturity. Then he quoted another hadith from Abu Hurayrah, according to which the Prophet (�) said: 'When the Day of Resurrection comes, Allah will test them. He will send a messenger to them in the arena of Resurrection, and whoever responds to 1'irn will be admitted to Paradise, and whoever disobeys him will be sent to Hell.' Then what is already known to Allah will be made manifest, and He will requite them on the grounds of what has been made manifest, that is, who among them believed and who disbelieved, and not merely on the grounds of knowledge alone. " 16 Rational evidence that Allah knew about the qadar of His creation before He created it The truth is that the existence of this universe and every creature in it clearly indicates that Allah had knowledge of it before He created it. "For it is impossible that He could create things without knowing about them, because He creates things by His Will, and will requires a preconceived idea about the desired thing.

This preconceived idea about the desired thing is knowledge of the desired thing. So creation 16 Majmoo ' al-Fataawa Shaykh al-Islam, 41246. requires will, and will reqmres knowledge, so creation reqmres knowledge. " 1 7 Moreover, "The created beings which exist i n it are made in a proper . and perfect manner which implies that the One Who made them must have knowledge of them, because such perfect work could not have been done by one who has no knowledge. " 1 8 The scholars also use a kind of analogy as evidence for the knowledge of Allah: "Among His creation are those who have knowledge, and knowledge is an attribute of perfection, so it is impossible for the Creator not to have knowledge. " This can be proven in two ways: ( 1 ) It may be said: we know that the Creator is inevitably more perfect than His creation, and that the One Who must exist (Allah) is more perfect than one who may or may not exist (creature). Ifwe assume that the former has knowledge whilst the latter does not, then the One Who has knowledge is more perfect.

If the Creator does not have knowledge, this would imply that the one who may or may not exist (creature) is more perfect than Him, and this is impossible. (2) Every type of knowledge that the created being has, comes from Allah, and it is impossible for the One Who created these beings with some attributes of perfection to be devoid of perfection; He is more entitled to perfection than they are, because whatever attributes of perfection the created beings are known to have, t h e C re at o r i s m or e e n t i t l e d to t h e m , and wh atever imperfections the created beings are above having, the Creator is more entitled to be above them and free of them. 1 9 17 Shar� at-Ta�aawiyah, p . 1 48. 18 Opt. cit 1 9 Shar� at-Ta�aawiyah, p. 148. All of this evidence may be summed up in the aayah (verse): �Should not He Who has created know? And He is the Most Kind and Courteous [to His slaves], All-Aware [of everything].� (Qur 'an 67: 1 4) What confirms Allah's knowledge is when He tells us of events before they happen. Allah, the Almighty, told us in His previous Books of the coming of our Messenger (�), and his attributes, character and signs, and He told us of many of the cha�acteristics of his ummah. In His Book (the Quran), He foretold that the Romans would be victorious over the Magian Persians within three to nine years, and this happened as foretold.

There are many predictions offuture events, which are part of the Unseen, in the Quran and Sunnah. The second pillar: Belief that Allah has written everything in Al-Lau� al-Ma�foor. (The Preserved Tablet) The texts of the Quran and Sunnah indicate that Allah has written all things in Al-Lauh a/-Malifoo'? (the Preserved Tablet). According to a hadith narrated by Muslim in his $aheeh, 'Abdullah ibn ' Amr ibn al­ 'Aa� said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (�) say: 'Allah wrote the decrees of His creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and He said: His Throne is above the water. "'20 Tirmidhi narrated it as follows: "Allah decreed the decrees fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth.

" 2 1 20 Muslim, 4/2044, hadith no. 2653. 21 Tirmidhi, 4/45 8 , no. 2 1 56 . He sai d : i t i s a !faf}eel} l}asan hadith (a good authentic hadith). In Sunan atTirmidhi it is narrated that ' Ubaadah ibn a�-Saamit related: "The Messenger of Allah (�) said: 'The first thing which Allah created was the Pen. He (Allah) said, ' Write! ' It said, ' What shall I write?" He (Allah) said: "Write the decree (al-qadar) of what has happened and what is to happen, for all eternity. "'" Abu 'Besa Al-Tirmidhi said: this is a ghareeb hadith with this Isnad. 22 A l-Lauf:z al-Maf:zfoo?

