Abdullah (b. Mas'ud) reported that Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) who is the most truthful (of the
human beings) and his being truthful (is a fact) said:
Verily your creation is on this wise. The constituents of
one of you are collected for forty days in his mother's
womb in the form of blood, after which it becomes a clot
of blood in another period of forty days. Then it becomes
a lump of flesh and forty days later Allah sends His angel
to it with instructions concerning four things, so the
angel writes down his livelihood, his death, his deeds,
his fortune and misfortune. By Him, besides Whom there is
no god, that one amongst you acts like the people
deserving Paradise until between him and Paradise there
remains but the distance of a cubit, when suddenly the
writing of destiny overcomes him and he begins to act like
the denizens of Hell and thus enters Hell, and another one
acts in the way of the denizens of Hell, until there
remains between him and Hell a distance of a cubit that
the writing of destiny overcomes him and then he begins to
act like the people of Paradise and enters Paradise.
This hadith has been reported on the authority of
A'mash with the same chain of transmitters and in the
hadith transmitted on the authority of Waki' (the words
are):" The creation of any one of you is like this that
(semen) is collected in the womb of the mother for forty
nights," and in the hadith transmitted on the authority of
Shu'ba (the words are):" Forty nights and forty days." And
in the hadith transmitted on the authority of Jarir and 'Isa
(the words are):" Forty days."
Hudhaifa b. Usaid reported directly from Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) that lie said: When the
drop of (semen) remains in the womb for forty or fifty
(days) or forty nights, the angel comes and says: My Lord,
will he be good or evil? And both these things would be
written. Then the angel says: My Lord, would he be male or
female? And both these things are written. And his deeds
and actions, his death, his livelihood; these are also
recorded. Then his document of destiny is rolled and there
is no, addition to and subtraction from it.
'Abdullah b. Mas'ud reported: Evil one is he who is
evil in the womb of his mother and the good one is he who
takes lesson from the (fate of) others. The narrator came
to a person from amongst the Companion of Allah's Me
ssenger (may peace be upon him) who was called Hudhaifa b.
Usaid Ghifari and said: How can a person be an evil one
without (cornmittilng an evil) deed? Thereupon the person
said to him: You are surprised at this, whereas I have
heard Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saving:
When forty nights pass after the semen gets into the womb,
Allah sends the angel and gives him the shape. Then he
creates his sense of hearing, sense of sight, his skin,
his flesh, his bones, and then says: My Lord, would he be
male or female? And your Lord decides as He desires and
the angel then puts down that also and then says: My Lord,
what about his age? And your Lord decides as He likes it
and the angel puts it down. Then he says: My Lord, what
about his livelihood? And then the Lord decides as He
likes and the angel writes it down, and then the angel
gets out with his scroll of destiny in his hand and
nothing is added to it and nothing is subtracted from it.
Abu Tufail reported: I visited Abu Sariha Hudhaifa b.
Usaid al-Ghifari who said: I listened with these two ears
of mine Allahs Messenger (may peace be upon him) as
saying: The semen stays in the womb for forty nights, then
the angel, gives it a shape. Zubair said: I think that he
said: One who fashions that and decides whether he would
be male or female. Then he (the angel) says: Would his
limbs be full or imperfect? And then the Lord makes thein
full and perfect or otherwise as He desires. Then he says:
My Lord, what about his livelihood, and his death and what
about his disposition? And then the Lord decides about his
misfortune and fortune.
Hadhaifa b. Usaid Ghifari, a Companion of Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him), reported it directly
from Allah's Messenger (may peace upon him). as he said:
There is an angel who looks after the womb when Allah
decides to create any- thing after more than forty nights
are over; the rest of the hadith is the same.
Anas b. Malik reported directly from Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) that he said: Allah, the Exlated
and Glorious, has appointed an angel as the caretaker of
the womb, and he would say: My Lord, it is now a drop of
semen; my Lord, It is now a clot of blood; my Lord, it has
now become a lump of flesh, and when Allah decides to give
it a final shape, the angel says: My Lord, would it be
male or female or would he be an evil or a good person?
What about his livelihood and his age? And it is all
written as he is in the womb of his mother.
All reported: We were in a funeral in the graveyard of
Gharqad that Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
came to us and we sat around him. He had a stick with him.
He lowered his head and began to scratch the earth with
his stick, and then raid: There is not one amongst you
whom a scat in Paradise or Hell has not been allotted and
about whom it has not been written down whether he would
be an evil person or a blessed person. A person said:
Allah's Messenger, should we not then depend npon our
destiny and abandon our deeds? Thereupon he said: Acts of
everyone will be facilitated in, that which has been
created for him so that whoever belongs to the com. pany
of the blessed will have good works made easier for himand
whoever belongs to the unfortunate ones will have evil
acts made easier for him. He then recited this verse (from
the Qur'an):" Then, who gives to the needy and
guardsagainst evil and accepts the excellent (the truth of
Islam and the path of righteousness it prescribes), We
shall make easy for him the easy end and who is miserly
and considers himself above need, We shall make easy for
him the dificult end". (XCii. 5-10).
