He—may Allah Most High have mercy on him—was asked:

“Some people say, ‘Allah’s will applies to both the past and the future,’ while others say, ‘The will applies to the future, not the past.’ Which is correct?”

He replied:

The past unfolded by Allah’s will, and the future will not come to pass unless Allah wills it.

Whoever says concerning the past, “Allah created the heavens, if Allah wills,” or “He sent Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, if Allah wills,” is mistaken. Whoever says, “Allah created the heavens by His will and sent Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, by His will,” or something similar, is correct.

Whoever says that anything comes into existence without Allah’s will is mistaken. Whoever says, “Whatever Allah wills comes to pass, and whatever He does not will does not come to pass,” is correct.

Everything that has already occurred has certainly occurred by Allah’s will. Allah certainly created the heavens by His will and certainly sent Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, by His will. Every human being in existence has certainly been created by Allah through His will. If Allah wills to change a created being from one state to another, He is able to do so. Thus, whatever He has created has certainly come into being by His will; and if Allah wills to change it, He certainly changes it by His will.

And Allah knows best.