(the preserved tablet), in which Allah has written the decrees of His creation, is given a number of names in the Quran, such as A l-Kitaab, A l-Kitaab al-Mubeen, A l-Imam al-Mubeen, Umm al-Kitaab and A l-Kitaab al-Mastoor. Allah (�), says: A.. ttM. J; � .� A . � 1J '!(!- ,,> ( 1.. "\ � r/ .# @' � � - ;. u �:J .>" ..r. r ' �Nay! This is a Glorious Quran, [Inscribed] in Al-Lauf:z al-Maf:zfoo? [The Preserved Tablet] !� (Qur 'an 85: 2 1-22) 01 �,,.., j Su·� i1 �.;,,S�t J tJr:, ,... ,,.. ,,,, �J\ j-,,.- G � !;. V,... - r· - .. :&\ dJ {r � -- j\ 1..

"')? � � � �l � d1; �Know you not that Allah knows all that is in the heaven and on the earth? Verily, it is [all] in the Book [Al­ Kitaab] [Al-Lauf:z al-Maf:zfoo?] . Verily, that is easy for Allah) (Qur 'an 22: 70) � ® 0-} 1Gl t! �:.�;:.j �� Jj · · · � � . . . and all things We have recorded with numbers [as a 22 Tinnidhi, 4/458, no. 2055 . Th e hadith is �abeeb. It is ghareeb with regard to the lsnad (chain of narrators) with which Tinnidhi quotes it in Baab al-Qadar. But he also quotes it in Kitaab at-Tafseer, where he says, this hadith is basan ghareeb.

It is quoted by Shaykh Naa�iruddin al-Albaani in $abeeb Sunan Al-Tirmidhi (2/228), and he stated that he narrated it in Silsilat al-Abaadeeth a�-$abeebah and elsewhere. record] in a Clear Book [kitaab mubeen].� (Qur 'an 36: 12) { .-:: : ,., � 1-' · : ._3?. � l�t\' A. "'<: � J.r'-' ';)..J � "#' � _;- l:.' "#' .JY"' '.) ..,, ,i. � · �By the Toor [Mount], And by the Book Inscribed [kitaab mas{oor], in parchment unrolled) (Qur 'an 52: 1 -3) "'<: � � 1,.,j c� _ , - �1 �� -q· �( A. !.--' ..,, :- J / 4And verily, it [this Quran] is in the Mother of the Book [umm al-kitaab] [i.e. A l-Lau� al-Ma�foo?] with Us, indeed exalted, full of wisdom) (Qur 'an 43: 4) The third pillar: Belief that the Will of Allah is All­ Encompassing and that His power is irresistible This principle implies the belief that the Will of Allah is unstoppable and that His power is All-Encompassing. Whatever Allah, the All­ High, wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not happen. Nothing can move or come to a halt in the heavens or on earth except by His Will, and nothing happens in His Dominion except what He wills. There are many texts, which clearly state this.

Allah (� ), says: >"",I _,,,,,.. i_.-; / _,..,,,. ,,. // � ,.i_ � "'<: � • • • ..lll �� (.)\ )It .:.i_,�\.:j \.:._, ..,, 4And you cannot will unless [it be] that Allah wills . . ) (Qur 'an 81 : 29) �-� ,,(.$" .:r; c·�--� $ rr-- � � Jj'.il � �1 .. �-11 ('T-.. -a:� et ;1_; @ � ..I ,;( � "'<: � . . . >.Ji\ i'Gdi '11.. r � .:> 1 i�f � ')Ll .>::',., 'J • �And even if We had sent down unto them angels, and the dead had spoken unto them, and We had gathered together all things before their very eyes, they would not have believed, unless Allah willed . . ) (Qur 'an 6: 111) � � . . . :µ � �� it:. _;1; . . . ,, �- . .If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it...� (Qur 'an 6: 112) � @ J..i_N J' ;J j� j � ;jj T�l ,f>l Wl t �Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be ! " - and it is!� (Qur 'an 36: 82) �- .. Allah sends astray whom He wills and He guides on the Straight Path whom He wills) (Qur 'an 6: 39) The A ll-Encompassing will and Irresistible Power of Allah together are manifested in what has happened and what is yet to come. But they diverge with regard to what did not and will not happen. Whatever Allah decrees will happen inevitably comes to pass by His Power. Whatever Allah does not will does not happen because Allah does not will it, not because He is not able to bring it about.

