On the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (رضي الله عنه), the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Not a single person among you lives except that his place is already known—either in Paradise or the Fire.” It was then asked: “O Messenger of Allāh! Should we not then abandon action, putting our trust in what has been written for us?” He (صلى الله عليه وسلم) replied: “Engage in action. For everyone shall find ease in that which he has been created for.” Then, he recited:

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ ‎﴿٥﴾‏ وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ ‎﴿٦﴾‏ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ ‎﴿٧﴾‏ وَأَمَّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَىٰ ‎﴿٨﴾‏ وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ ‎﴿٩﴾‏ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ

“As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allāh and fears Him, And believes in Al-Ḥusná [attesting as to the truthfulness of the testification of ‘there is nothing worshipped in truth except for Allah and what it comprises from creed and recompensing reward in the hereafter].¹ We will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness). But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient. And gives the lie to Al-Ḥusná. We will make smooth for him the path for evil.”
(Al-Layl, 92:10)²

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim comments:

This ḥadīth comprises a refutation against the Qadariyyah³ and the Jabariyyah⁴ . It confirms the existence of both divine predestination and legislation, while also confirming the existence of the first book [al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ] which is inclusive of Allāh’s knowledge of everything in existence before its creation. This ḥadīth also confirms His compensatory actions [based on the actions of the slave].

The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) relates in this ḥadīth that which has been related by his Lord—the Most High—that every slave finds ease in whatever he has been created for, not that he was forced or compelled towards any particular action. As the term ‘compel’ is one of innovation. The term ‘easing’ is the term utilised in the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah.

In this ḥadīth, there is also evidence that the companions were among the most knowledgeable people regarding the fundamentals of this religion. For indeed, they were taught these fundamentals from the most incontestably knowledgeable person among the creation concerning Allāh—the Exalted in Might. If they were perturbed by a matter, they sought clarity regarding it from him (صلى الله عليه وسلم). He would answer them with that which would remove their perturberance, clarifying the truth to them. Thus, the companions are the ones who truly knew the fundamentals of this religion, not the people of innovation and false desires from the philosophers and those who have chosen to adopt their path.

In this ḥadīth, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) uses the Qurʾān to evidence religious fundamentals, guiding the companions to likewise benefit from it in this way. This opposes those who allege that the statements of Allāh and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) are inapplicable to matters of religious fundamentals. Those who claim that the names, attributes, and actions of Allāh are not learnt from them. They state this in their saying: “verbal evidence does not grant assuredness”.

This ḥadīth also proves that among mankind are those who have been created for happiness, and among them are those created for despair. This opposes the belief of those who allege that all of mankind were created for happiness, but among them are those who have chosen despair themselves, despite not being created for it.

In it also is a confirmation of the existence of means towards an end. And that servants will find certain means easier to engage with, all of which ultimately lead to the destination they had been created for.

In it also is evidence that the Sunnah is derived from the Book of Allāh, completely consistent with it. Contemplate his (صلى الله عليه وسلم) statement: “Engage in action. For everyone shall find ease in that which he has been created for” and the way it is completely consistent with the saying of the Most High: “As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allāh and fears Him. And believes in Al-Ḥusná. We will make smooth for him the path of ease (goodness)”. Observe the way that legislation fits perfectly with what has been divinely predestined. The way the means to an end fits perfectly with the ultimate goal.

Furthermore, that which the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) guides towards in this ḥadīth represents the natural disposition upon which Allāh has created all of His servants. Inclusive even of wild animals. All uprightness and good in this worldly life comes about only as a result of it. For if everyone was to say: “If such-and-such matter was preordained for me, then I shall undoubtedly attain it. If it has not been ordained, then I shall never reach it. As such, I will not work for anything or even move.” Such a person would be considered among the most foolish, ignorant people. He would not be able to truly implement such an ideology anyways. Eventually, he would have to break this way of thinking, if only for a certain matter. Would he then be able to comprehensively apply it to every matter? Even with regards to his food and drink, his clothing, domicile and family? In each matter, does he not flee from that which opposes its continual existence, or negates its uprightness and goodness? Is he not unable to extricate himself from the saying of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم): “Engage in action. For everyone shall find ease in that which he has been created for”? If such is the case for attainment of goodness in matters of this worldly life, and the beneficial means with regards to it, then what has obligated its negation with regards to finding uprightness in the matters of the hereafter, engaging in the means towards success and happiness in it? Is the Lord of this worldly life and the hereafter not one and the same? How then could one hope to negate engagement in actions insofar as it applies to the legislations of his Lord—His commands and prohibitions—while applying it to the various wants of the servant, his personal goals, and desires? Does this not represent unadulterated ignorance and oppression? For man is indeed an ignorant oppressor.⁵ He oppresses himself, while being ignorant of his Lord.

This is the guidance that was clarified by the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), regarding which he recited these two verses. Completely consistent with what Allāh has impressed upon the minds of those who are truly intellectual. Instilling it in the natural disposition of the creation, even in wild animals. He also sent all the Messengers confirming it, and revealed all His books containing it.

