the hypocrites who deny Allah’s decree and predestination.

A believer, therefore, must steer clear of uttering this word whenever a trial or misfortune strikes him. He should instead adopt wholesome expressions that evince contentment with what Allah has decreed, coupled with patience and the hope of reward. These are the very words the Messenger of Allah ﷺ directed us to use, as recorded by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him. The Prophet ﷺ said:

“The strong believer is better and dearer to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both. Be keen on that which benefits you, seek Allah’s help, and do not give in to helplessness. If something befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such-and-such,’ but rather say, ‘Allah has decreed, and whatever He wills, He does,’ for the word ‘if’ opens the door to Satan’s work.”

In this ḥadith the Prophet ﷺ instructs the servant to employ the means that benefit him in both this world and the Hereafter—means that Allah has legislated, whether obligatory, recommended, or merely permissible—and to rely on Allah while employing those means, that the means may be completed and prove beneficial. For Allah, exalted is He, is the One who created both the cause and the effect, and combining the use of means with reliance upon Him is pure monotheism. He then forbade helplessness, which is to abandon beneficial means; this is the very opposite of striving for what is of benefit. Thus, when a person has been diligent in pursuing what benefits him and has taken the necessary steps, yet things still turn out contrary to his wish or something he dislikes befalls him, he must not say, “Had I done such-and-such, it would have been such-and-such.” Such words bring no benefit; they merely open the way for Satan’s influence, stirring regret and prompting one to blame the divine decree. This contradicts patience and contentment, whereas patience is obligatory and belief in the decree is compulsory.

The Prophet ﷺ then guided him to the useful phrase that embodies belief in the decree: “Allah has decreed, and whatever He wills, He does.” Whatever Allah has decreed must inevitably come to pass, and one is duty-bound to submit to it. Whatever Allah wills, He does, for His actions issue only from perfect wisdom.

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, said: “When a servant misses out on something that was decreed for him, he faces two possible states. One is helplessness, and that is Satan’s doing; it leads him to say ‘if only,’ a statement that yields no benefit whatsoever, indeed it