Allah, says: �� � i:J. � � ;l;i �_; i_Pi � -:.11 iG jl. J . . . ,, / / �--.If Allah had willed, they would not have fought against one another, but Allah does what He likes.� (Qur 'an 2: 253) ,£. "\ �� • • • ��i I�� ,:: -!·�": -::"'-" ,, 411 1' ;r-;: • � '-""' •\ YJ/ • • • � "f' �- .. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation .. ) (Qur 'an 5: 48) � @ . . . �.Qi � l;,;":;J �i (8. _;r; . . . ,, f .. And had Allah willed, He could have gathered them together [all] on true guidance . . . � (Qur 'an 6: 35) .. "'"" � ..r":�I r· �.-:· '.ly � .:r� � - l... .uil • \...M yJ 1' "\ 'l@9 • • • 1.- �Had Allah willed, they would not have taken others besides Him in worship . . ) (Qur 'an 6: 1 0 7) � . . . �.. � :�1� . .i.. i 1' . / ,,. ::, ".'(./ :r-;: .:\• "\ � ,,£. � � � _; :J � <f .:f :J �_; ..'"'"" YJ }:... 1' �And had your Lord willed, those on earth would have believed, all of them together. . ) (Qur 'an J O: 99) � � . . . �L � ;"G j� �\ t :::$' �� cl! ) �t ,, �Have you not seen how your Lord spread the shadow.

If He willed, He could have made it still.. ) (Qur 'an 25: 45) And there are many other aayaat (verses) which indicate that what He wills should not happen does not happen because He does not will it, not because He is not able to bring it to pass. For He is Able to do all things, may He be Glorified and Exalted. The fourth pillar: Belief that Allah is the Creator of all things The texts (of the Quran and Sunnah) state that Allah, the All­ Powerful, is the Creator of all things. He is the One Who created, formed and brought His creation into being. He is the Creator and everything besides Hirn is subject to His dominion and control and is created by Him. �Allah is the Creator of all things .. ) (Qur 'an 39: 62) � @ (fil :,ili ;. �� 0t ,, �Verily, your Lord is the All-Knowing Creator) (Qur 'an 15: 86) .£ "\ � �Y" � . . . .J �,1'.J- �1 � • r�:- �_)·\w'.J ..:..- �< -;;.11 � J cJ"' -:1� <5,..Jr -� �:.11 :i._ • ,. �All praises and thanks be to Allah, Who [Alone] created the heavens and the earth, and originated the darkness and the light...� (Qur 'an 6: 1) ,. -k�'.' �J �J.J � �J j�� � � � -s)ll �N ,, , ·� // ·- -· r;. -;;, I / / _; ., ,\,l:il-;;, .> U"'l:J,�(I (�-f:C!.:r <:.- • L· :i._ � (!) ... �"'\::�.; 0' -1�� � �O' mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person [Adam], and from him [Adam] He created his wife [I:Iawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women .. ) (Qur 'an 4: 1) » � / / � c 0� � � J' �� ;�j� �o; :0.' :t- -s)l\ ;� ); �And He it is Who has created the night and the day, and the sun and the moon, each in an orbit floating.� (Qur 'an 21: 33) And there are many similar aayaat (verses). 4 - People's Deeds are Created by Allah and Decreed by Him People and their deeds are no different to any other created things when it comes to predestination (qadar).

Allah already knows what He will create through the actions of His slaves and He knows what they will do. He has written all of that in A l-Lau� al-MaVoo? (the preserved tablet). Allah created them as He willed, and His decree concerning them will be fulfilled. They will act in accordance with the will of Allah. Those, whom Allah has decreed will be blessed, will be guided, and those whom Allah has decreed will be doomed will go astray.

Allah knows the people of Paradise and facilitates and assists them to the deeds of the people of Paradise, and He knows the people of Hell and facilitates them to the actions of the people of Hell. The texts that we have quoted above offer sufficient proof of this and there is no need to repeat them here. But there are many other texts, which also provide clear evidence concerning this matter. Allah (�), says: � @ �_µ �_; � �t � �While Allah has created you and what you make! � (Qur 'an 3 7: 96) �� "JI ;_µ _,.($" Jj'.) � � .r... � . " .� �And everything they have done is noted in [their] Records [of deeds] .� (Qur 'an 54: 52) '1' -: --� . > � --> �-- ".i...i., �1"' L' !J .r � _r-A'.. !J ' _, ,, _, ,.. > -:-= -r ,�:1 � � ?..; t;" �T ... !J & � � '.J • • • // 4� > 4 � �-}> / j-11-:"' � ,,,. ,,,, .:i� l [.� .""_r"' � 'll "'!r > "" "'('. � > > . � � .:; � ... And no female conceives or gives birth but with His Knowledge.

