and so they regard submission to this, conformity with it, acceptance of it, and the like as religion, a spiritual path, and worship. Thus they resemble the polytheists who said:

“If Allah had willed, neither we nor our forefathers would have associated partners with Him, nor would we have forbidden anything.”

They also said:

“Should we feed those whom Allah could have fed if He had willed?”

And they said:

“If the Most Merciful had willed, we would not have worshipped them.”

Had they been guided, they would have known that we are commanded to be content with divine decree and patiently endure its consequences in the calamities that befall us, such as poverty, illness, and fear. Allah Most High says:

“No calamity befalls except by Allah’s permission. And whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart.”

One of the early Muslims said: “This is a man whom calamity strikes, who knows that it is from Allah and so is content and submits.” Allah Most High also says:

“No calamity befalls the earth or yourselves without being recorded in a Book before We bring it into being. That is certainly easy for Allah.”

“So that you neither grieve over what you have missed nor exult over what He has given you.”

In the two Sahīh collections, it is reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Adam and Moses disputed. Moses said, ‘You are Adam, whom Allah created with His hand, into whom He breathed of His spirit, before whom He made His angels prostrate, and whom He taught the names of all things. Why, then, did you bring us and yourself out of Paradise?’

“Adam said, ‘You are Moses, whom Allah chose to bear His message and to whom He spoke. Did you find that this had been written concerning me before I was created?’

“He replied, ‘Yes.’”

The Prophet said, “Thus Adam prevailed over Moses in the argument.”