‘Abd al-Wahhab ibn Nasr informed us; Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allah ibn Bahlul al-Nasa’i informed us. He said: Abu al-Burayk narrated to us; ‘Imran ibn Bakkar narrated to us; Yahya ibn Salih al-Wuhazi narrated to us; Muhammad ibn al-Hasan narrated to us; Abu Hanifah narrated to us; Yazid ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman narrated to us, from Abu Wa’ilah—or Ibn Wa’ilah, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan was uncertain—from ‘Abd Allah ibn Mas‘ud, who said:

“The sperm-drop remains in the womb for forty days; then it becomes a clinging clot for forty days; then it becomes a morsel of flesh for forty days. Then its form is assigned, and the angel says: ‘My Lord, male or female? Wretched or fortunate? What will be his provision?’”

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan said: “This is the view we adopt, and Abu Hanifah held it as well: ⦗780⦘ The wretched person is the one who was wretched in his mother’s womb, while the fortunate person is the one who takes admonition from the fate of another.”

1309 — Ahmad ibn Yahya ibn Tha‘lab said: “The Qadariyyah are those who claim that they possess power. We say: We have no power except through Allah’s decree, Allah’s help, and Allah’s enabling grace. If He does not grant us this, we have no power. So how can a Qadari be one who claims that he has no power? This is an impossible and misguided assertion.”

He said: “I know of no Arab who is a Qadari.” He was asked, “Does belief in divine decree occur in the hearts of the Arabs?” He replied, “Allah forbid! There is not an Arab, whether from the pre-Islamic era or Islam, except that he affirms divine decree, both its good and its evil. This is abundantly clear in their poetry and speech.” Then he recited:

[Rajaz metre]

The decrees govern even the piercing of needles;
no needle passes through except by decree.

He said: And he recited a verse by Imru’ al-Qays:

[Basit metre]

Wretchedness is inscribed upon the wretched.

Shaykh Abu al-Qasim al-Hafiz said: Dhu al-Isba‘ al-‘Adwani said:

[Wafir metre]

Man has no part in binding or unbinding;
when a matter is decreed, I deem it decreed—not decreed by him.

Labid said:

[Ramal metre]

Indeed, piety toward our Lord is the finest reward;
by Allah’s permission come my delay and my haste.

Whomever He guides to the paths of goodness is rightly guided,
at ease of mind; and whomever He wills, He leads astray.

I praise Allah, who has no peer;
in His hand is all good—whatever He wills, He does.

One of the pre-Islamic rajaz poets said:

They are the decrees, so blame me or leave me be;
if I have erred, then the decree has not erred.