Purpose of Life and Tests in life.

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#1 [Permalink] Posted on 6th November 2015 13:10

السلام عليكم

Dear brothers can you please help in these questions.

1. I am aware that Allah سبحانه وتعالى created us for worship and all humans accepted Allah سبحانه وتعالى as the lord when we were in the spiritual world but I want to know that why when verses of quran that describe humans souls accepting Allah سبحانه وتعالى as lord are recited why I can't remember Allah سبحانه وتعالى asking me and I accepting him.

2. Why Allah created me ? because I never asked him to create me. ?

3. If this life is a test then why I am in a test which I never asked for nor did I wanted to go through this test.

Because in this world we willingly go through exams not unwillingly go in a exam hall and write a test which we do not want to write.

4. If Allah سبحانه وتعالى hated evil, kufr and shirk then why he created them ?

These are the questions which pop up in front of me when our purpose for life is mentioned.

والسلام

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#2 [Permalink] Posted on 6th November 2015 13:26

Quote:

why I can't remember Allah سبحانه وتعالى asking me and I accepting him[/quote]
Do remember being born? Being fed, clothed, etc. Do you remeber last nites dream? Do you remember what the Imam recited in Salah last Jummah?

Quote:

2. Why Allah created me ? because I never asked him to create me. ? [/quote]
See also www.muftisays.com/blog/abu+mohammed/646_13-12-2010/why-di... and many more threads and blog posts like it.

www.muftisays.com/blog/abu+mohammed/761_30-12-2010/who-sh...

[quote]3. If this life is a test then why I am in a test which I never asked for nor did I wanted to go through this test.

Why Does Allah Test Us?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGfUns03Ft0 (video poster contains faces so embed code removed)

When Allah loves you He will test you - Mufti Menk

Halalified YT Audio

[quote]4. If Allah سبحانه وتعالى hated evil, kufr and shirk then why he created them ?

Here is what a revert has to say regarding some of your questions

Halalified YT Audio

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#3 [Permalink] Posted on 7th November 2015 03:19

not knw wrote:

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السلام عليكم [/quote]
Wa Alaykumussalam Wa Rahmatullahi

Quote:

Dear brothers can you please help in these questions. [/quote]
Mabrook, you are facing real questions.

Quote:

1. I am aware that Allah سبحانه وتعالى created us for worship and all humans accepted Allah سبحانه وتعالى as the lord when we were in the spiritual world but I want to know that why when verses of quran that describe humans souls accepting Allah سبحانه وتعالى as lord are recited why I can't remember Allah سبحانه وتعالى asking me and I accepting him.
[/quote]
The whole issue centers around whether you accept Allah swt without seeing or not.
Thus faith does not assume that we remember Ahd-e-Alas.

Quote:

2. Why Allah created me ? because I never asked him to create me. ?

He is the Lord and He does not need our permission to create us. Nor He needs our request.
Thus it is true that we are in this mess without our consent.
The problem now is whether it is a blessing or not to be here.
In that we do have a choice.
If we live according to faith it is a blessing otherwise not.
[quote]3. If this life is a test then why I am in a test which I never asked for nor did I wanted to go through this test.

Because in this world we willingly go through exams not unwillingly go in a exam hall and write a test which we do not want to write.

See earlier answer.
[quote]4. If Allah سبحانه وتعالى hated evil, kufr and shirk then why he created them ?

To test us.
[quote]These are the questions which pop up in front of me when our purpose for life is mentioned.

والسلام

This is a sign of physical, emotional and spiritual health if you get these questions in your mind.
People who do not get such questions in their minds are in serious trouble.
My answers might be a let down for you. Kindly do not take them as such. These are the to the point answers. Assimilation of these answers takes time and it does require the company of a Kamil Shaikh to pass through this phase in a meaningful and safe manner. After some time these questions evaporate and a person gets involved in worldly problems and simply forgets about them, except for those lucky people whom Allah swt calls to Him by force.

Make use of my answer and above response for your benefit.

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Muslim Ummah aspires to attain a rightful and honored place among the civilizations of the world and make our proportionate contribution towards international peace, progress and happiness of humanity.

