and the doubtful matters whose avoidance does not require abandoning something weightier than that avoidance—such as the obligatory acts. But whatever is beneficial for the Hereafter in itself, or conducive to something that benefits in the Hereafter, renouncing it is not part of the religion; rather, whoever does so falls under His words in al-Māʾidah: “O you who believe, do not forbid the good things Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress. Allah does not love the transgressors.” Just as preoccupying oneself with superfluous permitted things runs exactly counter to the sanctioned form of zuhd: if such preoccupation diverts a person from a duty or leads him to commit something unlawful, he is sinning; otherwise, he has been reduced from the rank of those brought near to that of the merely moderate.
Moreover, tawakkul is beloved to Allah, pleasing to Him, and constantly commanded; and anything that is always beloved, pleasing, and commanded by Allah cannot be confined to the conduct of the moderate while excluded from that of the near ones. These, then, are three replies to their claim that “one who relies on Allah does not seek any portion for himself.”
As for their statement, “All matters are already settled,” it is akin to what some have said about supplication—that there is no need for it: if what is sought has been decreed, there is no need, and if it has not been decreed, it will not help. This is among the most unsound claims both legally and rationally. The same applies to the assertion that reliance and supplication bring no benefit and ward off no harm, that they are nothing but pure worship, and that the essence of tawakkul is mere resignation. Although a group of shaykhs have indeed said this, it is nonetheless mistaken, as is the view that supplication is nothing but pure worship.
All these opinions share a single root: their proponents imagine that the fact matters are preordained and decided precludes their depending upon causes that are likewise decreed—causes that issue from the servant. They fail to realize that Allah, exalted be He, ordains things and brings them about through the very causes He has linked to them, whether human acts or otherwise. Consequently, the logical outcome of their position would be to bring the workers of deeds to complete idleness.
The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—was asked about this several times, and he answered, as both Ṣaḥīḥs relate from ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn: “It was said, ‘Messenger of Allah, are the people of Paradise known from the people of Hell?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ They asked, ‘Then why act?’ He said, ‘Everyone will find easy what he was created for.’ ”
And in the two Ṣaḥīḥs ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib relates: “We were at a funeral attended by the Messenger of Allah. He sat down with a small stick in his hand, with which he began to scratch the earth. Then he raised his head and said, ‘There is no soul but that its place in Paradise or Hell has been written, and that it has been recorded as wretched or blessed.’ A man said, ‘O Prophet of Allah, shall we not then rely on what has been written and abandon deeds? For whoever is of the people of bliss will inevitably go to bliss, and whoever is of the people of misery will inevitably go to misery.’ He replied, ‘Act, for everyone will find easy what he was created for. As for those who are blessed, they will be facilitated toward the deeds of bliss; as for those who are wretched, they will be facilitated toward the deeds of wretchedness.’ He then recited: ‘By the night… So, as for him who gives, is mindful, and believes in the best promise…’ ”