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سنن ابن ماجه
Ibn Majah
كتاب السنةThe Book of the Sunnah
بَابٌ في الْقَدَرِChapter: Regarding the Divine Decree (Qadr)
Hadith 77
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاق بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ أَبَا سِنَانٍ ، عَنْ وَهْبِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْحِمْصِيِّ ، عَنِ ابْنِ الدَّيْلَمِيِّ ، قَالَ : وَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي شَيْءٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْقَدَرِ خَشِيتُ أَنْ يُفْسِدَ عَلَيَّ دِينِي وَأَمْرِي ، فَأَتَيْتُ أُبَيَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ ، فَقُلْتُ : أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ ، إِنَّهُ قَدْ وَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي شَيْءٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْقَدَرِ فَخَشِيتُ عَلَى دِينِي وَأَمْرِي ، فَحَدِّثْنِي مِنْ ذَلِكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنِي بِهِ ، فَقَالَ : لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَمَاوَاتِهِ ، وَأَهْلَ أَرْضِهِ ، لَعَذَّبَهُمْ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ ، وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ لَكَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ ، وَلَوْ كَانَ لَكَ مِثْلُ جَبَلِ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا ، أَوْ مِثْلُ جَبَلِ أُحُدٍ تُنْفِقُهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ، مَا قُبِلَ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ ، فَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ ، وَأَنَّ مَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ ، وَأَنَّكَ إِنْ مُتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا دَخَلْتَ النَّارَ ، وَلَا عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ أَخِي عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَتَسْأَلَهُ ، فَأَتَيْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ ، فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ أُبَيٌّ ، وَقَالَ لِي ، وَلَا عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ حُذَيْفَةَ ، فَأَتَيْتُ حُذَيْفَةَ فَسَأَلْتُهُ ، فَقَالَ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَا ، وَقَال : ائْتِ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ فَاسْأَلْهُ ، فَأَتَيْتُ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُ ، فَقَالَ : سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ : " لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَمَاوَاتِهِ ، وَأَهْلَ أَرْضِهِ ، لَعَذَّبَهُمْ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ ، وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ لَكَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ ، وَلَوْ كَانَ لَكَ مِثْلُ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا ، أَوْ مِثْلُ جَبَلِ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا تُنْفِقُهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ، مَا قَبِلَهُ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ كُلِّهِ ، فَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ ، وَمَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ ، وَأَنَّكَ إِنْ مُتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا دَخَلْتَ النَّارَ " .
´It was narrated that Ibn Dailami said:` "I was confused about this Divine Decree (Qadar), and I was afraid lest that adversely affect my religion and my affairs. So I went to Ubayy bin Ka'b and said: 'O Abu Mundhir! I am confused about the Divine Decree, and I fear for my religion and my affairs, so tell me something about that through which Allah may benefit me.' He said: 'If Allah were to punish the inhabitants of His heavens and of his earth, He would do so and He would not be unjust towards them. And if He were to have mercy on them, His mercy would be better for them than their own deeds. If you had the equivalent of Mount Uhud which you spent in the cause of Allah, that would not be accepted from you until you believed in the Divine Decree and you know that whatever has befallen you, could not have passed you by; and whatever has passed you by, could not have befallen you; and that if you were to die believing anything other than this, you would enter Hell. And it will not harm you to go to my brother, 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, and ask him (about this).' So I went to 'Abdullah and asked him , and he said something similar to what Ubayy had said, and he told me: 'It will not harm you to go to Hudhaifah.' So I went to Hudhaifah and asked him, and he said something similar to what they had said. And he told me: 'Go to Zaid bin Thabit and ask him.' So I went to Zaid bun Thabit and asked him, and he said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: "If Allah were to punish the inhabitants of His heavens and of His earth, he would do so and He would not be unjust towards them. And if He were to have mercy on them, His mercy would be better for them than their own deeds. If you had the equivalent of Mount Uhud which you spent in the cause of Allah, that would not be accepted from you until you believed in the Divine Decree and you know that whatever has befallen you, could not have passed you by; and whatever has passed you by, could not have befallen you; and that if you were to die believing anything other than this, you would enter Hell"