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#4 [Permalink] Posted on 8th November 2015 13:01

abu mohammed wrote:

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Post updated. The youtube video display image had faces so embed code changed to link

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#5 [Permalink] Posted on 11th November 2015 17:24

So far what I have understood is that--

1. I am here without my consent and Allah سبحانه وتعالى created me because he can do what he wills.
2. We are created for worship.
3. I have to believe without seeing.
3. He created evils,shirk and kufr to test us.
4. He test us because he wants to give us rewards or because he loves us or both.
5. His tests comes to the best of the people.

So..

1. I have to worship because I got no choice and MY worship depends upon allah's will because

Aqeedah Tahawiyya:

23. Everything happens according to His degree and will, and His will is accomplished. The only will that people have is what He wills for them. What He wills for them occurs and what He does not will, does not occur.

So then if I do something wrong then for what reason I am being punished.

2. How should I know that I being tested and not punished. ?

3. If Allah loves me and wanted to reward me and IF allah does not need anything then why can't he reward me without any problems.

4. Allah سبحانه وتعالى wants me to worship like rasululllah (saw)

and sahaba رضي الله عنهم but I am not like rasulullah (saw)

nor like sahaba رضي الله عنهم. Sahaba's belief was on seeing things not without seeing things. They were seeing angels and the biggest fact is that they were witnessing rasulullah's miracles , they were witnessing wahi coming down upon rasulullah etc.

How can I worship like Sahaba or Prophet? because I am not like them.

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#6 [Permalink] Posted on 11th November 2015 19:18

alhamdulillah,if i may say

the proof that allah taala loves you is that you are pondering over such questions
inshallah fulfill the daily obligations,faraiz sunnah etc
and make efforts to be a good human/ muslim

if you are undergoing trials then if you turn to allah taala the trials are a way of allah drawing you to him,thus the trials are a mercy

there is much more but its upto the individual to walk his journey and cliches and formulae are too easy

see here..
www.muftisays.com/forums/14-peoples-say/10515-tasawwuf-an...

AND ALLAH KNOWS BEST

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THEN FLEE TO ALLAH
AS ALLAH KNOWS BEST

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#7 [Permalink] Posted on 12th November 2015 09:15

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1. I am here without my consent

Where would you have been if consent was required?

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Actions are judged by intentions, so each man will have what he intended.
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#8 [Permalink] Posted on 13th November 2015 03:48

Maktubat Imam Rabbani Mujaddid Alf sani
15 - THIRD VOLUME, 46 th LETTER.

As human beings are creatures, so all their deeds and actions are Allahu ta'ala's creatures. For, nobody besides Him can make or create anything. How can a creature create another, while it itself has been created? The stamp of createdness denotes little power and signifies insufficient knowledge. He who has little knowledge and power cannot create or invent. In man's action, what falls to his lot is a result of his acquiring. That is, action has been produced through his power and will. It is Allahu ta'ala who has created and made that action. It is man who has acquired it. As it is seen, the optional actions of men, those which they do willingly, happen from their acquiring and Allah's creating. If man's acquiring or option [that is, his liking] does not take part in his action, that action turns into convulsions. [It becomes like the movement of the stomach or of the heart.] However, it is obvious that optional actions are not like them. The difference between optional actions and convulsions, though they are both created by Allahu ta'ala, is in the acquiring. Pitying His born servants, Allahu ta'ala made the creation of their actions dependent upon their intention and wish. He creates man's action when man wants. It is for this reason that man is responsible. The blessing or the sin of the action is given to man. The intention, the option, which Allahu ta'ala has given to His born servants, is equal in doing or not doing the action. He declared clearly to His born servants through His prophets which actions are good or bad to do or not to do. Man, being free to do or not to do each of his actions, will for certain choose one of them; the action will be either good or bad, and he will receive either a blessing or a sin. Allahu ta'ala has given His born servants as much power (energy) and option (liking, choosing) as to carry out His commands and prohibitions. There is no need for Him to give any more ability. He has given as much as is necessary. He who does not believe this is a person who cannot realize things easily. Because his heart is sick, he looks for pretexts for not obeying the Shariat.

