46. The Decree

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z-Zinad from al-Araj fromAbu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and granthim peace, said, "Adam and Musa argued and Adam got the better ofMusa. Musa rebuked Adam, 'You are Adam who led people astray andbrought them out of the Garden.' Adam said to him, 'You are Musa towhom Allah gave knowledge of everything and whom he chose above peoplewith His message.' He said, 'Yes.' He said, 'Do you then censure mefor a matter which was decreed for me before I was created?' " Yahya related to me from Malik from Zayd ibn Abi Unaysa that Abdal-Hamid ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn al-Khattab informed him fromMuslim ibn Yasar al-Juhani that Umar ibn al-Khattab was asked aboutthis ayat - "When your Lord took their progeny from the Banu Adam fromtheir backs and made them testify against themselves. 'Am I not yourLord?' They said, 'Yes, we bear witness' Lest you should sayon the Day of Rising, 'We were heedless of that.'" (Sura 7 ayat 172)Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah, may Allahbless him and grant him peace, being asked about it. The Messenger ofAllah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, 'Allah, theBlessed, the Exalted, created Adam. Then He stroked his back with Hisright hand, and progeny issued from it. He said, "I created these forthe Garden and they will act with the behaviour of the people of theGarden." Then He stroked his back again and brought forth progeny fromhim. He said, "I created these for the Fire and they will act with thebehaviour of the people of the Fire." 'A man said, 'Messenger ofAllah! Then of what value are deeds?' The Messenger of Allah, mayAllah bless him and grant him peace, answered, 'When Allah creates aslave for the Garden, he makes him use the behaviour of the people ofthe Garden, so that he dies on one of the actions of the people of theGarden and by it He brings him into the Garden. When He creates aslave for the Fire, He makes him use the behaviour of the people ofthe Fire, so that he dies on one of the actions of the people of theFire, and by it, He brings him into the Fire.' " Yahya related to me from Malik that he heard that the Messengerof Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "I have lefttwo matters with you. As long as you hold to them, you will not go thewrong way. They are the Book of Allah and the Sunna of His Prophet." Yahya related to me from Malik from Ziyad ibn Sad from Amr ibnMuslim that Tawus al-Yamani said, "I found some of the companions ofthe Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,saying 'Everything is by decree.' " Tawus added, "I heard Abdullah ibnUmar say that The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and granthim peace. said, 'Everything is by decree - even incapacity andability,' (or 'ability and incapacity')." Malik related to me from Ziyad ibn Sad that Amr ibn Dinar said,"I heard Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr say in a khutba, 'Allah - He is theGuider and the One Who Tempts Away.' " Yahya related to me from Malik that his paternal uncle, AbuSuhayl ibn Malik said, "I was a prisoner with Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz. Hesaid, 'What do you think about these Qadariyya (fatalists)?' I said,'My opinion is that one should ask them to turn from wrong action, ifthey will do so. If not, subject them to the sword.' Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz said, 'That is my opinion. Malik added, "That is myopinion also." Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z-Zinad from al-Araj fromAbu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and granthim peace, said, "A woman should not ask for the divorce of her sisterto make her plate empty and in order to marry. She has what is decreedfor her." Yahya related to me from Malik from Yazid ibn Ziyad that Muhammadibn Kab al-Quradhi said, ''Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan said from themimbar, 'O people! Nothing keeps away what Allah gives and nothinggives what Allah keeps away. The earnestness of the earnest one doesnot profit him. When Allah desires good for him, he gives himunderstanding in the deen.' Then Muawiya said, 'I heard these wordsfrom the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace,on these blocks of wood.' " Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that this wassaid "Praise be to Allah who created everything as is necessary, whodoes not hasten anything He defers and determines. Allah is enough forme and sufficient. Allah hears whoever makes dua to him. Allah doesnot have a goal." Yahya related to me from Malik that he heard that this was said"No one will die until his provision is completed for him, so behavecorrectly in your seeking it."