362 — Abū ʿUbayd ʿAlī ibn al-Husayn ibn Harb informed us, saying: Abū al-Ashʿath Ahmad ibn al-Miqdām informed us, saying: Muhammad ibn Abī ʿAdī narrated to us, from Ibn Jurayj, who said: Abū al-Zubayr narrated to me, from Abū al-Tufayl, who said: I heard ʿAbd Allah ibn Masʿūd say:

“The wretched person is one who was wretched in his mother’s womb, while the blessed person is one who takes heed from the fate of others.”

He said: I said, “May Satan be disgraced! Is a person made blessed or wretched before he has performed any deeds?” He said: He then met Hudhayfa ibn Asīd and informed him of what Ibn Masʿūd had said. Hudhayfa said, “Shall I not tell you what I heard from ⦗782⦘ the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace?” I said, “Yes.” He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—say:

“When the sperm-drop has remained in the womb for forty-two mornings, the angel charged with the wombs descends and forms its bones and flesh, its hearing and sight. He then says, ‘My Lord, wretched or blessed?’ Your Lord decrees whatever He wills, and the angel writes it down. He says, ‘My Lord, male or female?’ Your Lord decrees whatever He wills, and the angel writes it down. He says, ‘My Lord, its lifespan?’ Your Lord decrees whatever He wills, and the angel writes it down. The angel then departs with the record, having neither added anything to it nor omitted anything from it.”