[Allahu ta'ala willed in pre-eternity to give to mankind the power of option, and to let them choose freely the things they want to do or do not want to do. He never forces men to do something. The reason for mankind having the power of option is because Allahu ta'ala willed it so. The freedom that mankind has in doing what he wishes clearly indicates that mankind has the power of option, as well, it denotes that Allahu ta'ala willed it in preeternity that way. If He had not willed mankind to have the power of option, and if He had not created it in them, then man would not be free, but would be obliged to do the thing he wished for. However, when a man wishes and wills to do something, Allahu ta'ala, too, wills it and creates it. Allahu ta'ala is the creator of the things men opted for. Man cannot create and then do any one of his wishes. After he wills something, then Allahu ta'ala also wills it and creates it. He, Allahu ta'ala, is the only Creator and Maker of every thing. There is no creator other than Him. To call anyone other than Him Creator, or to say '...someone created' is very wrong and is an act of making someone a shareholder, a partner with Allahu ta'ala, which is what He most strongly prohibited and informed that such people will experience an endless and most vehement torment.]

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#9 [Permalink] Posted on 13th November 2015 09:58

abu mohammed wrote:

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I meant to say that "Why I am in this test without my consent". If he wanted me to worship he should have kept me in angels.

I am aware that Allah سبحانه وتعالى is JUST that's the reason he created hell and heaven.

My concern is that If Allah سبحانه وتعالى is just, then why did he put me in this test without asking me.? where is the justice in this act ?

Will it be OK to tell some student that ---

"You have to write the test which you dont like and in that test I am going to have total control of every single thought that crosses your mind,I will have the control on every single atom of your body and soul and I am the only one that can guide you to every good choice and finally success but if you fail it is YOUR fault and I will throw you in HELL."

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#10 [Permalink] Posted on 13th November 2015 10:04

ummatcaring wrote:

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Firstly, Thanks for the reply bro.

1. I do accept that I have will to choose and I experience it everyday of my life but my choices are not in my control.

For example: Sometimes we tend to do some work but we are unable to do it and some random person will say that "ask Allah سبحانه وتعالى to grant tawfiq to do it." and most dars quran ends with this dua which I am paraphrasing ---" May allah grant us tawfeeq to do what we have heard and learnt".

or

Many times we do something wrong and after sometime we think and reflect and say "Why didn't I make the right choice despite the proper abilites/resources I was having". I will curse myself for not taking proper choice because that choice never crossed my mind.

The putting of right choice is also given by Allah سبحانه وتعالى in the minds/hearts of people.

2. There is also a hadith that says(I am paraphrasing)---

The Prophet (s.a.w.)

said that a person does good deeds until his final moment but qadr overtakes him and he does act of people of hell at the final moment of his life that he ends up in hellfire.

and

A person does evil deeds all his life but at the final moment of his life qadr overtakes him he does deeds of heavenly people and He ends up in heaven.

WHERE is the choice of heaven and hell a person makes ?

3. Aqidah Tahawiyya clearly states that there is no will except the will of Allah سبحانه وتعالى ?

4. What is the meaning of "Laa Hawla wa laa quwatta illa billah" ?

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#11 [Permalink] Posted on 13th November 2015 11:02

If you CHOSE to do good, it was one of the many options you could have taken. This choice is then carried out only by the will of Allah.

If you chose to do evil out of all the choices you had, then this is your choice and can only happen if Allah wills for it to go ahead. Just like a leaf falling from a tree, it only falls by the will of Allah, otherwise if Allah willed, that leaf would stop falling halfway down and just float

The choice is yours - free will

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#12 [Permalink] Posted on 13th November 2015 11:13

Question
Was doing any sin previously written and predetermined by Allah? If the answer is yes, then why does Allah destine for some to commit sins, and for others to do good deeds, while we all are humans?.

Answer
Praise be to Allaah.
One must believe in two things:

1 – That Allaah, may He be exalted, is the Creator of all things, and nothing happens in the universe except by His will. He knows what is to come and He decreed all of that and wrote it in a Book fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as is stated in a saheeh report from our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). He is Just and does not wrong anyone in the slightest, because He is independent of His creation and has no need of them. He is Kind and Gracious to them constantly, so how could He wrong them?