'Ali reported that one day Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) was sitting with a wood in his hand and he
was scratching the ground. He raised his head and said:
There is not one amongst you who has not been allotted his
seat in Paradise or Hell. They said: Allah's Messenger.
then, why should we perform good deeds, why not depend
upon our destiny? Thereupon he said. No, do perform good
deeds, for everyone is facilitated in that for which he
has been created; then he recited this verse:" Then, who
gives to the needy and guards against evil and accepts the
excellent (the truth of Islam and the path of
righteousness it prescribes), We shall make easy for him
the easy end..." (xcii. 5-10).
Jabir reported that Suriqa b. Malik b. Ju'shuin came
and said: Allah's Messenger, explain our religion to us
(in a way) as if we have been created just now. Whosoever
deeds we do today, is it because of the fact that-the pens
have dried (after recording them) and the destitiles have
began to operate or these have effects in future?
Thereupon he said: The pens have dried tmd destinies have
begun to operate. (Suraqa b. Malik) said: If it Is so,
then what is the use of doing good deeds? Zuhair said:
Then Abu Zubair said something but I could not understand
that and I said. What did he say? Thereupon he said: Act,
for everyone is facilitated what he intends to do.
This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of
Jabir b. Abdullah with the same wording (and includes
these words):" Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him)
said: Every doer of deed is facilitated in his action."
'Imran b. Husain repotted that it was said to Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him): Has there been drawn a
distinction between the people of Paradise and the
denizens of hell? He said: Yes. It was again said: (If it
is so), then What is the use of doing good deeds?
Thereupon he said: Everyone is facilitated in what has
been created for him.
Abu al-Aswad reported that 'Imran b Husain asked him:
What is your view, what the people do today in the world,
and strive for, is it something decreed for them or
preordained for them or will their fate in the Hereafter
be deterrained by the fact that their Prophets brought
them teaching which they did not act upon? I said: Of
course, it is something which is predetermined for them
and preordained for them. He (further) said: Then, would
it not be an injustice (to punish them)? I felt greatly
disturbed because of that, and said: Everything is created
by Allah and lies in His Power. He would not be questioned
as to what He does, but they would be questioned;
thereupon he said to me: May Allah have mercy upon you, I
did not mean to ask you but for testing your intelligence.
Two men of the tribe of Muzaina came to Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) and said: Allah's Messenger, what
is your opinion that the people do in the world and strive
for, is something decreed for them; something preordained
for them and will their fate in the Hereafter be
determined by the fact that their Prophets brought them
teachings which they did not act upon. and thus they
became deserving of punishment? Thereupon, he said: Of
course, it happens as it is decreed by Destiny and
preordained for them, and this view is confirmed by this
verse of the Book of Allah, the Exalted and Glorious:"
Consider the soul and Him Who made it perfect, then
breathed into it its sin and its piety" (xci. 8).
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be
upon him) as saying: Verily, a person performs deeds for a
long time like the deeds of the people of Paradise. Then
his deeds are terminated like the deeds of the people of
Hell and, verily, a person performs deeds like the
denizens of Fire for a long time, and then this deed of
his is ultimately followed by the deeds of the people of
Paradise.
Sahl b. Sa'd reported it from Allah's Messenger (may
peace be upon him) that a person performs deeds like the
deeds of the people of Paradise apparently before people
and he would be amongst the dwellers of Hell and a person
acts apparently like the people of Hell, but (in fact) he
would be among the dwellers of Paradise.
Chapter 2: THE EXCHANGE OF ARGUMENTS BETWEEN ADAM
AND MOSES (ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH BOTH OF THEM)
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (way peace be
upon him) as saying: There was argument between Adam and
Moses. Moses said to Adam: You are our father. You did us
harm and caused us to get out of Paradise. Adam said to
him: You are Moses. Allah selected you (for direct
conversation with you) and wrote with His own Hand the
Book (Torah) for you. Despite this you blame me for an act
which Allah had ordained for me forty years before He
created me. Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said:.
