decreed for them and settled by a prior decree, or is it something they face anew in response to what their Prophet has brought them, whereby the proof has been established against them?’ I replied: ‘Rather, it is something decreed for them and already settled.’ He asked: ‘Would that not be injustice?’

I was deeply alarmed by this and said: ‘Everything is Allah’s creation and belongs to Him. He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.’ He said to me: ‘May Allah have mercy on you. I only asked you this to gauge your understanding. Two men from Muzaynah came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and said: “O Messenger of Allah, tell us about what people do today and strive to accomplish: is it something decreed for them and settled by a prior decree, or is it something they face anew in response to what their Prophet has brought them, whereby the proof has been established against them?” He replied: “No, rather it is something decreed for them and already settled. This is confirmed in the Book of Allah:

‘By the soul and He who proportioned it, and inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness.’ [Surah al-Shams 6 7]”’”

In the Sunan, there is a hadith of ʿUmar in which he was asked about the interpretation of the verse: “And when He took