This principle is indicated by a great deal of evidence in the Qur’aan and Sunnah, such as the verses in which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine Preordainments of all things before their creation as written in the Book of Decrees ___ Al‑Lawh Al‑Mahfooz)”

[al-Qamar 54:49]

“No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al‑Lawh Al‑Mahfooz) before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allaah”

[al-Hadeed 57:22].

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah decided the decrees of creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth. He said: And His Throne is above the water.” Narrated by Muslim (2653).

2 – Man has free will and choice by means of which he does some things and refrains from others, and he believes or disbelieves, and he obeys or disobeys, for which he will be brought to account and rewarded or punished, although Allaah knows what he will do, what he will choose and what his ultimate destiny will be. But Allaah does not compel him to do evil, or to choose kufr, rather He clearly shows him the path and He has sent Messengers and revealed Books, and shown him the right way. Whoever goes astray does so to his own loss,.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And say: ‘The truth is from your Lord.’ Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve”

[al-Kahf 18:29]

“Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful”

[al-Insaan 76:3]

“So whosoever does good equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it.

8. And whosoever does evil equal to the weight of an atom (or a small ant) shall see it”

[al-Zalzalah 99:7,8]

“And it will be cried out to them: ‘This is the Paradise which you have inherited for what you used to do’”

[al-A’raaf 7:43]

“so taste you the abiding torment for what you used to do”

[al-Sajdah 32:14]

Allaah tells us that man believes and does righteous deeds by his own choice and free will, then he enters Paradise, or he disbelieves and does evil deeds by his own choice and free will, then he enters Hell.

Every person knows in his own heart and by looking at those around him, that our deeds – good and evil, obedient and sinful – are done by our own choice, and we do not feel that there is any force compelling us to do them. You can curse, swear, lie and backbite, just as you can praise Allaah, glorify Him, pray for forgiveness, speak the truth and give sincere advice. You can walk to places of idle entertainment, falsehood and evil, just as you can walk to the mosques or places of goodness and obedience. A man can strike with his hand, steal, speak falsehood and betray, or he can help the needy, do good and do favours with his hands. Everyone does some of these deeds and he does not feel that he is compelled or forced, rather he does them by his own free will and then he will be called to account for them; if they were good, then the consequences will be good, and if they were bad then the consequences will be bad.

What Allaah has decreed is something that man cannot know and he cannot base his deeds on it or use it as an excuse. It is also not valid for him to object to his Lord by questioning why He has caused someone to be among the doomed or the blessed. Allaah has not wronged the one who is doomed, rather He gave him time and ability and freedom of choice, and He sent to him Messengers and revealed Books to them, and He reminded him and warned him with all kinds of reminders, such as calamities and tests, so that he would repent to Him and turn to Him. If he chose the path of misguidance, and followed the way of criminals, he only harmed himself, and he is the one who has caused his own doom, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Indeed he succeeds who purifies his ownself (i.e. obeys and performs all that Allaah ordered, by following the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism and by doing righteous good deeds).

10. And indeed he fails who corrupts his ownself (i.e. disobeys what Allaah has ordered by rejecting the true Faith of Islamic Monotheism or by following polytheism, or by doing every kind of evil wicked deeds)”

[al-Shams 91:9, 10]

“Allaah wronged them not, but they wronged themselves”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:117]

“Has not the story reached them of those before them? — The people of Nooh (Noah), ‘Aad, and Thamood, the people of Ibraaheem (Abraham), the dwellers of Madyan (Midian) and the cities overthrown [i.e. the people to whom Loot (Lot) preached]; to them came their Messengers with clear proofs. So it was not Allaah Who wronged them, but they used to wrong themselves”

[al-Tawbah 9:70]

To sum up: the belief that Allaah is the Creator Who has decreed all things and has distinguished those who are blessed from those who are doomed, does not mean that Allaah forces His slaves to obey or disobey. Rather He has given them the ability to choose and free will, which is what they act upon, and for which they will be brought to account. Your Lord does not wrong His slaves.

And Allaah knows best.