Related hadith on this topic
Brief Explanation
1؎ : In this hadith, the taste of faith and its sweetness and delight are mentioned, which is not like the taste of tangible things. Worldly food and drink have a certain taste, and after eating something else, the taste of the first thing fades away. However, the sweetness of faith remains for a long time. Even when a person worships Allah Ta'ala with sincerity, presence of heart, and humility and submissiveness, he feels its sweetness for a long time. But the perception of this sweetness and taste of faith will only be granted to the one whom Allah Ta'ala has blessed with this bounty. The meaning of this hadith is that whatever Allah Ta'ala has decreed, destiny is expressed as "occurrence" because what is written in destiny will certainly happen. So whatever was destined, Allah Ta'ala has written it for the servant, and it will surely reach him. Even after adopting means to avert what is destined, it will still reach him; it will not miss him. Another meaning is that whatever has reached you, do not think of it as something that could have missed you. So do not say, "If I had done such and such, then such and such would not have happened," because at that time, the situation you faced could not have been averted. Therefore, every estimation and every plan of yours is ineffective in the occurrence of that destiny. The explanation of the hadith is correct in both meanings. Thus, whatever Allah Ta'ala has decreed for the servant will surely reach him; it is impossible for it to miss him. As a result of believing in this, the believer will taste the sweetness of faith, because with this faith, a person knows and is content that what is destined will inevitably and necessarily occur; it cannot be changed.
An example of this is that a man takes his children to a recreational place for an outing, and there his child drowns in deep water and dies. It is not correct to say that if he had not gone out for the outing, the child would not have died, because whatever happened was decreed by Allah, and it happened necessarily according to destiny, which could not have been prevented. So what was to happen did not miss. In such a situation, a person attains peace of heart and is patient with Allah's decision, rather, he is pleased with it, and he realizes that there was no way to escape what happened. All the thoughts and estimations that arise in the heart are all from the category of satanic whispers. Therefore, a person should not say, "If I had done such and such, then such and such would have happened," because «لو» opens the way for Satan's interference. Allah Ta'ala has expressed this meaning in the Noble Qur'an as follows: «ما أصاب من مصيبة في الأرض ولا في أنفسكم إلا في كتاب من قبل أن نبرأها إن ذلك على الله يسير (۲۲) لكيلا تأسوا على ما فاتكم ولا تفرحوا بما آتاكم والله لا يحب كل مختال فخور» meaning: "No calamity befalls on the earth nor in yourselves but it is inscribed in a Book before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah. In order that you may not grieve over what has escaped you, nor rejoice excessively over what He has given you. And Allah does not like every prideful boaster." (Surah Al-Hadid: 22-23) If a person believes in destiny, he will have peace of heart in the face of calamities and incidents, and he will be patient with them, rather, he will be pleased with Allah Ta'ala's decision, and he will feel the sweetness of faith.
The second part of the hadith: «وما أخطأك لم يكن يصيبك» is in the same meaning as the first phrase, that whatever Allah Ta'ala has written as not to occur in destiny, it can never happen. For example, if a person heads to a marketplace for trade, but upon arrival finds that the market is closed, it will be said to him that this commercial benefit which you did not obtain, you were never ever going to obtain it, no matter how much effort and striving you made for it. Or we may say that this was not going to be attained by you because the matter was to be decided according to Allah's decree and destiny. A person should experience this belief and see whether, after that, he feels the sweetness of faith or not.
2؎ : The path of safety is that a person should have faith in destiny, avoid satanic whispers, and not associate with deniers of destiny, rather, he should keep away from them. From this hadith, it is also understood that a person's good deeds are never accepted without faith, and it is also understood that if a person dies upon any belief other than this Islamic belief in divine decree and destiny, he will go to Hell. What is meant is not that he will remain in Hell forever, as is the case for disbelievers, because the people of the Qiblah, after receiving punishment for their sins, if they are monotheists, will be taken out of Hell.
