Q. Is it true that an angel writes a human being’s age, action, and happiness or otherwise when that human being is still an embryo in the womb? Is there a Hadith that says what is written by the angel is final? If the answer is in the affirmative, can a man be punished for things over which he has no control?
A. Ahmad
A. We have discussed this question many times in the past. The Hadith to which you refer states: “The creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s belly for forty 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 an angel is sent to him who is commanded to write four matters: His means of livelihood, his life span, his actions and whether happy or unhappy...” (Related by Al-Bukahri and Muslim). There are several versions of this Hadith, with slight variations.
The Hadith does not say that a human being’s actions are predetermined and inevitable. It simply says that they are recorded, because God knows them in advance. But we must not forget that God has given us a free will and free choice. We feel this all the time. It is you who decide to take any action you are contemplating. You do not feel that there is a force driving you in a certain direction. Take the example of your writing to us. You heard this Hadith and it created some questions in your mind. You sat down at your computer and sent us your question by e-mail. You could have sent it by letter, or not bothered at all. It is all your choice. Similarly, the editor decided on how to answer, and his decision is made by his will, which is free and unencumbered. Hence, he is accountable to the editor in chief, and accountable to God for what he writes in answer.
The Hadith relates to God’s knowledge, not to man’s will. God certainly knows everything that takes place in the universe long before it happens. What we have to understand is that God’s knowledge is perfect and not subject to events. Nothing can be added to it as a result of an event of any type. To Him, the concept of time is different from ours, because our sense of time is based on the succession of day and night, as this succession makes us aware of passing days, weeks, months and years. To God, time is totally different. As you know, a day on another planet is different from the days on our Earth. The differences between planets in the same solar system are huge. But there are countless suns and solar systems; each has its own day with different durations between planets and solar systems. This means that time differs from one place to another in the universe. To God, who is not limited by space, time has no effect. Hence, we say that He knows all things before they take place.
People’s Form in Heaven
Q. A friend of mine suggests that when we are resurrected we will be in the form we are in this life until God’s judgment has been passed; then we will have a different form. However, the numerous descriptions of heaven in the Qur’an suggest that we should be in the same form as we have in this life in order to enjoy the pleasures provided. Please comment.
Ahsanuddin
A. People give a variety of ideas about heaven and hell and what happens in the hereafter. They come up with views based on a report they heard from such and such a person, who might have heard it from a scholar. Sometimes reports are not quoted accurately or in full. What we know of the form change is that mentioned in the Hadith in which an elderly woman asked the Prophet to pray for her admission into heaven. He said to her jokingly: “An elderly woman does not enter heaven.” The woman was in tears. The Prophet told her that it is only because God changes her form to what it was when she was in the prime of youth.
What is important to know is that the same people who live in this world go to either heaven or to hell, as God judges them in His absolute justice. They will also recognize one another. Those who might have had some grievances against others will be purged of their grievances. They will be united in their happy feeling of brotherhood that is common to all.
As to the descriptions of what is in heaven, these are certainly true as they are, but they do not tell us all that is in heaven. The Prophet says: “There is in it what no eye has seen, no ear has heard of, and no mind has ever thought of.” What does this description point to? We cannot tell except that it refers to things that do not belong to our world, but they give us pure happiness. As for the Qur’anic descriptions, these are made in terms of what is familiar to us, because we cannot understand them otherwise.
Where does this leave us? We only say that heaven belongs to the realm that is beyond our human perception. Hence, we leave it to God trusting that it will be pure happiness to those who are favored with admission into it.
