Q. I have read in a Hadith that when a person is still a fetus in his mother’s womb, an angel is sent to write down his deeds, livelihood, date of death and whether he will be happy or wretched. This is confirmed in practice when a person may do good deeds throughout his life, but what was written for him may change his actions to bad ones just before his death, so that he will be among those to suffer in Hell. The reverse may also be true. Yet we appeal to God all the time to grant us what is good for our lives in this world and the next. How can we reconcile that?
A.S. Abdul-Rashid, Madinah
A. The Hadith to which the reader has referred may be given in translation as follows: The creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s belly for 40 days in the form of seed, then he is a clot of blood for a like period, then a morsel of flesh for a like period, then there is sent to him the angel who blows the breath of life into him and who is commanded about four matters: to write down his means of livelihood, his life span, his actions and whether happy or unhappy. By God, other than whom there is no deity, anyone of you may behave like the people of Paradise until there is but an arm’s length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he behaves like the people of Hell-fire and thus he enters it. Likewise, any one of you may behave like the people of Hell-fire until there is but an arm’s length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he behaves like the people of Paradise and thus enters it. (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
It is very important to understand this Hadith according to the well-established Islamic principles about life and death, deeds and reward, predestination and man’s freedom.
But what we have to understand first of all is the concept of God’s will and His knowledge of every thing that takes place in the universe.
We know that God’s will is absolute, unrestricted and cannot be frustrated by any power. When He wills something to take place, He only says to it, “Be,” and it exists. In fact He does not need to say anything, but creation is described in this way in order to make it clearer to our minds. The moment God’s will is directed to the creation of something, it comes into existence. Nothing stops it. He has willed to grant man freedom of choice over much of what is related to his life and how man conducts his affairs.
Thus, this freedom of choice exists beyond any shred of doubt. It takes effect whenever man makes a decision concerning any matter.
We actually feel it when we decide on our actions regarding major and minor things, as well as when we are confused, unable to decide over the best solution to a problem we face.
Accountability goes hand in hand with this freedom. This life is made a test for human beings so that they can prove what they deserve of reward or punishment, which determines whether they will be happy in the hereafter or not. God states in the Qur’an, addressing the believers: “This is Paradise; you have inherited it by virtue of your past deeds.” (43: 72) This is a clear statement showing that there is no pre-judgment as to the final destination of any human being. That destination is determined by every person’s actions in this life, made on the basis of his or her free choice. Hence, God orders us to do what we can in order to secure a happy ending in the hereafter.
At the same time, God knows everything before it takes place. We have often said that, like His will, God’s knowledge is absolute and unrestricted. Nothing comes into God’s knowledge as a result of any event. He knows it before the event takes place.
What happened a million years ago and what will happen a million years from now are the same with regard to God’s knowledge of them. Some people confuse this knowledge with predestination. They argue: since God knows beforehand what every person will do before that person does it, then He must have willed it so. This is a false argument. God has willed that each person shall have the freedom of choice and that freedom takes place according to man’s decisions. It is true that God knows what every person chooses before the choice is made, but there is no coercion in the matter.
It is this knowledge that the angel records when he, by God’s command, breathes the spirit into the fetus. He writes what God knows, not what God wills that person to do.
The areas in which man has no choice, such as his being affected by natural forces, being subject to burn in fire, drown in water, be killed with a bullet that hits his heart or brain, etc. — these areas are not recorded by the angel, because man has no control over them. What is recorded is what is subject to his free choice. One of these is his deeds. In this man is the one who makes the choice. Another is his means of livelihood, which is again subject to his choice and his effort.
If one sits at home doing nothing for a livelihood, he will get nothing. If he goes out to work and exerts his best efforts in improving his situation, he will get the immediate results of his reward. The same applies to his life duration. If he exposes himself to great risks, he is likely to die quickly. If he does the type of deed which the Prophet describes as prolonging life, such as kindness to relatives and dutifulness to parents, then God will give him extra years.
The end of this Hadith is often misunderstood, because some people may take it as referring to what God had already written down as the fate of a person in the hereafter. God has not determined that fate for anyone. It is everyone’s total sum of the working of their free choice and free will that determines their fate. Thus, it is the person himself who may change his or her course of action shortly before their death. He would have done good deeds throughout his life, but then one day he sinks into disbelief and takes actions that place him among those who will go to Hell. This is again his free choice. It is true that it was recorded by the angel before his birth, but that recording is based on his free choice.
This ending of the Hadith stresses the importance of being always on the watch for what may enhance our position in the hereafter. We must never feel too secure as a result of having done well in our past life. We must continue to do so until we die. At the same time, we must never despair if we have done badly. Repentance and mending our ways, with sincerity and trust in God, will ensure our safety.
Installments purchase, etc.
Q.1. People in many countries buy expensive items by installments; a practice that involves paying more than the cash price. Is this permissible?
Q.2. In some countries, students in higher education receive loans from government to pay for their expenses, and they start repayment after they are in employment. Is this permissible, considering that a low rate of interest is applied?
Q.3. If a mother tries to teach her children how to pray, by standing like an imam and reading aloud, is this acceptable?
S.Y.A., Riyadh
A.1. If the seller says to you: this car will cost you 50,000 if you pay cash, or 55,000 if you pay over a period of one year, this is perfectly acceptable. On the other hand, if he says to you: if you cannot pay the whole price immediately, I will lend you the money, but you pay me 5,000 extra, then that is a usurious loan, and it is forbidden. The difference is not in how you pay and how much you pay in both situations, but in how the matter is looked upon. In the first case, which is acceptable, one price is set for cash payment, and one for installments. In the other case, a loan is given which is then repaid in a larger amount. That is usury, or riba.
A.2. Normally governments which provide loans to students during their higher education charge a very low rate to cover the administrative expenses of running the scheme.
They are not in it for profit, but they operate it to help students get their education, and repay the loans so that the funds can pay for the education of other students. There is nothing wrong with that.
A.3. There is nothing wrong with teaching prayer in the method you have described, because it is far more effective than plain instruction. If the mother is alone with her children, and they are too young for any son to lead the prayer, then she does well to teach them by example.