An example of this is that a man takes his children to a recreational place for an outing, and there his child drowns in deep water and dies. It is not correct to say that if he had not gone out for the outing, the child would not have died, because whatever happened was decreed by Allah, and it happened necessarily according to destiny, which could not have been prevented. So what was to happen did not miss. In such a situation, a person attains peace of heart and is patient with Allah's decision, rather, he is pleased with it, and he realizes that there was no way to escape what happened. All the thoughts and estimations that arise in the heart are all from the category of satanic whispers. Therefore, a person should not say, "If I had done such and such, then such and such would have happened," because «لو» opens the way for Satan's interference. Allah Ta'ala has expressed this meaning in the Noble Qur'an as follows: «ما أصاب من مصيبة في الأرض ولا في أنفسكم إلا في كتاب من قبل أن نبرأها إن ذلك على الله يسير (۲۲) لكيلا تأسوا على ما فاتكم ولا تفرحوا بما آتاكم والله لا يحب كل مختال فخور» meaning: "No calamity befalls on the earth nor in yourselves but it is inscribed in a Book before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah. In order that you may not grieve over what has escaped you, nor rejoice excessively over what He has given you. And Allah does not like every prideful boaster." (Surah Al-Hadid: 22-23) If a person believes in destiny, he will have peace of heart in the face of calamities and incidents, and he will be patient with them, rather, he will be pleased with Allah Ta'ala's decision, and he will feel the sweetness of faith.
The second part of the hadith: «وما أخطأك لم يكن يصيبك» is in the same meaning as the first phrase, that whatever Allah Ta'ala has written as not to occur in destiny, it can never happen. For example, if a person heads to a marketplace for trade, but upon arrival finds that the market is closed, it will be said to him that this commercial benefit which you did not obtain, you were never ever going to obtain it, no matter how much effort and striving you made for it. Or we may say that this was not going to be attained by you because the matter was to be decided according to Allah's decree and destiny. A person should experience this belief and see whether, after that, he feels the sweetness of faith or not.
2؎ : The path of safety is that a person should have faith in destiny, avoid satanic whispers, and not associate with deniers of destiny, rather, he should keep away from them. From this hadith, it is also understood that a person's good deeds are never accepted without faith, and it is also understood that if a person dies upon any belief other than this Islamic belief in divine decree and destiny, he will go to Hell. What is meant is not that he will remain in Hell forever, as is the case for disbelievers, because the people of the Qiblah, after receiving punishment for their sins, if they are monotheists, will be taken out of Hell.
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Commentary:
(1)
This hadith clarifies the issue of predestination (qadar) that Allah, the Exalted, is the Sovereign of all dominion; therefore, every decision He makes regarding the creation is just.
In the Noble Qur’an, it is stated:
﴿لَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُم يُسْـَٔلونَ﴾ ( Al-Anbiya: 23)
“He cannot be questioned as to what He does, but they will be questioned (and held accountable).”
That is, it is not permissible to object to any act of Allah, because there is wisdom in every act of His, though it is not necessary that this wisdom be comprehensible to us or that it be explained to us.
(2)
Whatever calamity is destined to befall will certainly come to pass, even if a person, out of fear of it, abandons the path of righteousness and adopts a wrong course.
And whatever comfort and blessing is decreed in one’s fate will certainly be attained, even if prior to it there are only hardships and tribulations. Therefore, one should place trust (tawakkul) in Allah and remain hopeful of His mercy, and should not despair.
The Divine command is:
﴿إِنَّهُ لَا يَا۟يـَٔسُ مِنْ رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكـفِرونَ﴾ ( Yusuf: 87)
“None despairs of Allah’s mercy except the disbelieving people.”
(3)
The noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) possessed deep and profound knowledge, due to which their faith was also complete and strong.
In the apparently difficult matter of predestination, they had such certainty and gnosis that they were endowed with the wealth of tranquility and were not afflicted by doubts or suspicions regarding it.
(4)
The noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) respected one another and acknowledged each other’s knowledge.
The scholars of religion should also adopt this same attitude towards one another.
(5)
In order to attain peace of heart regarding an issue, it is permissible to ask more than one scholar about the matter.