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#13 [Permalink] Posted on 13th November 2015 11:15

I would like you to explain the meaning of this Hadeeth:

Question:
Narrated Abi Abdurrahman Abdullah bin Mas'ud, May Allah is pleased with him:
Allah's Apostle, the true and truly inspired said, "(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick blood for a similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar period. Then Allah sends an angel who breathes the soul into him, and is ordered to write four things. He is ordered to write down his (i.e. the new creature's) deeds, his livelihood, his (date of) death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched (in religion). So, by Allah the One, a man amongst you may do good deeds till there is only a cubit between him and Paradise and then what has been written for him decides his behavior and he starts doing (evil) deeds characteristic of the people of the (Hell) Fire. And similarly, a man amongst you may do (evil) deeds till there is only a cubit between him and the (Hell) Fire, and then what has been written for him decides his behavior, and he starts doing deeds characteristic of the people of Paradise." Narrated by Al-Bukhari.
To be honest with you I feel bad sometimes that I may do good deeds while it is written that I am from the people of hell. I wish you answer me, thanks a lot for your efforts, may Allah greaten your reward.

Answer
Praise be to Allaah.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

Those who are ignorant of Allaah and His names and attributes misinterpret their true meanings and turn people against Allaah and put obstacles between the people and loving Allaah and drawing close to Him without realizing.

We will mention some examples of that, such as that they try to make people with shallow knowledge (or weak faith) think that no acts of obedience towards Allaah will do any good, even if that is done for a long time and a person has tried his utmost to do it properly both outwardly and inwardly; and that a person cannot be safe from the plot of Allaah, rather it is Allaah’s way to take the obedient one who fears Allaah out of the mosque and into the brothels, and from Tawheed and tasbeeh to shirk and flutes, and turn his heart from pure faith to kufr. They narrated sound reports concerning this that they do not understand properly, and false reports that the Prophet never said, and they claim that this is the essence of Tawheed. End quote. Al-Fawaa’id (159).

Then he (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: … So this poor person no longer sees actions as being good or bad, so he does not feel comfortable when doing good, or feel distressed when doing bad. Is there any more effective way of putting people off Allaah and making them hate Him than this?! If all the heretics strive hard to make people hate religion and put them off Allaah, they could never have come up with anything worse than this.

The one who has this belief thinks that he is reinforcing the ideas of Tawheed and the divine will and decree, and refuting the innovators and supporting Islam, but by Allaah, a wise enemy is less harmful than an ignorant friend. All the revealed Books and all the Messengers bear witness to the opposite of that, especially the Qur’aan. If those who seek to call others to Allaah follow the method that is established by Allaah and His Messenger in calling people to Islam, the whole world would be reformed in such a way that there would be no corruption after that.

Allaah tells us – and He is the One Who is truthful and fulfils promises – that He only judges people on the basis of their actions, and recompenses them for their deeds, and the one who does good should not fear any injustice or unfairness; He will never cause the deeds of any doer of good to be lost, no matter how small, or wrong any soul in the slightest. “But if there is any good (done), He doubles it, and gives from Him a great reward” [al-Nisa’ 4:40]. Even if it is the size of a grain of mustard seed, He gives reward for it and does not cause it to be lost. He recompenses bad deeds with the like thereof, and cancels them out if a person repents, regrets it and seeks forgiveness and does good deeds, or if calamities befall him. But He rewards a good deed anything from ten fold to seven hundred fold or more.

He is the One Who reforms the misguided and turns back to Him the hearts of those who turn away; He accepts the repentance of sinners, guides the misled, saves the doomed, teaches the ignorant, guides the confused, reminds the heedless, gives refuge to the lost. When He sends a punishment, it is only after severe rebellion and stubborn turning away, and after calling the people to turn back to Him. End quote.

Al-Fawaa’id (161).

There follows a great hadeeth which was narrated by al-Bukhaari (3208) and Muslim (2643) from Ibn Mas’ood (may Allaah be pleased with him). Some people were confused about the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) “one of you may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit, then the decree overtakes him and he does a deed of the people of Hell and enters it. And one of you may do the deeds of the people of Hell until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit, then the decree overtakes him and he does a deed of the people of Paradise, and enters it.”