And no aged man is granted a length of life nor is a part cut off from his life [or another man's life], but is in a Book [Al-Lau� al-Ma�foo?] . Surely, that is easy for Allah.� (Qur 'an 35: 11) � e 0_J�./11 � �J� j1� �_; �f-+�H � �1 � � � �Whomsoever Allah guides, he is the guided one, and whomsoever He sends astray, - then those! They are the losers) (Qur 'an 7: 1 78) "' � ", ,:: �> i' ,, ... .,. ,.,,,. .. / ,. -:; / ,. ,,,. .... ,.,, ,--:;,. -:; :i... r � . . . Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided) (Qur 'an 1 6: 125) There are many a'f;aadeeth which reach the level of being mutawaatir, 23 whose meaning is that the Lord of people knows what people will do; He has willed and decreed that, and the matter is cut and dried. He knows people's ultimate destiny, whether they are blessed (destined for Paradise) or doomed (destined for Hell). But at the same time He has told us that qadar is not a reason why people should not strive: "Strive, for each person will be guided to do that for which he was created.

" Texts Which I ndicate that Allah Has Decreed the Deeds of His Slaves ( 1 ) A �aadeeth which indicate that the pens have dried concerning people's deeds and that events materialize accordingly Muslim narrated in his Sa'f;ee'J; that Jaabir said: "Suraaqah ibn Maalik ibn Ju'sham came and said: 'O' Messenger of Allah, explain our religion to us as ifwe had only just been created. What should we strive for today? Is it for something concerning which the pens have dried and the decree has been issued, or is it concerning something that is yet to be decided?' He (�) said, 'No, it is for something concerning which the pens have dried and the decree has been issued. ' He said, 'Then why should we strive?' He said: ' Strive, for each person will be 23 Mutawaatir: A terminology of the science of hadith, it means that a particular hadith has been reported through a number of chain of narrators. provided (respective) facilities.'" According to another report: "Strive, for each person will be facilitated to do his deeds. " 24 Tirmidhi narrated in his Sunan that ' Umar ibn al-K.hanaab (� ) said to the Messenger (�): "O' Messenger of Allah, Do you think that what we strive to do emanates from our own initiative or something that has been decreed already?" He said, "It is something that has been decreed already, O' son of al­ Khattaab. Every person will be facilitated to what he intends to do.

If he is one of the blessed, he will do that which will take him to Paradise, and if he is one of the doomed, he will be facilitated to do that which will send him to Hell . " Tirmidhi said: this is a �a}Jee}J }Jasan hadith. 25 (2) Allah knows who will go to Paradise and who will go to Hell Bukhari narrated that 'Imran ibn I:Iu�ayn said: "A man said, 'O' Messenger of Allah, is it known who will go to Paradise and who will go to Hell?' He (�) said, 'Yes. ' He asked, 'Then why should people strive?' He said: 'Everyone will be guided to do that for which he was created. "' Muslim narrated in his $a}Jee}J that 'Ali said: "We were at a funeral in Baqee ' al-Gharqad26 and the Messenger of Allah (�) came to us. He sat down, then we sat down around him. He had a small stick with him, and he lowered his head and started to draw lines on the ground with his stick.

Then he said: 'There is no one among you, there is not a living soul, but Allah has already decreed his place in Paradise or in Hell, and it has been decreed whether he is blessed or doomed. '" 24 Muslim, 4/2040, hadith no. 2648. 25 Tirmidhi, 4/445, hadith no. 2 1 35. 26 Baqee ' al-Gharqad: The cemetery of the people of Madeenah. A man asked: "O' Messenger of Allah, why do we not rely on what has been written, and not bother to strive?" He said: "Whoever is one of the blessed will end up doing the actions of those who are blessed, and whoever is one of the doomed will end up doing the actions of those who are doomed. " Then he said2 7 : "Strive, for everyone will be guided. Those who are blessed will be guided to do the actions ofthose who are blessed, and those who are doomed will be facilitated to do the actions of those who are doomed. " Then he (�) recited: �As for him who gives [in charity] and keeps his duty to Allah and fears Him, And believes in A l-lfusnaa [the best] .

