his mother’s womb for forty days as a drop of fluid, then becomes a clinging clot for a similar period, then a morsel of flesh for a similar period. Then Allah sends an angel to record four things: his deeds, his lifespan, his provision, and whether he will be wretched or blessed. Then the soul is breathed into him. By Him besides whom there is no god, one of you may perform the deeds of the people of Paradise until only a cubit separates him from it, but what has been written for him overtakes him, and he performs the deeds of the people of the Fire and enters it. And one of you may perform the deeds of the people of the Fire until only a cubit separates him from it, but what has been written for him overtakes him, and he performs the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it.’”

The two Sahīhs also report from Anas ibn Mālik, who attributed the hadith to the Prophet:

“Allah has appointed an angel over the womb, who says, ‘My Lord, a drop of fluid! My Lord, a clinging clot! My Lord, a morsel of flesh!’ When He wills to complete its creation, the angel says, ‘My Lord, male or female? Wretched or blessed? What will its provision be? What will its lifespan be?’ All this is recorded while it is in its mother’s womb.”

The same meaning is also conveyed in Sahīh Muslim in the hadith of Hudhayfah ibn Asīd al-Ghifārī. The scriptural texts and transmitted reports concerning Allah’s prior knowledge, His recording, ordaining, and determining things before their creation are exceedingly numerous and varied.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, explained that this does not conflict with the performance of the deeds through which blessedness and wretchedness come about. Whoever is among the blessed is enabled to perform the deeds of the blessed, and whoever is among the wretched is enabled to perform the deeds of the wretched. One is forbidden to rely on the prior decree and abandon striving. Thus, whoever relies