This is an example of what Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) tried to point out of saheeh reports which are not understood properly.

The answer to this is that it applies to the one who does not do deeds with sincerity and faith, rather he does deeds of the people of Paradise as it appears to people only, as is explained in another version of the hadeeth that was narrated by al-Bukhaari (4207) and Muslim (112) from Sahl who said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the mushrikeen met in battle and fought. When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) went back to his camp and the others went back to their camp, there was among the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)a man who killed anyone (of the enemy) who got in his way. They said: No one has done better today than So and so. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Rather he is one of the people of Hell.” A man said: I am going to follow him. So he went out with him; every time that man stopped, he stopped with him, and when he hastened, he hastened with him. He said: The man was badly wounded, so he sought to hasten his death. He put the handle of his sword on the ground and its tip in the middle of his chest, then he leaned [on his sword] and killed himself. The man went to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and said: I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allaah (S). He said: “Why is that?” He said: The man who you said was one of the people of Hell and the people were astounded by that. I said, I will find out about him for you. So I followed him until he was badly wounded, then he sought to hasten his death. He put the handle of his sword on the ground and its tip in the middle of his chest, then he leaned on it and killed himself. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A man may do the deeds of [the people of] Paradise, or so it seems to the people, although he is one of the people of Hell, and a man may do the deeds of [the people of] Hell, or so it seems to the people, although he is one of the people of Paradise.”

As for the one who does the deeds of the people of Paradise in a real sense, sincerely and on the basis of faith, Allaah is too just, merciful and generous to let him down at the end of his life.

Rather these are the ones who are guided, directed and helped to persist, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Allaah will keep firm those who believe, with the word that stands firm in this world (i.e. they will keep on worshipping Allaah Alone and none else), and in the Hereafter. And Allaah will cause to go astray those who are Zaalimoon (polytheists and wrongdoers), and Allaah does what He wills”

[Ibraaheem 14:27]

“As for those who strive hard in Us (Our Cause), We will surely guide them to Our paths (i.e. Allaah’s religion — Islamic Monotheism). And verily, Allaah is with the Muhsinoon (good-doers).”

[al-‘Ankaboot 29:69]

“Verily, he who fears Allaah with obedience to Him (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds, and by performing righteous good deeds), and is patient, then surely, Allaah makes not the reward of the Muhsinoon (good‑doers) to be lost”

[Yoosuf 12:90]

“They rejoice in a grace and a bounty from Allaah, and that Allaah will not waste the reward of the believers”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:171]

Ibn al-Qayyim said in al-Fawaa’id (p. 163): With regard to the fact that a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit, then the decree overtakes him, this refers to the actions of the people of Paradise as they appear to other people. If it was a righteous deed that is acceptable to Allaah, then Allaah would love it, accept it and not cancel it out. Someone may say that this phrase, “until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit”, does not support what we have suggested; the answer to that is that if deeds are to be judged by the way they end, this man did not have enough patience to complete his deeds properly; rather there was a hidden problem and something wrong with his deeds, by means of which he was let down towards the end of his life, so that hidden, serious, fatal problem caused his downfall at the time of need. If there was no problem and no insincerity, Allaah would not have turned his faith into disbelief. And Allaah knows better than all people what they do not know of each other. End quote.

Ibn Rajab (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

The words “as it appears to people” indicate that what is hidden may be different from what is apparent to people, and that a bad end is because of a hidden problem in a person that people are not aware of, whether it is a bad deed and the like, so that hidden quality may lead to a bad end at death.

Similarly, a man may do a deed of the people of Hell, but inwardly he has some good quality, and that prevails at the end of his life, and leads to a good end for him.

‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Abi Rawaad said: A man was dying and he was being prompted to say Laa ilaaha ill-Allaah, but the last words he said were, “He does not believe in what you are saying” (referring to himself), and he died like that!

He said: I asked about him, and found that he was addicted to alcohol!

‘Abd al-‘Azeez used to say: Beware of sins for it is sins that led him to this bad end.

In general, how people end up is the consequences of what went before, and all of that has been previously written in a Book, hence the salaf greatly feared a bad end, and some of them would feel anxious when remembering previous sins.