We will make smooth for him the path of ease [goodness]. But he who is greedy, miser and thinks himself self-sufficient. And belies A l-lfusnaa, We will make smooth for him the path for evil) (Qur 'an 92: 5-1 0) (3) The progeny of Adam were brought forth from his loins after he was created, and were divided into two groups - the people of Paradise and the people of Hell Our Messenger (�) told us that after creating Adam, Allah wiped his back and brought forth his progeny from his back, looking like little ants, and from them He brought forth the people of Paradise and the people of Hell. Maalik, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawood narrated that Muslim ibn Yasaar said: "Umar ibn al-Khanaab ( . ) said concerning the aayah : 27 This is how it appears in the hadith, the words "then he said" are repeated. .. >t & >,,,. ...- .. ,.... • >,,.-;�... >� � . -':1! .. ;:>.W ,... � ... -:-,... t · ,.. � � t�\� � � 4_; �I �V 1' ,... ,,, ... ,,.. r �I t�� rf-' ,.,,.. . . .. 1::ci. :;. � Gl �;·:�1 t;. �� � ti._:. ;}. �� �;� :�:.�11 �e � �And [remember] when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed [or from Adam's loin his offspring] and made them testify as to themselves [saying] : "Am I not your Lord?" They said: "Yes ! We testify, " lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: "Verily, we have been unaware of this. "� (Qur 'an 7: 1 72) 'Umar said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (�) being asked about this and he said: "Allah created Adam, then He wiped his back with His Right Hand, and brought forth from him his progeny.

He said, "I have created these for Paradise, and they will do the deeds of the people of Paradise." Then He wiped his back (again), and brought forth more of his progeny and said: "I have created these for Hell, and they will do the deeds of the people of Hell. " The man asked, "So why should we strive?" The Messenger of Allah (�) said: "If Allah created a person for Paradise, He will cause him to do the deeds of the people of Paradise, until he dies doing one of the deeds of the people of Paradise, so he will enter Paradise by virtue of that deed. If He created a person for Hell, He will cause him to do the deeds of the people of Hell, until he dies doing one of the deeds of the people of Hell, so he will enter Hell by virtue of that deed. ""'2 8 28 Mishkaat al-Ma!faabee�, 1 134, hadith no. 95. The editor of Al-Mishkaat, Shaykh Naa�iruddin al-Albaani, said: The men of its Isnad are thiqaat (trustworthy), the men of the two shaykhs (i.e., Bukhari and Muslim), but it is munqa/i ', i.e., there is a gap in the lsnad between Muslim ibn Yasaar and 'Umar. But there are many corroborating reports.

Imam Al:tmad narrated in his Musnad with a �abeeb Isnad (authentic chain of narrators) that Ibn 'Abbaas said: "The Messenger of Allah (�) said: 'Allah took the Covenant from the loins of Adam at Nu'maan - i.e., at 'Arafaah. He brought forth from his loins all of his progeny and spread them before Him like small ants, then He addressed them directly, saying: . . ,,.. :; � d� �:�ajl r;. \,i; J � t4�- 1 �� �;� �1 . . . � �� �-� .'-1, 1�� �·: � . G!t1: r·� 111 r 't_tAi �';' .J1 �� � -:., . ,-:. 1:ci. ') � ') . ,.,. cY • 7 "' i"!. G 1:�'°�:f :- � �� � S_;i1·�i1 ,,.. � J-- � i"" .... . � . . . 'Am I not your Lord?' They said: 'Yes!

We testify,' lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: 'Verily, we have been unaware of this.' Or lest you should say: "It was only our fathers aforetime who took others as partners in worship along with Allah, and we were [merely their] descendants after them; will You then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practised A l­ Baatil [i.e. polytheism and committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping others besides Allah]?� (Qur 'an 7: 1 72-1 73) . '" 29 Al).mad narrated in his Musnad with a �abeeb Isnad from Abu Dardaa' that the Prophet (�) said: "Allah created Adam when He created him, then He struck him on the right shoulder and his progeny emerge�, looking white like small ants. Then He struck his left shoulder and his progeny emerged looking black like ashes. He said to those who were on the right, 'To Paradise, and I do not care, ' and He said to those who were on the left, 'To Hell, and I do not care. "'30 29 Ibid, 1 /43. 30 Opt. cit, 1 /42. The Messenger (*) explained in another hadith: "Allah created His creation in darkness, then He threw from His light upon them.

