The ink dried and the knowledge of Allah is complete

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

The ink dried and the knowledge of Allah is complete

Abul-Bara` Muhammad `Abdul-Mun`im Al `Alawah


The Straight Path in the questions of the Companions to the Prophet (peace be upon him)
* `Imran ibn Husayn narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked or it was said to him: "A man said: "O Allah's Messenger! Can the people of Paradise be known (differentiated) from the people of the Fire; The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: "Yes." The man said: "Why do people (try to) do (good) deeds?" The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Everyone will do the deeds for which he has been created to do or he will do those deeds which will be made easy for him to do."[1]
The Hadith contains the following issues:
1- The meaning of vocabularies:
As for the Prophet's saying: "The ink dried," the actions of people were written in the Preserved Tablet which cannot be changed. `Iyad said: The meaning of "The ink dried" is: Nothing of people's actions were written afterwards. The Book of Allah, His Preserved Tablet, and His Pen are parts of His Unseen, and these parts of Allah's Knowledge we should believe in without grasping its essence. We only have been commanded to believe that the ink of the Pen had dried and actions had been written.
As for the Prophet's saying: "the knowledge of Allah is complete," His Knowledge of people's actions is complete and these actions shall be done as He had written.
As for the Prophet's saying: "Can the people of Paradise be known (differentiated) from the people of the Fire?" and in the narration of Muslim: "Are they differentiated?" which means: By angels or by other people whom Allah has given them knowledge.
As for the Prophet's saying: "Why do people (try to) do (good) deeds?" which means: If all actions were written before, why do people exert themselves in doing actions when all these actions were destined.
As for the Prophet's saying: "Everyone will do the deeds for which he has been created to do or he will do those deeds which will be made easy for him to do." It is a reference that the final end is hidden and the person in charge cannot discover it, so he has to exert efforts to do what he was commanded to fulfill, and he has no knowledge of his final destiny. Therefore, he has to exert efforts, restrain his desires, and do righteouly, so they do not leave the ordinances in order not to be blamed and deserve the punishment.[2]


2- Having faith in fate and destiny:
Fate is the last pillar of the six pillars of Islam. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine Preordainments of all things before their creation as written in the Book of Decrees -Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz)." [Surat: 49]. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And the Command of Allâh is a decree determined." [Surat Al Ahzab: 38].
Tawus said: "I found some Companions of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Everything is by measure. And he further said: I heard `Abdullah ibn `Umar as saying: There is a measure for everything-even for incapacity and-capability." [3]
Linguistically, fate means to destine something if you know its limits.
Idiomatically, previous knowledge that was written in the Preserved Tablet.
Linguistically, Al Qada' {destiny} is derived from judgement.
Idiomatically, the match of people's actions to that written in the Preserved Tablet.

Sects that have strayed in regard to Fate:
1- Al Qadariyyah: Those who said that Allah does not destine people's actions but only people who create their own actions, thus Allah does not know these actions but after their occurance.
2- Al Jabriyyah: Those who said that man is powerless and has no choice, and said that people are forced to do actions like a feather in the air.
As for Ahl As-Sunnah wal Jama`ah (adherent to the Sunnah and the Muslim public opinion), they admitted that people are the actual doers of their actions, their actions are attributed to them for real, and the actions of people occur according to the destiny and will of Allah (Glory be to Him) who created them and created their actions. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "While Allâh has created you and what you make!" [As-Safat: 96].
A person has a will but under the will of Allah. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And you cannot will unless (it be) that Allâh wills - the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists)." [Surat At-Takwir: 29].


The scholars' speech in regard of those who negate Fate:
Ibn `Abbas said: Beware not to look at stars, for it calls to fortune-telling, and beware of thinking about fate, for it calls to irreligion, and beware of insulting the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) so as not to be thrown into Hell on your face on the Day of Recompense.[4]
Ibn `Umar said when Yahya ibn Ya`mur asked him during Hajj about those who claim that there is no Fate and actions are predestined: When you meet such people, tell them that I am free of their guilt and they are free of my view, and if one of them had spend as much gold as Uhud, he would have spent them and Allah would have not accepted until they believe in Fate. [5]
Az-Zuhry said: Believing in Fate is the system of faith, so whoever believes in Allah and does not believe in Fate is not a believer.[6]


