Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah - Nasir al-Din al-Albani - (6/199)

Silsilat al-Ahadith al-SahihahNasir al-Din al-Albani

of the religious law. Mere causes do not necessarily bring about their effects. Thus, when rain falls and seeds are sown, that is not sufficient for vegetation to grow; rather, a nurturing wind is needed by Allah’s permission, and whatever would prevent it must be warded off. The conditions must be complete and the impediments removed, and all of this is by Allah’s decree and predestination.

Likewise, a child is not born merely because semen is discharged into the womb. How many men have discharged it yet had no child born to them! Rather, Allah must will to create the child: the woman then becomes pregnant, nurtures it in the womb, and the remaining conditions necessary for its formation must be fulfilled and the impediments removed.

Similarly, in the matter of the Hereafter, a person does not attain felicity merely through deeds; rather, deeds are a cause. For this reason, the Prophet ﷺ said—then he cited the hadith. Allah Most High has also said:

“Enter Paradise for what you used to do.”

Here, the word “for” denotes causation—that is, because of your deeds. But the meaning negated by the Prophet ﷺ is that of exchange, as when one says, “I bought this for that.” In other words, deeds are not a sufficient compensation or price for entering Paradise. Rather, Allah’s pardon, bounty, and mercy are indispensable: by His pardon He erases evil deeds, by His mercy He brings forth good deeds, and by His bounty He multiplies ranks.

At this point, two groups of people went astray:

A group believed in divine decree and imagined that this alone was sufficient to attain the goal; so they turned away from the prescribed means and righteous deeds. Their course ultimately leads them to disbelieve in Allah’s Books, His messengers, and His religion.
Another group began to seek recompense from Allah as a hired worker seeks it from an employer, relying on their own ability, strength, and deeds, just as slaves seek it. Such people are ignorant and astray. For Allah did not command His servants out of any need for them, nor did He forbid them from what He forbade out of miserliness toward them. Rather, He commanded them with what benefits them and forbade them from what harms them. And He, glorified is He,

في الشرع، ومجرد الأسباب لا يوجب حصول المسبب، فإن المطر إذا نزل وبذر الحب لم يكن ذلك كافيا في حصول النبات، بل لابد من ريح مربية بإذن الله، ولابد من صرف الانتفاء عنه، فلابد من تمام الشروط وزوال الموانع، وكل ذلك بقضاء الله وقدره. وكذلك الولد لا يولد بمجرد إنزال الماء في الفرج، بل كم ممن أنزل ولم يولد له، بل لابد من أن الله شاء خلقه فتحبل المرأة وتربيه في الرحم وسائر ما يتم به خلقه من الشروط وزوال الموانع . وكذلك أمر الآخرة ليس بمجرد العمل ينال الإنسان السعادة، بل هي سبب، ولهذا قال النبي ﷺ: (فذكر الحديث) ، وقد قال تعالى: * ( ادخلوا الجنة بما كنتم تعملون) *. فهذه باء السبب، أي بسبب أعمالكم، والذي نفاه النبي ﷺ باء المقابلة، كما يقال: اشتريت هذا بهذا. أي ليس العمل عوضا وثمنا كافيا في دخول الجنة، بل لابد من عفو الله وفضله ورحمته، فبعفوه يمحو السيئات، وبرحمته يأتي بالخيرات، وبفضله يضاعف الدرجات . وفي هذا الموضع ضل طائفتان من الناس: ١ - فريق آمنوا بالقدر وظنوا أن ذلك كاف في حصول المقصود فأعرضوا عن الأسباب الشرعية والأعمال الصالحة. وهؤلاء يؤول بهم الأمر إلى أن يكفروا بكتب الله ورسله ودينه. ٢ - وفريق أخذوا يطلبون الجزاء من الله كما يطلبه الأجير من المستأجر، متكلين على حولهم وقوتهم وعملهم، وكما يطلبه المماليك. وهؤلاء جهال ضلال: فإن الله لم يأمر العباد بما أمرهم به حاجة إليه، ولا نهاهم عما نهاهم عنه بخلا به، ولكن أمرهم بما فيه صلاحهم، ونهاهم عما فيه فسادهم. وهو سبحانه