Whoever was touched by that light will be guided, and whomever it missed will be led astray. Hence I say that the pen has dried according to the knowledge of Allah . " This i s narrated by Tirmidhi from 'Abdullah ibn Amr He said, this i s ' . a �asan hadith.3 1 (4) Allah has written down the names of the people of Paradise and the people of Hell Tirmidhi reported in his Sunan that 'Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'Aa� ' said: "The Messenger of Allah (�) came out to us with two books in his hand. He said, 'Do you know what these two books are?' We said, 'No, O' Messenger of Allah, we do not know unless you tell us. ' Concerning the book i n his right hand, he said, 'This i s a book from the Lord of the Worlds. In it are the names of the people of Paradise, and the names of their fathers and tribes.

They are all listed, down to the very last one of them; no names will ever be added or taken away. ' Then he said concerning the book in his left hand, 'This is a book from the Lord of the Worlds. In it are the names of the people of Hell, and the names of their fathers and tribes. They are all listed, down to the very last one of them; no names will ever be added or taken away. ' His Companions said: ' So why should we strive, O' Messenger of Allah, if it has been decreed and decided?' He said: ' Do what is right and do your best, for the person who is destined for Paradise will be caused to die when he is doing one of the deeds of the people of Paradise, no matter what he did before, and the one who is destined for Hell will be caused to die when he is doing one of the 31 Tinnidhi, 5/26; haditb no. 2642. deeds of the people of Hell, no matter what he did before.' Then The Messenger of Allah (�) put the books aside and said: 'Your Lord has finished with the matter of His slaves: some are for Paradise and some are for Hell. '" Tirmidhi said: this is a �a�ee� ghareeb �asan hadith. 32 (5) The decree on Laylat al-Qadr and the decree day to day We have stated above that Allah issued His decrees for His slaves fifty thousand years before He created His creation.

The Quran and Sunnah indicate that there are two kinds of decree: the annual decree and the daily decree. The annual decree takes place on Lay/at al-Qadr, when details of who will live and die during the coming year, how much provision and rain people will have, what actions people will do, and so on, are transferred from Umm al-Kitaab. Allah (�), says: �We sent it [this Quran] down on a blessed night [(i.e. the Night ofAl-Qadr) in the month ofRama"1aan]. Verily, We are ever warning [mankind that Our Torment will reach those who disbelieve in Our Oneness of Ruboobiyah (Lordship) and in Our Oneness of worship]. Therein [that night] is decreed every matter of ordainments. As a Command [or this Qur' an or the Decree of every matter] from Us.

Verily, We are ever sending [the Messengers].� (Qur 'an 44: 3-5) The daily decree means the carrying out of the decrees so that they happen at the times previously determined. Allah (�), the All32 Tirmidhi, 4/450, hadith no. 2 1 4 1 . See also Sabeeb Sunan Al-Tirmidhi edited by Shaykh Naa�iruddeen al-Albaani, 2/225. Glorious, says: �Whosoever is in the heavens and on the earth begs of Him [its needs from Him]. Every day He is [engaged] in some affair [such as giving honour or disgrace to some, life or death to some] ! � (Qur 'an 55: 29) Ibn Jareer narrated from Muneeb ibn 'Abdullah that his father said: the Messenger of Allah (�) recited this aayah (verse), and we said, "O ' Messenger of Allah, what is that affair?" He said: "He forgives sins, relieves distress, raises the status of some people and lowers the status of others. " The summary of the comments of the mufassireen on this aayah is: that part of Allah's affair every day is to give life and give death, to create and to give provision, to grant glory to some people and to humiliate others, to heal the sick, free prisoners, grant relief to the distressed, answer those who call upon Him, give to those who ask of Him, forgive sins, and other innumerable things that He does and initiates in His creation. 33 (6) The writing of the decree for a person when he is a foetus in his mother's womb It is narrated in the abaadeeth that Allah sends an angel to the foetus in his mother's womb, to write down his provision, his lifespan and whether he is doomed (destined for Hell) or blessed (destined for Paradise).