It was said that the hearts of the righteous are concerned about how their life will end, and they always wonder: how will our end be?

The hearts of those who are close to Allaah are concerned about previous sins, and say: How will our sins affect our ends? Sahl al-Tastari said: The one who has started his journey towards Allaah fears that he may fall into sin and the one who is close to Allaah fears that he may end fall into kufr (disbelief).

Hence the Sahaabah and the righteous salaf who came after them feared that they might become hypocrites, and their fear and anxiety were intense. So the believer fears lesser hypocrisy for himself, and worries that it might prevail at the end of his life, and take him into a state of major hypocrisy, as it was mentioned above that hidden problems may lead to a bad end. End quote.

Jaami’ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hukam (1/57-58).

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: The hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood, “until there is nothing between him and it but a cubit” means, Paradise. It does not mean that his deeds bring him to this position until there remains nothing but a cubit, because if he were doing the deeds of the people of Paradise in a true sense, Allaah would not let him down because Allaah is more generous than His slaves. Imagine a person devoted to Allaah, and there is nothing but a cubit between him and Paradise: would Allaah turn him away?! This is impossible. Rather the meaning is that he does the deeds of the people of Paradise as it appears to others, until when there is nothing left of his lifespan but a little, his heart drifts away – Allaah forbid; we ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound. This is the meaning of the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood: when there is nothing left between him and Paradise but a cubit with regard to his lifespan, otherwise he was not doing the deeds of the people of Paradise in the first place.

We ask Allaah not to misguide our hearts. (So the person referred to) is striving but in his heart there is some hidden evil that leads to his doom when there is only one cubit left when he dies. End quote from al-Liqa’ al-Shahri (13/14).

Some scholars suggested that the person mentioned in the hadeeth may be striving in a true sense, until when his lifespan nears its end, he meets a bad end, and dies in a state of kufr or sin, but this is rare. This also goes back to something hidden or some serious evil quality that the person persisted in, such as corrupt belief or a major sin that dooms one to Hell, which led to his bad end. We ask Allaah to keep us safe and sound. So the hadeeth is to be understood as a warning that no one should rely too much on his deeds and we should ask Allaah for steadfastness until death, for hearts are between two fingers of the Most Merciful and He turns them as He wills.

Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Sharh Muslim: What is meant by a cubit is an indication of how close he is to death, and whether he will enter Paradise or Hell after that, and that there is nothing between him and his reaching that abode except a cubit, like that which remains between him and his reaching any spot on earth. What this hadeeth means is that this may happen in rare cases to some people, not that it is the norm. Moreover it is a sign of Allaah’s kindness and mercy that people may revert from evil to good in many cases. As for their reverting from good to evil, this is very rare and hardly ever happens. This is like the words of Allaah [in the hadeeth qudsi]: “My mercy precedes My wrath and prevails over My wrath.” That includes those who turn to the deeds of Hell by disbelieving or sinning, but they (the scholars) differ with regard to whether they will abide therein forever or not. The kaafir will abide in Hell forever, but the sinner who dies believing in Tawheed will not abide therein forever, as stated above. In this hadeeth there is a clear confirmation of the divine decree, and that repentance erases all sins that came before it, and that whatever state a person dies in, he will be judged accordingly, whether it is good or bad, but those who commit sins other than kufr are subject to the will of Allaah. End quote.

What should be noted in this context is that the same hadeeth which confused you also contains the answer to this confusion. That is because it does not only confirm the concept of the divine decree and Allaah’s prior knowledge of His creation and His prior writing of their deeds, but in this and similar texts, in addition to all that, there is also affirmation of His commands and prohibitions, and that Allaah does not punish them or bless them on the basis of His knowledge concerning them only, but rather on the basis of what they did and earned themselves.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:

This hadeeth and similar reports point to two concepts:

1 – The prior decree, which means that Allaah already knows who are the people of Paradise and who are the people of Hell before they do any deeds. This is true and must be believed in. Indeed the imams, such as Maalik, al-Shaafa’i and Ahmad, have stated that the one who denies this is a kaafir. Rather we must believe that Allaah knows everything that is going to happen before it happens, and we must believe in what He has told us that He has decreed will happen and has told us of it before it happens.

