So let us turn our attention to action and stop wrangling over divine decree: “How?” “Why?” “How can a person be called to account for what has already been predetermined?”—and other such ramblings that waste time and amount to objecting to Allah.

Your duty is to perform acts of obedience and avoid sins. It is not the servant’s place to pry into Allah’s secrets or dispute with the Lord—glorified and exalted is He; his task is to act. Thus, when the Prophet ﷺ informed his Companions that every one of them already has his seat in Paradise or his seat in Hell recorded, they said, “Messenger of Allah, should we not rely on what has been written for us and abandon action?” He replied, “No. Act, for everyone is facilitated for that for which he was created.” (1)

Allah the Exalted says: “Indeed, your striving is diverse. As for the one who gives and is mindful of Allah, and affirms the best promise, We shall ease him toward ease…” (al-Layl 92:4–7).