Whatever Happened To You Could Not Have Missed You

Nothing takes place on earth, except that it is inscribed in al-Lawh al-Mahfoodh or ‘the Preserved Tablet,’ where Allah, the Exalted, has recorded everything about the creation; livelihood, provisions, ages, deeds, etc. The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said,

“Allah had written the ordained measures (and due proportions) of the creation, fifty thousand years before the creation of the Heavens and the Earth...” [Reported by Saheeh Muslim]

Similarly, every calamity that befalls the slave has been preordained by Allah.

“No disaster strikes upon the earth or within yourselves but was recorded in a Book (al-Lawh al-Mahfoodh) before We bring it into existence. Verily, this is easy for Allah…” [Surah Hadid (57): 22-23]

Allah states the wisdom behind pre-ordainment (in the next verses of Soorah Hadid) that the slave should neither despair if calamity afflicts, nor become proud and haughty on achieving good; because every calamity that befalls him was previously designated or him and all blessings are due to Allah’s Favor and Mercy. So, whatever reached him could not have missed him and whatever missed him could not have reached him. This belief is an essential part of Iman (faith), when Allah's Messenger (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) was asked: “What is Iman?” He replied,

“Iman is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day and to believe in Predestination; the good and the bad.” [Agreed upon]

The slave should also refrain from over speculation and conjecture, like saying, ‘If I had done such and such… the result would have been different…’ or ‘…I would have been saved from this calamity...’ etc. The Messenger of Allah (sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said,

 “…and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don't say, ‘if I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so,’ but say, Allah did what He had ordained and your ‘if’ opens the gate for Shaytan.” [Reported by Saheeh Muslim (6441)]

Allah, the Exalted, has promised to grant tranquility and guide the hearts of the believers if they refrain from speculation. Allah says,

“No disaster strikes except by Allah's Permission, and whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart, Allah is the Knower of all things.” [Surah Taghabun (64):11]

Ibn Abbas said Allah's guiding the heart of the slave means that Allah will guide his heart to certainty. Therefore, he will know that what reached him would not have missed him, and what has missed him would not have reached him. [Reported by At-Tabari 23:421]

Imam Ibn Katheer (rahimahullah) writes in his Tafseer, “…after suffering from an affliction, if the slave believes that it occurred by Allah’s Judgment and Decree, and he patiently abides, awaiting Allah's reward, then Allah guides his heart and will compensate him for his loss in this life by granting guidance to his heart and certainty in faith. Allah will replace whatever he lost with the equal or what is better.”