3- Those who hold fate as a proof for doing sins and that Allah predestined his actions:
All previous scriptures have agreed that Fate do not contradict work, and people should not depend only on fate, but a person should exert effort and do pious work. Therefore, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) informed his Companions about fate and that actions were written before, the Companions asked: Should we depend on our book of previously written actions and leave out actions? He said: No, but work, for everyone is fascilitated for which he was created, then he recited: "As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allâh and fears Him, * And believes in Al-Husnâ. * We will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness). * But he who is greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient. * And denies Al-Husnâ (See the footnote of the Verse No: 6). * We will make smooth for him the path for evil." [Surat Al Layl: 5 - 10].[7]
Allah (Glory be to Him) destined some fates and prepared reasons for them, and He is All-Wise of the causes which He prepared whether in the world or in the Hereafter. Moreover, He facilitated for people the actions for which He created them in this world and in the Hereafter. So, when a person knows that the interests of the Hereafter are connected with the causes that lead to them, he will be more sedulous to do them and fulfilling them more than the reasons of his world and the Hereafter. For example, plough is a cause for the existence of plants, marriage is a cause for having children, and righteous action is a cause for entering Paradise, whereas evil deed is a cause for entering Hell.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Be keen to things that may benefit you, keep asking Allah for help and do not refrain from it. If you are afflicted in any way, do not say: If I had taken this or that step, it would have resulted into such and such, but say only: Allah so determined and did as He willed."[8]


As for those who hold fate as proof to doing sins, this is rejected either by the Qur'an and the Sunnah or by reason.
As for the Qur'an and the Sunnah, Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Those who took partners (in worship) with Allâh will say: If Allâh 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). Likewise denied those who were before them, (they argued falsely with Allâh's Messengers), till they tasted Our Wrath." [Surat Al An`am: 148]. See, how they hold fate as a proof to their sins, and Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Likewise denied those who were before them" [Surat Al An`am: 148]. Denied the Messengers and hold fate as a proof, as a result, Allah (Glory be to Him) said as a punishment to them: "till they tasted Our Wrath" which indicate that their argument was null and void because if their argument had been accepted, they would not have tasted the wrath of Allah.
As for the intellectual proof for the nullification of their argument, what made you know that Allah had destined for you that you shall disobey Him?
We all do not know what Allah had destined but after it occurs, then we say to the wrong doer: Do you know that Allah had predestined this sin for you? He shall say: No. So, we ask him: Why do you think that Allah had predestined for you obedience?
An Issue: Those who hold fate as a proof to do sins, they say: Why do you disapprove my view while Adam (peace be upon him) hold his sin as a proof as was reported in the Hadith: "Adam and Moses argued with each other. Moses said to Adam: You are Adam whose mistake expelled you from Paradise. Adam said to him: You are Moses whom Allah selected as His Messenger and as the one to whom He spoke directly; yet you blame me for a thing which had already been written in my fate before my creation?" Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said twice: "So, Adam overpowered Moses." [9]
In response to this doubt, we say that Adam (peace be upon him) committed a sin and that sin was a cause for expelling him out of Paradise, but he regretted and after his repentance, Allah accepted his repentance. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Then Adam received from his Lord Words. And his Lord pardoned him (accepted his repentance)." [Surat Al Baqarah: 37]. He also says: "Then his Lord chose him, and turned to him with forgiveness, and gave him guidance." [Surat Taha: 122].
It is impossible that Moses (peace be upon him) would blame his father Adam for something of which he repented, but the blame was for the disobedience resulted from his action which is getting people out of Paradise, so the expelling out of Paradise was due to the sin of Adam. Hence, Moses did not want to blame Adam for the sin itself but for the consequence resulted from it.
Therefore, the argument of Adam (peace be upon him) with fate for the result not the sin committed.
Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: "When people thought that a wrong doer holds fate as a proof against those who blame him for the sin, they differed about him. As a result, a group from Al Qadariyyah denied it -such as Al Jaba'y- whereas another group of Ahlus-Sunnah interpretted it weakly to prove the Hadith is authentic. Their goal was correct but their method in refuting the view of Al Qadariyyah and the interpretation of the Hadith are weak." To the saying of Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah be merciful with his soul): However, Moses blamed Adam for the consequences and the misery which he and his offspring have suffered as well as getting out of Paradise as was reported in the Hadith: "Why did you get you and us out of Paradise?" So, he blamed him for the calamity which has done to him, not because the disobedience or committing of the sin because he repented to His Lord of that sin. There, Adam argued that it was not because of him but it was predestined for him to do so and a person cannot escape that." [10]
There is another response to which Ibn Al Qayyim referred. He said: There is no harm if a person argues with fate for the sin of which he repented.
Ibn `Utheimayn said: The meaning is: If someone blames you for committing a sin after you had repented of, there is no harm on you because Adam argued with fate after he had repented against sin, and Moses cannot blame Adam for a sin of which he repented. [11]


