Chapter 31
Chapter on Predestination, Fate and the Middle road in between
H 397, Ch. 31, h 1
Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ishaq ibn Muhammad and others, in a marfu‘ manner, who have said the following.
"Once in Kufa, after Amirul Mu’minin’s return from Siffin, a man came to him and sat with his legs folded underneath in front of the Imam (a.s.) and said, "O Amirul Mu’minin, tell us about our journey against the people of Sham (Syria). Was it because of Allah’s decree and determination or not?" Amir al-Mu’minin said, "Yes, O Shaykh, every hill that you climbed and every valley that you traversed was because of the decree and the determination of Allah." The Shaykh then said, "Will my tiring efforts be counted in the sight of Allah, O Amir al-Mu’minin?" The Imam said, "Be patient, O Shaykh. I swear to Allah that He will grant you a great reward for your journey wherever you traveled, for your stay wherever you rested and for your return when you were headed back. In none of these conditions that you went through you were coerced or compelled."
The Shaykh then said, "How would we not be considered compelled or coerced when all of our journey, rest and return were because if the decree and determination of Allah?" The Imam said, "Do You think it was all due to unavoidable decree and binding determination? Had it been so all the reward, punishment, commandments, orders and warnings from Allah would remain invalid and meaningless. The promise and warnings would fall apart. No one could blame the sinners and no one would praise the people of good deeds. The sinners could have been more deserving than the people of good deeds and the latter ones could have deserved more punishment. Such can only be the belief of the idol worshippers, the enemies of the Beneficent and of the party of Satan and determinist of this nation (Ummah) and her Zoarastarians.
"Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has obligated people on the basis of their freedom and choice and has prohibited as a warning. He rewards a great deal for very little of deeds. Disobedience to Him is not due to His weakness or His defeat. Obedience to Him is not for compulsion and coercion. He has not given (the power to people) in the absolute sense. He has not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them without a purpose. He has not sent the messengers and the prophets to warn and promise people just to play a joke. Such could only be the belief of the unbelievers. Woe is for the unbelievers to suffer in the fire."
The Shaykh then recited the following lines that he compose at the spot.
You are the Imam for whose obedience we do hope for Salvation a day from the Beneficent, and forgiveness Explain you did our issue that was vague May your Lord reward the good with good.
H 398, Ch. 31, h 2
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from abu Basir from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), who has said the following.
"Whoever would think that Allah orders people to commit sins he has ascribed lies to Allah and whoever would think and say good and evil are from Allah he would have ascribed lies to Allah. (See also Hadith No 6 below).
H 399, Ch. 31, h 3
Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) who has said the following.
"I asked the Imam, ‘Has Allah left all the matters to people?’" The Imam said, "Allah is by far Exalted above such things." I then asked, "Has He compelled them to commit sins?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "Allah’s justice and His judgement is far above such things." The Imam further said, "Allah has said, ‘O son of Adam, I have more priority to your good deeds than yourself and you are of more priority to your bad deeds than I. You commit sins with the power that I have given to you."
H 400, Ch. 31, h 4
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Isma‘il ibn Marrar from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman who has said that abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) said to me the following.
"O Yunus, do not say what pre-determinists say. The pre-determinists do not say what people of paradise say nor what people of hell say or what Satan says. The people of paradise say, "All praise is due to Allah for His guiding us. We would have never been guided without Allah’s guiding us." The people of hell say, "Lord, our misfortune overwhelmed us and we became lost" Satan said, "My Lord for your making me to rebel . . ."
H 401, Ch. 31, h 5
I then said, "I swear to Allah that I do not say what they say but I only say that there will be nothing unless Allah would want, will, measure and decree." The Imam (a.s.) said, "O Yunus, it is not that way, there will be nothing unless Allah would want, will, measure and decree. O 4."
H 402, Ch. 31, h 6
Through the above chain of narrators it is narrated from Yunus from Sa‘dan, in a marfu‘ manner, from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following.
"Allah has not granted any bounties to a person but that He holds him justifiably responsible for it. He gives them bounties and gives them power, which justifies His holding them responsible for their duties. He gives smaller degrees of responsibilities to those who are of lesser degrees of capabilities. One who has received bounties from Allah He has provided ease for him, thus, the justification is what is for him to what is against him. Then it is for him to help the needy in optional ways. One on whom Allah has bestowed favors, He has made him noble in his house and beautiful in his form. This is enough justification for the duty of praising Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, on his part of the deal and that he must not boast over the others to hold back the rights of the needy because of his respectability and beauty in his form."