This is how Adam came the better of Moses and Adam came
the better of Moses.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) as saying: There was argument between Adam and
Moses, and Adam came the better of Moses. Moses said to
him: You are the same Adam who misled people, and caused
them to get out of Paradise. Adam said: You are the same
(Moses) whom Allah endowed the knowledge of everything and
selected him amongst the people as His Messenger. He said:
Yes. Adam then again said: Even then you blame me for an
affair which had been ordained for me before I was
created.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) as saying: There was an argument between Adam
and Moses (peace be upon both of them) in the presence of
their Lord. Adam came the better of Moses. Moses said: Are
you that Adam whom Allah created with His Hand and
breathed into himHis sprit, and commanded angels to fall
in prostration before him and He made you live in Paradise
with comfort and ease. Then you caused the people to get
down to the earth because of your lapse. Adam said: Are
you that Moses whom Allah selected for His Messengership
and for His conversation with him and conferred upon you
the tablets, in which everything was clearly explained and
granted you the audience in order to have confidential
talk with you. What is your opinion, how long Torah would
haye been written before I was created? Moses said: Forty
years before. Adam said: Did you not see these words: Adam
committed an error and he was enticed to (do so). He
(Moses) said: Yes. Whereupon, he (Adam) said: Do you then
blame me for an act which Allah had ordained for me forty
years before He created me? Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) said: This is how Adam came the better of
Moses.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) as saying: There was an argument between Adam
and Moses. Moses said: Are you that Adam whose lapse
caused you to get out of Paradise? Adam said to him: Are
you that Moses whom Allah selected for His Messengership,
for His conversation and you blame me for an affair which
had been ordained for me before I was created? This is how
Adam came the better of Moses.
Abdullah b. 'Amr b. al-'As reported: I heard Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Allah
ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty
thousand years before He created the heavens and the
earth, as His Throne was upon water.
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu
Hani with the same chain of transmitters, but there is no
mention of" His Throne was upon water."
Abdullah b. Amr b. al-'As reported that he heard
Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying:
Verily, the hearts of all the sons of Adam are between the
two fingers out of the fingers of the Compassionate Lord
as one heart. He turns that to any (direction) He likes.
Then Allahs Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: 0
Allah, the Turner of the hearts, turn our hearts to Thine
obedience.
Tawus reported: I found some Companions of Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) as saying: Everything is
by measure. And he further said: I heard Abdullah b. 'Umar
as saying: There is a neasure for everything-even for
incapacity and-capability.
Abu Huraira reported that the polytheists of the
Quraish came to have an argument with Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) in regard to Destiny and then this
verse was revealed:" On the day when they are dragged into
the Fire upon their faces, taste the touch of Fire.
Surely, We have created everything according to a measure"
(liv. 48).
Chapter 5: THE MEASURE OF THE SON OF ADAM IN
REGARD TO ADULTERY, ETC.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon
him) as saying: Verily Allah has fixed the very portion of
adultery which a man will indulge in, and which he of
necessity must comrriit. The adultery of the eye is the
lustful look, and the adultery of the tongue is the
licentious speech, the heart desires and yearns, which the
parts may or may not put into effect.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) as saying. Allah fixed the very portion of
adultery which a man will indulge in. There would be no
escape from it. The adultery of the eye is the lustful
look and the adultery of the ears is listening to
voluptuous (song or talk) and the adultery of the tongue
is licentious speech and the adultery of the hand is the
lustful grip (embrace) and the adultery of the feet is to
walk (to the place) where he intends to commit adultery
and the heart yearns and desires which he may or may not
put into effect.
Chapter 6: EVERYONE IS BORN ACCORDING TO HIS TRUE
NATURE AND THE COMMAND PERTAINING TO THE DEMISE OF THE
CHILDREN OF THE INFIDELS AND OF THE CHILDREN OF THE MUSLIMS
There is none born but is created to his true nature
(Islam). It is his parents who make him a Jew or a
Christian or a Magian quite as beasts produce their young
with their limbs perfect. Do you see anything deficient in
them? Then he quoted the Qur'an., The nature made by Allah
in which He has created men there is no altering of
Allah's creation; that is the right religion" (xxx. 33)
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) as saying: No child is born but upon Fitra. He
then said. Recite: The nature made by Allah in which He
created man, there is no altering of Allah's nature; that
is the right religion."
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) as saying: No babe is born but upon Fitra. It is
his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian or a
Polytheist. A person said: Allah's Messenger, what is your
opinion if they were to die before that (before reaching
the age of adolescence when they can distinguish between
right and wrong)? He said: It is Allah alone Who knows
what they would be doing.
It is reported on the authority of Abu Mu'awiya that
(the Holy Prophet) said: Every new-born babe is born on
the millat (of Islam and he) remains on this until his
tongue is enabled to express himself.
This hadith has been narratted on the authority of Abu
Mu'awiya through another chain of transmitters (and the
words are):" Every child is born but on this Fitra so long
as he does not express himself with his tongue."
Abu Huraira reported from Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upom him) many ahadith and one amongst them is that he
is reported to have said: An infant is born according to
his (true) nature. It is his parents Who make him a Jew, a
Christian, just as a she-camel gives birth to its young
ones. Do you find any deficiency in their limbs? You cut
their ears (i. e. after birth). They (the Companions of
the Holy Prophet) said: What is your opinion about him who
dies in infancy? Thereupon Allah's Apostle (may peace be
upon him) said: It is Allah alone Who knows best what they
would be doing.
