Allah’s Decree and the Slave’s Pleasure With It

It is obligatory upon us to believe in the Decree of Allah whatever it might be and be pleased with it (i.e., the Decreeing of Allah) but is it obligatory upon us to be pleased with what has been decreed?

What has been decreed is of two types;

1. The Legislative Decree (or the religious decree)

2. The Universal Decree

It is obligatory upon us to be pleased with the legislative decree like:

Allah has prescribed the five daily prayers. We have to believe in its obligation and accept it.

Allah has decreed the prohibition of adultery. It is obligatory upon us to believe in its prohibition.

Allah has decreed the legitimacy of trade. It is obligatory upon us to believe that trade is halaal (permissible) and be pleased with it.

Allah has decreed the prohibition of Riba (usury). It is obligatory upon us to believe and accept its prohibition.

The bottom line of this issue is that it is obligatory to be pleased with the Shar’iah (Legislative) Decree and accept it because, "Whosoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed, such are the disbelievers." [Surah al-Maidah (5): 44]

The Universal Decree is that which Allah decrees concerning the universe. If this decree is loved by one and is in accordance with one's nature then pleasure with it is from the natural instinct of man.

For example:

If Allah decrees for the slave to be knowledgeable then he is pleased with it.

If Allah decrees for the slave to be wealthy then he is pleased with it.

If Allah decrees that the slave has children then he will be pleased with the Decree of Allah.

If the decree is not favorable to man and does not agree with his nature like sickness, poverty, ignorance, loss of children, etc. then the scholars have disagreed concerning it. Some said that it is obligatory to be pleased with it while others said that it is Mustahab (recommended) to be pleased with it. The correct opinion is that pleasure with the unfavorable universal decree of Allah is Mustahab (recommended).

Man can be in four conditions when the decree is unfavorable and does not agree with his nature,

1) Dissatisfaction

2) Patience

3) Pleasure

4) Thankfulness

1) Dissatisfaction is prohibited.

(For example) If one is afflicted with hardship concerning his wealth, then he is dissatisfied with the Decree and Will of Allah. He starts scratching his face and tearing his clothes. He finds in himself hatred for Allah's arrangement of affairs. This is prohibited and therefore Allah's Messenger cursed the one, who wails and the one who listens to it, "He is not from us, who slaps his cheeks, tears his clothes, and calls the call of ignorance."

Does this prohibited action, which is a major sin, decrease the hardship of the calamity?

No, never does it ever decrease the hardship of the calamity, rather it increases it. Man becomes dissatisfied and grief-stricken. He does not gain any benefit from it. The Decree of Allah will surely occur no matter what. You have no power over it -(it is not such that) if you had not done that then this would not have happened. This thinking is a delusion from Shaytan. The decree will surely take place therefore Allah's Messenger said, "Whatever occurred to you could not have missed you, and what missed you could not have occurred to you,"

Without doubt the decree has to occur as Allah Willed it, Allah's Messenger said, “...if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don't say, “If I had not done that, it would not have happened such and such,' but say, Allah did what He had ordained and your 'if' opens the gate for Shaytan.” [Reported by Saheeh Muslim (6441)]

If one drives in a car and has an accident and so he pitifully says, "If I had not come out for this ride, then my car would not have been destroyed.” Will this benefit him? No. It will never benefit because this accident was decreed and the matter is carried out just as it is decreed no matter what.

2. Sabr (Patience)

Man suffers greatly from hardship and is saddened but he practices patience and does not utter with his tongue (anything that is displeasing to Allah), nor (does any act that is displeasing to Allah) through his limbs. He takes control of his heart and says,

"O Allah, recompense me for my hardship and give me that which is better than it. Verily, we belong to Allah and to him we shall return." [See, Saheeh Muslim]

The ruling of patience here is that of obligation. It is obligatory on man to be patient during hardship and not utter anything that is prohibited nor do anything that is prohibited.

3. Ridaa (Pleasure)

Being pleased with the Decree of Allah despite being afflicted by a calamity. The difference between Sabr (patience) and Ridaa (pleasure) is that the heart of the Radi (one who is pleased) is never hurt, it goes along with the Decree.

Allah’s Messenger said, “...If he (the believer) is granted ease of living, he is thankful and this is best for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres and this is best for him.” [Reported by Saheeh Muslim]

i.e., both the situations are the same for him as far as accepting the decree of Allah is concerned. He is pleased whether he is in difficulty or in ease.

Some of the scholars say that this (state of affair) is obligatory while the majority of the people of knowledge are of the opinion that it is not obligatory -rather it is Mustahab (recommended).

Ridaa (pleasure) is without doubt a more complete state than Sabr (patience) but as for making it obligatory upon the people and saying that it is obligatory upon you to be in the same state during calamity and in its absence is difficult and no one can handle it. Man can practice patience but he is incapable of being pleased at all times.

4. Shukr (Thankfulness)

One might find this strange. How can one be afflicted with calamity and thank Allah? Isn't this contrary to the nature of man?

Man would be thankful to Allah if he were to know the rewards of a calamity that is endured with patience. Allah says, "Only those who are patient shall receive their rewards in full, without reckoning." [Surah az-Zumar (39): 10]

And He said, "give glad tidings to as-Sabireen (the patient ones, etc.) who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly to Him we shall return. They are those on whom are the Salawaat (blessings) from their Lord and His Mercy...” [Surah al-Baqarah (2): 155-157]

One says, "How trivial and worthless is this world in my eyes! If I were to gain from this calamity - which I bear with patience - such blessings, mercy of Allah and rewards without reckoning.” - then one will thank Allah for this blessing.

He will then see that this is a blessing from Allah because the whole world is transient whereas the rewards, blessings and mercy are forever – so he thanks Allah for this calamity.

Thankfulness upon calamity is Mustahab (recommended) and not obligatory because it is of a higher level than pleasure – however, thankfulness upon blessings is obligatory.

So, these are the states of man with respect to what is decreed universally and that which are against nature and not favorable to him.