Not Saying “if only” and Objecting to Decree

[1] Imam al-Nawawwi  said,  'AI-Qadi ‘Ayad said  that  some scholars   said,  'this negation applies to when someone  actually  believes that  had  he done  a certain action  then  he would  not  have  been  affected (by what  actually did happen)   As for the  one  who   resigns  to Allah's Will he  believes  that  nothing  will afflict him unless Allah wills  for it to happen. Consider what Abu Bakr (rardhyAllahu ‘anhu). [Translators note]  i.e.,  Abu Bakr  was  saying  If  you were to  raise  your  head ... Here   he was  referring   to  the  incident    in the  cave  with  the  Prophet    (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) When Quraish were searching for them. See biography of the Prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam).

Al-Qadi said, there is no (hujjah) proof for this;  such  a person  is not more knowledgeable  or aware  about   what  the  future  would  have  held.  Thus   he is not rejecting the Decree after it has happened.  He said,

Thus most of what Al-Bukhari mentions in his chapter (what is permitted in saying “If”) is like a hadith  which reads, "Were  your people not  close  to the period of kufr I would  have  completed  it (the Ka'bah) according   to the  foundations laid by Ibrahim." (Reported by Sahih Bukhari)

And; "If I were to stone to death without witnesses I would have stoned this lady." (Reported by Sahih Bukhari)

And; "Were it not for placing hardship upon my ummah, I would have ordered you to use the siwak." (Reported by Sahih Bukhari)

Such  hadith  which  do not  shun  the Decree  nor  have  a dislike  for it because  they inform us of  our  belief  while  that  thing  is happening. Were this forbidding    not about what is in a person’s decree   it would not leave him and not be part of his decree.

AI-Qadi says my  meaning   of  the  hadith   is you  can  prohibit    what  is apparent and  general   but  not  prohibit   beyond   measure,   this  is indicated   by the  saying  of the prophet (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) when you say "if only"  it opens   a way for shaytanis work.  This is the saying of AI-Qadi.

I said: The word "lau" may be used in the past tense. Eg. The Prophet's    (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saying,  if I had  formerly come to know what  I know  lately,  I would   not  have driven  the  (Hady) animal  for sacrifice  with  me .... So it’s clear  that  the prohibition of saying "lau" is only unrestricted  to that  while  if there  is no benefit in it then  it is a type of glorification (as  if to say....)  not a prohibition. As  for  the  one  who  is regretful   about  what  has passed  from  obedience to Allah or that  something  was impossible   or unfeasible  to do then  such  thoughts   are not wrong  There  are many more  current   uses  of  this  word  in other   hadith,   and  Allah  knows   best.

[2] Reported by Sahih Muslim.