For if a servant was to simply put all his trust in the divine predestination, all legislations would be made obsolete, just as all worldly affairs would be completely devoid of goodness. Corrupting this worldly life and religion. Such an occurrence is only desirable to those who seek complete obsoletion of all religious legislation. Those who have chosen to cast off the burden of command and prohibition from their necks. They have inherited this ideology from their polytheist brothers who completely object to Allāh’s orders and prohibitions. Opposing His legislation using His ordainments and predestinations. As Allāh—the Most High—related regarding their ilk in several places in His Book:

سَيَقُولُ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا لَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا أَشْرَكْنَا وَلَا آبَاؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن شَيْ

“Those who took partners (in worship) with Allāh will say: “If Allāh had willed, we would not have taken partners (in worship) with Him, nor would our fathers, and we would not have forbidden anything (against His Will).””
(Al-Anʿām, 6:148)

The Most High also said:

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا لَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا عَبَدْنَا مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَيْءٍ نَّحْنُ وَلَا آبَاؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَيْءٍ

“And those who join others in worship with Allāh say: “If Allāh had so willed, neither we nor our fathers would have worshipped naught but Him, nor would we have forbidden anything without (Command from) Him.””
(Al-Naḥl, 16:35)

The Most High also said:

وَقَالُوا لَوْ شَاءَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ مَا عَبَدْنَاهُم

“And they said: “If it had been the Will of the Most Beneficent (Allāh), we should not have worshipped them (false deities).”
(Al-Zukhruf, 43:20)

The Most High said:

وَإِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ أَنفِقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقَكُمُ اللَّهُ قَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنُطْعِمُ مَن لَّوْ يَشَاءُ اللَّهُ أَطْعَمَهُ

“And when it is said to them: “Spend of that with which Allāh has provided you,” those who disbelieve say to those who believe: “Shall we feed those whom, if Allāh willed, He (Himself) would have fed?”
(Yāsīn, 36:47)

If it is then said: Then if giving in charity, having fear of Allāh, believing in al-Ḥusná all represent ease—rather it is the foundation of it—then who has made this easy for the servant from the very beginning? Likewise, who has eased the opposing path?

We answer: Allāh—the Glorified—is the One who has made the means towards goodness or evil easy on His servants. For He has created this creation in two halves:

1. The people of happiness, for whom He has eased the path of goodness.
2. The people of despair, for whom He has eased the path of evil.

Thus, he uses those people for engagement in the means that ultimately lead to what they had been created for, they are unsuited for anything besides it. Just as He uses the other group of people for the means that will ultimately lead them to the destination they were created for, they are similarly unsuited for other than it. His tremendous wisdom rejects the application of His punishment to anything other than its rightful place. Just as it rejects the application of His generosity and reward to a place that is unsuitable or undeserving of it. Rather, the wisdom attributable to any of His creations would object to placing such matters in other than their proper places. The one who places musk and defecation in the same standing must be considered among the most foolish of fools.

If it is said: Then why did He make these people only suited for blessings and elevated stations, and these others only suited to contemptible humiliation?

We answer: This is the question of an ignorant person. Such a query is undeserving of an answer. It is as if he said: Why did Allāh create such-and-such thing?

If it is said: Considering this, is there an answer we could give to this ignorant person? Hopefully, by means of it, he may be cured from his ignorant state?

We answer: Yes. The matter of Lordship stipulates the creation of things and that which opposes them, stipulations and that which stipulates. All of this represents complete perfection. For example, that which is high stipulates the existence of that which is low. Night juxtaposes the existence of day. The perfection of this (worldly) existence comes about only with hot and cold weather, clear and overcast skies. The stipulations of the natural existence of animals is that sometimes they may be either healthy or sick, that they possess varying wants and desire different things. The existence of any of these stipulations without that which stipulates them is impossible. For if it was not for the creation of opposites, we would not fully recognise the perfection associated with Allāh’s abilities, His will, and wisdom. The rulings related to His names and attributes would not have been made apparent, even though the rulings associated with them and the effect exerted by them must come to pass. As they are stipulations of His perfection, majesty, and complete sovereignty.

For if you were to give His name ‘the King’ its proper right—and you would never fully appreciate its magnanimity—you would acknowledge that creation and order, and reward and punishment, granting and depriving, are all stipulations of His attribute of kingship. That the attribute of kingship, without a doubt, stipulates these things. That negation of this attribute is a complete impossibility. True kingship stipulates the sending of messengers, revealing books, ordering and forbidding His servants, rewarding and punishing them, honouring those among them deserving of honour, and humiliating those deserving of humiliation. Just as his kingship stipulates His attributes of life, knowledge, wanting, complete ability, hearing, seeing, speaking, showing mercy, pleasure and anger, while residing over His dominion, disposing of the affairs of His servants.

This brief answer is sufficient for the one with true understanding in relation to such issues. From it, one may acquaint himself with gardens of winsome pleasures, the treasures of knowledge. And with Allāh is true guidance.

Source: Al-Tibyān: 97-104
Translated by: Riyāḍ al-Kanadī