Minhaj as-Sunnah - Ibn Taimiya - (5/363)

Minhaj as-SunnahIbn Taimiya

It is also related in the Sahih that he was asked:

“O Messenger of Allah, what do you say concerning the deeds for which people strive and labor today? Are they something already decreed for them and settled, or do they concern what lies ahead of them, regarding which the proof has come to them?”

He replied:

“Rather, they are something already decreed for them and brought to pass among them.”

They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, should we not then abandon deeds and rely upon what has been written for us?”

He replied:

“No. Perform deeds, for everyone will be facilitated toward that for which he was created.” (1)

It is also related in the Sunan that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was asked:

“What do you say concerning medicines with which we treat ourselves, healing recitations that we request, and precautions that we take? Do they avert anything of Allah’s decree?”

He replied:

“They are themselves part of Allah’s decree.” (2)

Allah Most High has said in His Book:

“It is He who sends the winds as glad tidings before His mercy. Then, when they bear heavy clouds, We drive them to a lifeless land, send down water upon it, and thereby bring forth every kind of fruit.”

[Surah al-A‘rāf: 57].

(1) Here Ibn Taymiyya combines the preceding hadith narrated from Alī ibn Abī Tālib—may Allah be pleased with him—with part of a hadith narrated from Imrān ibn al-Husayn—may Allah be pleased with him—recorded in Muslim, 4/2041–2042 (at the location cited in the preceding note). It includes: “Or do they concern what lies ahead of them, in light of what their Prophet brought them and after the proof has been established against them?” He replied, “No. Rather, it is something decreed for them that has already come to pass among them. This is confirmed in the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic: ‘And by the soul and Him who fashioned it, then inspired it with its wickedness and its piety’ [Surah al-Shams: 7–8].” (2) This hadith was cited earlier at 3/232.

وَفِي الصَّحِيحِ أَيْضًا أَنَّهُ «قِيلَ لَهُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَرَأَيْتَ مَا يَكْدَحُ النَّاسُ فِيهِ الْيَوْمَ وَيَعْمَلُونَ، أَشَيْءٌ قُضِيَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَضَى، أَمْ فِيمَا يَسْتَقْبِلُونَ مِمَّا أَتَاهُمْ فِيهِ الْحُجَّةُ؟ فَقَالَ: " بَلْ شَيْءٌ قُضِيَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَضَى فِيهِمْ " قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، أَفَلَا نَدَعُ الْعَمَلَ وَنَتَّكِلُ عَلَى كِتَابِنَا؟ فَقَالَ: " لَا. اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ» (١) . وَفِي السُّنَنِ «عَنِ النَّبِيِّ - صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - أَنَّهُ قِيلَ لَهُ: أَرَأَيْت أَدْوِيَةً نَتَدَاوَى بِهَا، وَرُقًى نَسْتَرْقِي بِهَا، وَتُقَاةً نَتَّقِيهَا، هَلْ تَرُدُّ مِنْ قَدَرِ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا؟ فَقَالَ: " هِيَ مِنْ قَدَرِ اللَّهِ» (٢) . وَقَدْ قَالَ تَعَالَى فِي كِتَابِهِ: {وَهُوَ الَّذِي يُرْسِلُ الرِّيَاحَ بُشْرًا بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَحْمَتِهِ حَتَّى إِذَا أَقَلَّتْ سَحَابًا ثِقَالًا سُقْنَاهُ لِبَلَدٍ مَيِّتٍ فَأَنْزَلْنَا بِهِ الْمَاءَ فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ مِنْ كُلِّ الثَّمَرَاتِ} [سُورَةُ الْأَعْرَافِ: ٥٧] .

(١) جَمَعَ ابْنُ تَيْمِيَّةَ هُنَا بَيْنَ الْحَدِيثِ السَّابِقِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - وَبَيْنَ جُزْءٍ مِنْ حَدِيثٍ عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ الْحُصَيْنِ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - جَاءَ فِي مُسْلِمٍ ٤/٢٠٤١ - ٢٠٤٢ (الْمَوْضِعِ السَّابِقِ فِي التَّعْلِيقِ السَّابِقِ) وَفِيهِ: أَوْ فِيمَا يَسْتَقْبِلُونَ بِهِ مِمَّا أَتَاهُمْ بِهِ نَبِيُّهُمْ، وَثَبَتَتِ الْحُجَّةُ عَلَيْهِمْ؟ فَقَالَ: " لَا، بَلْ شَيْءٌ قُضِيَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَضَى فِيهِمْ، وَتَصْدِيقُ ذَلِكَ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ (وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا [سُورَةُ الشَّمْسِ: ٧، ٨] . (٢) سَبَقَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثُ فِيمَا مَضَى ٣/٢٣٢