2 – That Allaah knows all things the way they are, and He has made for things means that may lead to these things. So He knows that these things could result from these means, as He knows that this man may have a child by means of having intercourse with a woman that makes her pregnant. If this man says: Allaah knows that I am going to have a child so there is no need for me to have intercourse, then he is a fool, because Allaah knows that it will come about by means of what He has decreed of intercourse. Similarly a man knows that crops will grow as the result of his watering the seeds that he has planted, but if he says: He knows that it will happen so there is no need to plant seeds, then he is ignorant and misguided because Allaah knows what will come about by those means.

Similarly, if He knows that this one will be blessed in the Hereafter and that one will be doomed, we say: it is because that one does the deeds of the doomed, so Allaah knows that he will be doomed because of his deeds. If it is said that he is doomed even if he does not do anything, this is false, because Allaah does not admit anyone to Hell except for his sin, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “That I will fill Hell with you [Iblees (Satan)] and those of them (mankind) that follow you, together” [Saad 38:85]. So He swore to fill it with Iblees and his followers, and those who follow Iblees have disobeyed Allaah, may He be exalted, but Allaah does not punish anyone for what He knows he will do until he does it.

Similarly Allaah has decreed Paradise for the people who believe in Him and obey Him, so the one who is decreed to be one of them is guided by Allaah to believe and obey. The one who says, I will enter Paradise whether I am a believer or a disbeliever, if He knows that I am one of its people, is fabricating a lie against Allaah. Allaah knows that he will be admitted to it by faith, so if he does not have faith he will not be the one who Allaah knew would enter Paradise, rather he will be not a believer but a kaafir, and Allaah knows that he will be one of the people of Hell, not one of the people of Paradise.

Hence Allaah commanded people to pray, seek forgiveness from Allaah and other means. The one who says, I will not pray or ask, and I will rely on the divine decree, is also mistaken, because Allaah has made praying and asking means of attaining His forgiveness, mercy, guidance, support and provision. If He has decreed some good for a person to be attained by means of du’aa’ that will not be attained it without du’aa’. What Allaah has decreed and knows about people’s situations and how their lives will end, it is only decreed through the means that lead to that specific outcome. Nothing in this world or in the Hereafter happens except through means, and Allaah is the Creator of the means and the ends.

With regard to this matter, two types of people go astray. There are those who believe in the divine decree and think that it is sufficient to attain one's aims, so they turn away from the prescribed means and righteous deeds. They will end up disbelieving in the Books of Allaah, His Messengers and His religion.

(The other group) ask for reward from Allaah as a hired man asks for his wages from his employer, relying on their own power, strength and deeds. These people are ignorant and misguided, because Allaah has not enjoined His commands upon people out of need, and He has not imposed His prohibitions out of stinginess, rather He has enjoined what is in their best interests and He has forbidden that which is bad for them. As He says: “You will never be in a position where you are able to harm Me and you will never be in a position to benefit Me.”

The one who turns away from the commands and prohibitions, promises and warnings, and focuses only on the divine decree has gone astray, and the one who strives to follow the commands and prohibitions and ignores the divine decree has gone astray. Rather the believer is as Allaah says: “You (Alone) we worship, and You (Alone) we ask for help (for each and everything)” [al-Faatihah 1:5], so we worship Him by following the command, and we seek His help on the basis our belief in the divine decree. End quote.

Muqtatafaat min Majmoo’ al-Fataawa (8/66 ff).

And Allaah knows best.

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#14 [Permalink] Posted on 17th November 2015 07:36

abu mohammed wrote:

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جزاك الله خيرا و احسن الجزاء for a detailed and beautiful reply. May allah reward you Bro Abu Muhammad and the people behind this forum immensely.

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#15 [Permalink] Posted on 17th November 2015 07:54

Bro Abu Mohammad. Please help me in this . There are still some questions that troubles my heart i.e

1. Are coming of right choices in the mind is dependent on allah or on human being.?

2. Whats the true and correct understanding of "La hawla wa laa quwatta illa billah" ?

3. What's the correct understanding of "There's no will except the will of allah" ?

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Purpose of Life and Tests in life.

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