(6)
The legal verdicts (fatawa) of the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) were derived from the Qur’an and Hadith; in fact, most of the time they would simply transmit the Prophetic statement, even if they did not explicitly state that it was a Prophetic statement.
(7)
Among the hadith scholars (muhaddithin), it is a principle that although the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) did not explicitly state that a hadith was marfu‘ (attributed directly to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), in this case Zayd ibn Thabit (radi Allahu anhu) clarified that these words proceeded from the blessed tongue of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
(8)
This issue of predestination (qadar) is among the fundamental matters of faith, and without belief in predestination, a person’s faith is not valid. Therefore, denial of predestination becomes a cause for the punishment of Hell.
(1)
This hadith clarifies the issue of predestination (qadar) that Allah, the Exalted, is the Sovereign of all dominion; therefore, every decision He makes regarding the creation is just.
In the Noble Qur’an, it is stated:
﴿لَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُم يُسْـَٔلونَ﴾ ( Al-Anbiya: 23)
“He cannot be questioned as to what He does, but they will be questioned (and held accountable).”
That is, it is not permissible to object to any act of Allah, because there is wisdom in every act of His, though it is not necessary that this wisdom be comprehensible to us or that it be explained to us.
(2)
Whatever calamity is destined to befall will certainly come to pass, even if a person, out of fear of it, abandons the path of righteousness and adopts a wrong course.
And whatever comfort and blessing is decreed in one’s fate will certainly be attained, even if prior to it there are only hardships and tribulations. Therefore, one should place trust (tawakkul) in Allah and remain hopeful of His mercy, and should not despair.
The Divine command is:
﴿إِنَّهُ لَا يَا۟يـَٔسُ مِنْ رَّوْحِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْقَوْمُ الْكـفِرونَ﴾ ( Yusuf: 87)
“None despairs of Allah’s mercy except the disbelieving people.”
(3)
The noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) possessed deep and profound knowledge, due to which their faith was also complete and strong.
In the apparently difficult matter of predestination, they had such certainty and gnosis that they were endowed with the wealth of tranquility and were not afflicted by doubts or suspicions regarding it.
(4)
The noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) respected one another and acknowledged each other’s knowledge.
The scholars of religion should also adopt this same attitude towards one another.
(5)
In order to attain peace of heart regarding an issue, it is permissible to ask more than one scholar about the matter.
(6)
The legal verdicts (fatawa) of the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum) were derived from the Qur’an and Hadith; in fact, most of the time they would simply transmit the Prophetic statement, even if they did not explicitly state that it was a Prophetic statement.
(7)
Among the hadith scholars (muhaddithin), it is a principle that although the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) did not explicitly state that a hadith was marfu‘ (attributed directly to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), in this case Zayd ibn Thabit (radi Allahu anhu) clarified that these words proceeded from the blessed tongue of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
(8)
This issue of predestination (qadar) is among the fundamental matters of faith, and without belief in predestination, a person’s faith is not valid. Therefore, denial of predestination becomes a cause for the punishment of Hell.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 77
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
In matters of religion and faith, one should continue to refer to various firmly grounded scholars in order to attain certainty of the truth (haqq al-yaqin).
There is great benefit in this, and the healing that is found in the blessed hadiths of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is found nowhere else.
In matters of religion and faith, one should continue to refer to various firmly grounded scholars in order to attain certainty of the truth (haqq al-yaqin).
There is great benefit in this, and the healing that is found in the blessed hadiths of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is found nowhere else.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 4699
Hafiz Zubair Ali Zai
Takhrij al-Hadith:
[سنن ابي داود 4699], [سنن ابن ماجه 77]
Verification of the Hadith:
Its chain is Hasan (good).
Imam Sufyan al-Thawri rahimahullah has explicitly stated hearing (sama’). [مسند أحمد 182/5 ح 21589]
And Ishaq ibn Sulayman al-Razi and others have corroborated him.
Ibn Hibban has declared this narration to be authentic. [الاحسان : 727، الموارد : 1817]
Abu Sinan Sa’id ibn Sinan al-Barjami al-Shaybani is Hasan al-Hadith; the majority of hadith scholars have considered him trustworthy and truthful.
