incurs no sin, for he did not abandon the night prayer while awake. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The Pen has been lifted from three [categories of people].” It is quite possible that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) merely wished to test ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib to see how he would reply; whether that was so or not, ʿAlī’s appeal to predestination was valid here, because the matter lay outside his choice. Can a sleeper rise unless Allah wakes him? — Of course not. Hence his excuse is sound.

Appealing to divine decree is prohibited when a person uses it to persist in sin and to deflect blame from himself. For example, we might say, “Brother, pray with the congregation,” and he answers, “By Allah, had He guided me I would pray.” This is unacceptable. Or we say to another, “Stop shaving your beard,” and he replies, “If Allah guided me I would stop,” or, “Quit smoking,” and he says, “If Allah guided me I would quit.” Such responses are invalid, for the person is invoking decree only to continue in disobedience and opposition.

If, however, someone slips into error, then repents, turns back to Allah, and regrets what he has done, saying, “This was decreed for me, yet I seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him,” we say that this is acceptable. Once he has repented, citing the divine decree is unobjectionable.