4- Having faith that Allah is the Creator of everything:
Believing in fate is one of the pillars of faith, as follows:
A- Having faith in the previous knowledge of Allah:
By believing that Allah is knowledgeable of everything and that He knows what is in the heavens and that is on earth in details whether of His Own Actions or the actions of His Creatures. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "That you may know that Allâh has power over all things, and that Allâh surrounds all things in (His) Knowledge." [Surat At-Talaq: 12]. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Surely, Allâh is Ever All-Knower of everything." [Surat An-Nisa': 32].
B- Having faith that Allah had written the destiny of mankind: It is to believe that Allah had written in the Preserved Tablet the actions that will happen until the Day of Recompense. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And their traces and all things We have recorded with numbers (as a record) in a Clear Book." [Surat Yasin: 12].
It was reported in the Hadith of `Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al `As (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying: "Allah had destined the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water."[12]
C- Having faith that what Allah wills will be and what He does not will not be done, and there is no movement or silence in the heavens or in the earth that is done but by the will of Allah. Know that Allah has a will. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be!" and it is!" [Surat Yasin: 82]. People have will too but it comes after the will of Allah. Allah says: "And you cannot will unless (it be) that Allâh wills - the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists)." [At-Takwir: 29]. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "But you cannot will, unless Allâh wills. Verily, Allâh is Ever All-Knowing, All-Wise." [Surat Al Insan: 30].
D- Having faith that Allah is the Creator of everything:
It is to believe that Allah is the Creator of everything and there is no creator but He, for He is the Creator of people of their actions. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Say: Allâh is the Creator of all things; and He is the One, the Irresistible." [Surat Ar-Ra`d: 16]. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measurements." [Surat Al Furqan: 2]. Allah (Glory be to Him) says in the story of Abraham: "While Allâh has created you and what you make!" [Surat As-Safat: 96].
Sheikh Hafizh Hikamy (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: As people did not create themselves or their actions, their ability, will, and actions are bound by the Ability, will, and actions of Allah because He is their Creator. However, it should be noted that their will, ability, and actions are not in harmony with the will, ability, and actions of Allah. He (Glory be to Him) is the Creator of believers and their faith and the disbelievers and their disbelief as Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "He it is Who created you, then some of you are disbelievers and some of you are believers. And Allâh is All-Seer of what you do." [Surat At-Taghabun: 2] [13] [14].

[1] Al Bukhari (6596) the book of fate, Muslim (2649) in the book of fate, Abu Dawud (4709) without mentioning the first part which contains the question, and Ahmad (19834) with his own wordings.

[2] Fathul-Bary (11/685 - 686).

[3] Sahih Muslim (2655).

[4] Abu Na`im Al Asbahany Fi Akhbar Asbahan (1/324) and Al Farq Bayna Al Firaq of Al Baghdady (15).

[5] Sahih Muslim 8.

[6] Siyar A`lam An-Nubala' (5/326).

[7] Al Bukhari, (1362) and Muslim (2647).

[8] Sahih Muslim 2664 and Ibn Majah 4168.

[9] Al Bukhari, (6614) and Muslim (2652) from the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah and at Ahmad (7635) (and Adam won by his argument) which was clear because Adam overcame Moses by argument.

[10] Dar' Ta`arud Al `Aql Wan-Naql (5/146 - 147).

[11] Sarh Al Wasitiyyah (443).

[12] Sahih Muslim (2653).

[13] Ma`arij Al Qabul (3/5 - 47).

[14] See: Sarh Al Wasitiyyah (623 - 630), and Al Qawl Al Mufid (418 - 445) of Ibn `Utheimayn and what does it mean to be an adherent to Ahl As-Sunnah Wal Jama`ah of Al `Azzazy (186).