Fiqh al-Hadith
➊ Without believing in predestination (qadar), there will be no salvation on the Day of Resurrection.
➋ It was the (consensual) belief of the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum that predestination is true.
➌ A person should remain continuously engaged in research, and whenever he finds evidence, he should hold firmly to it.
➍ After asking a scholar about an issue, it is permissible to ask another scholar as well.
➎ If some narrators report a marfu’ (Prophetic) hadith as mawquf (Companion’s statement), the marfu’ hadith does not become weak because of this.
➏ All the people of truth are united in matters of creed (‘aqidah); differences exist only in issues of ijtihad (independent reasoning).
➐ If the people of innovation (ahl al-bid’ah) try to cast doubts in someone’s mind due to their eloquence, one should refer to the scholars of truth.
➑ The understanding of the righteous predecessors (salaf salihin) is that torch by which a person remains safe from misguidance.
➒ It is not necessary for the scholars of truth to always mention evidence when stating every issue; however, when asked for evidence, they should not evade or engage in unnecessary debate, but must provide the evidence. And it is best that the issue is stated with its evidence, so that whoever lives, lives upon evidence, and whoever dies, dies upon evidence.
➓ In comparison to evidence, the statement of every person is rejected, no matter how great a mujtahid or imam he may be.
⓫ With Allah, the deeds of the people of innovation are not accepted, no matter how great those deeds may be.
⓬ Blind following (taqlid) is not permissible, and asking the scholars of truth about an issue is not taqlid.
⓭ Consensus (ijma’) is a legal proof in Shari’ah.
⓮ Hearts attain satisfaction and tranquility from the Qur’an and Hadith.
⓯ Any pain or happiness that befalls a servant is already written in predestination (qadar).
[سنن ابي داود 4699], [سنن ابن ماجه 77]
Verification of the Hadith:
Its chain is Hasan (good).
Imam Sufyan al-Thawri rahimahullah has explicitly stated hearing (sama’). [مسند أحمد 182/5 ح 21589]
And Ishaq ibn Sulayman al-Razi and others have corroborated him.
Ibn Hibban has declared this narration to be authentic. [الاحسان : 727، الموارد : 1817]
Abu Sinan Sa’id ibn Sinan al-Barjami al-Shaybani is Hasan al-Hadith; the majority of hadith scholars have considered him trustworthy and truthful.
Fiqh al-Hadith
➊ Without believing in predestination (qadar), there will be no salvation on the Day of Resurrection.
➋ It was the (consensual) belief of the noble Companions radi Allahu anhum that predestination is true.
➌ A person should remain continuously engaged in research, and whenever he finds evidence, he should hold firmly to it.
➍ After asking a scholar about an issue, it is permissible to ask another scholar as well.
➎ If some narrators report a marfu’ (Prophetic) hadith as mawquf (Companion’s statement), the marfu’ hadith does not become weak because of this.
➏ All the people of truth are united in matters of creed (‘aqidah); differences exist only in issues of ijtihad (independent reasoning).
➐ If the people of innovation (ahl al-bid’ah) try to cast doubts in someone’s mind due to their eloquence, one should refer to the scholars of truth.
➑ The understanding of the righteous predecessors (salaf salihin) is that torch by which a person remains safe from misguidance.
➒ It is not necessary for the scholars of truth to always mention evidence when stating every issue; however, when asked for evidence, they should not evade or engage in unnecessary debate, but must provide the evidence. And it is best that the issue is stated with its evidence, so that whoever lives, lives upon evidence, and whoever dies, dies upon evidence.
➓ In comparison to evidence, the statement of every person is rejected, no matter how great a mujtahid or imam he may be.
⓫ With Allah, the deeds of the people of innovation are not accepted, no matter how great those deeds may be.
⓬ Blind following (taqlid) is not permissible, and asking the scholars of truth about an issue is not taqlid.
⓭ Consensus (ijma’) is a legal proof in Shari’ah.
⓮ Hearts attain satisfaction and tranquility from the Qur’an and Hadith.
⓯ Any pain or happiness that befalls a servant is already written in predestination (qadar).
Source: Adwa al-Masabih fi Tahqiq Mishkat al-Masabih, Page: 115