In sahih Bukhari and sahih Muslim, it is narrated that 'Abdullah (i.e., Ibn Mas'ood) said: "The Messenger of Allah (�) told us: 33 This is stated by the author of Ma 'aarij al-Qubool, 1 /346, narrating from the mufassir Al-Baghawi. "(As regards your creation) every one of you is collected in the womb of his mother for the first forty days, and then he becomes a clot for another forty days, and then a piece of flesh for another forty days. Then Allah sends an angel to breathe the soul into him. Then he is commanded to write four decrees: his provision, his lifespan, his deeds, and whether he will be doomed or blessed (in the Hereafter). By the One besides Whom there is no other god, one of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is no more than a cubit between him and it, then the decree overtakes him and he does the actions of the people of Hell, and thus he enters it (Hell). And one of you may do the deeds of the people of Hell until there is no more than a cubit between him and it, then the decree overtakes him and he does the actions of the people of Paradise, and thus he enters it (Paradise).

" 34 In SafJeel; Bukhari it is narrated from Anas ibn Maalik ( . ) that the Prophet (�) said: "Allah appoints an angel to (oversee the foetus in) the womb, and he says, 'O' Lord, a nuifah (drop of sperm); O' Lord, an 'alaqah (a clot); O' Lord, a mu<fghah (a lump of flesh). ' When Allah wants to complete His creation, he (the angel) says, 'O' Lord, male or female, doomed or blessed? What is his provision? What is his lifespan?' All of that is written while he is in his mother's womb. " 35 Tirmidhi narrated in his Sunan that Anas (. ) said: the Messenger of Allah (�) said: "When Allah wills good for His slave, He guides him . " It was said, "How does He guide him, 0' Messenger of 34 Al-Bukhari.

See Fat!J al-Baari, l l /477. Muslim, 4/2037, hadith no. 2643. This version is narrated by Muslim. Also Abu Dawood and Tirmidhi. 35 Al-Bukhari, FatlJ al-Baari, 1 1 /477; Muslim, 4/2038, hadith no. 2646. This version is by Al-Bukhari. Allah?" He said: "He helps him to do a righteous deed before he dies.

" Tirmidhi said: this is a $a�ee� �asan hadith. 36 Muslim narrated in his Sa�ee� that Abu Hurayrah (�) stated: the Messenger of Allah (�) said: "A man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise for a long time, then his life ends with an action of the people of Hell, or a man may do the deeds of the people of Hell for a long time, then his life ends with an action of the people of Paradise. " 37 It is narrated from Sahl ibn Sa'd al-Saa'idi that the Messenger of Allah (�) said: "A man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise as far as people can see, but he is one of the people of Hell, or a man may do the deeds of the people of Hell as far as people can see, but he is one of the people of Paradise. " 38 The story of the man who the Messenger (�) said was one of the people of Hell is worth quoting because of the valuable lesson we may learn from it. In Sa�ee� Bukhari it is narrated from Abu I:Iaazim from Sahl ibn Sa' d that during one of the military campaigns of the Prophet (�) there was a man who was excelling in fighting. The Prophet (�) looked at him and said: "Whoever wants to see a man from among the people of Hell, let him look at that man. " One of the people followed him, and at that point he was one of the fiercest fighters against the mushrikeen (polytheists), until he was wounded.

Then he hastened his own death by driving his sword into his chest until the point emerged between his shoulders. The man (who had seen this) rushed back to the Messenger (�) and said, "I 36 Tirmidhi, 4/450, no. 2 1 42. 37 Muslim, 4/2042, hadith n o . 265 1 . 38 Ibid. bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah ! " He said, "What happened?" He said, "You said to so and so, ' Whoever wants to see a man from among the people of Hell, let them look at this man.' He was one of the greatest among us at fighting in defence of the Muslims, but I knew that he would not die like that. When he was wounded, he hastened his own death and killed himself. " At this, the Prophet (�) said: "A slave may do the deeds of the people of Hell, but he is one of the people of Paradise, or he may do the deeds of the people of Paradise, but he is one of the people of Hell. But it is the final deed that counts. "39 39 Fat� al-Baari, 1 1 /499, hadith no. 6607.