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) as saying: The mother of every person gives him
birth according to his true nature. It is subsequently his
parents who make him a Jew or a Christian or a Magian. Had
his parents been Muslim he would have also remained a
Muslim. Every person to whom his mother gives birth (has
two aspects of his life) ; when his mother gives birth
Satan strikes him but it was not the case with Mary and
her son (Jesus Christ).
Abu Huraira reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) was asked about the children of the
polytheists, whereupon he said: It is Allah Who knows best
what they would be doing.
Abu Huraira reported that Allahs Messenger (way peace
be upon him) was asked about the children of the
polytheists who die young. Thereupon Allah's Apostle (may
peace be upon him) said: It is Allah Who knows what they
would be doing.
Ibn Abbas reported that Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) was asked about the children of the polytheists,
whereupon he said: It is Allah alone Who knows what they
would be doing according to their creation.
Ubayy b. Ka'b reported that AUah's Messenger (may peace
be upon him) said: The young man whom Khadir killed was a
non-believer by his very nature and had he survived he
would have involved his parents in defiance and unbelief.
'A'isha, the mother of the believers, reported that a
child died and I said: There is happiness for this child
who is a bird from amongst the birds of Paradise.
Thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said:
Don't you know that Allah created the Paradise and He
created the Hell and He created the dwellers for this
(Paradise) and the denizens for this (Hell)?
'A'isha, the mother of the believers, said that Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him) was called to lead the
funeral prayer of a child of the Ansar. I said: Allah's
Messenger, there is happiness for this child who is a bird
from the birds of Paradise for it committed no sin nor has
he reached the age when one can commit sin. He said: 'A'isha,
per adventure, it may be otherwise, because God created
for Paradise those who are fit for it while they were yet
in their father's loins and created for Hell those who are
to go to Hell. He created them for Hell while they were
yet in their father's loins.
Abdullah reported that Umm Habiba, the wife of Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him), said: 0 Allah, enable me
to derive benefit from my husband, the Messenger of Allah
(may peace be upon him), and from my father Abu Sufyan and
from my brother Mu'awiya. Allah's Apostle (may peace be
upon him) said: You have asked from Allah about durations
of life already set, and the length of days already
allotted and the sustenances the share of which has been
fixed. Allah would not do anything earlier before its due
time, or He would not delay anything beyond its due time.
And if you were to ask Allah to provide you refuge from
the torment of the HellFire, or from the torment of the
grave, it would have good in store for you and better for
you also. He (the narrator) further said: Mention was made
before him about monkeys, and Mis'ar (one of the
narrators) said: I think that (the narrator) also (made a
mention) of the swine, which had suffered metamorphosis.
Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Verily, Allah did
not cause the race of those which suffered metamorphosis
to grow or they were not survived by young ones. Monkeys
and swine had been in existence even before (the
metamorphosis of the human beings).
This hadith has been reported on the authority of
Mis'ar with the same chain of transmitters but with this
variation that the hadith transmitted on the authority of
Ibn Bishr and Waki', the torment of the Hell-Fire and the
torment of grave have been mentioned together (and there
is no conjunction" iw" or" between them).
Ibn Mas'dd reported that Umm Habiba said: 0 Allah,
enable me to derive benefit from my husband, Allah's
Messenger (may peace be upon him), and from my father Abu
Sufyan, and from my brother Mu'awiya. Allah's Messenger
(may peace be upon him) said to her: Verily, you have
asked Allah about the durations of life already set, and
the steps which you would take, and the sustenances the
share of which is fixed. Nothing would take place earlier
than its due time, and nothing would be deferred beyond
that when it is due. So, if you were to ask Allah about
your safety from the torment of Hell-Fire and from the
torment of the grave, it would have been better for you. A
person said: Allah's Messenger, what about those apes and
swine which suffered metamorphosis? Thereupon Allah's
Apostle (may peace be upon him) said: Verily, Allah, the
Exalted and Glorious, did not destroy a people or did not
torment a people, and let their race grow. Apes and swine
had been even before that (when the deniers of truth were
tormented and suffered metamorphosis). This hadith has
been narrated on the authority of Sufyin through another
chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of
wording.
Chapter 8: AFFAIR PERTAINING TO STRENGTH, AND
SHEDDING OFF WEAKNESS, AND SEEKING HELP FROM ALLAH AND TRUST
IN THE MEASURES SET BY ALLAH
Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace be
upon him) as saying: A strong believer is better and is
more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is
good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you
benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do
not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble)
comes to you, don't say: If I had not done that, it would
not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what
He had ordained to do and your" if" opens the (gate) for
the Satan.