the first man who discussed Qadar (Divine Decree) in Baṣrah was Maʿbad al-Juhanī. I along with Ḥumayd b. ʿAbd al-Raḥmān Ḥimyarī set out for pilgrimage or for ʿUmrah and said: Should it so happen that we come into contact with one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we shall ask him about what is talked about Qadar. Accidentally we came across ʿAbdullāh b. ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb, while he was entering the mosque. My companion and I surrounded him. One of us ˹stood˺ on his right and the other stood on his left. I expected that my companion would authorize me to speak. I, therefore, said: Abū ʿAbd al-Raḥmān, there have appeared some people in our land who recite the Quran and pursue knowledge. And then after talking about their affairs, added: They claim that there is no such thing as Qadar and events are not predestined. He said: When you happen to meet such people tell them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. And verily they are in no way responsible for my ˹belief˺. ʿAbdullāh b ʿUmar swore by Allah: If any one of them had with him gold equal to the bulk of ˹the mountain˺ Uḥud and spent it ˹for the sake of Allah˺, Allah would not accept it unless he affirmed his faith in the Qadar.

He further said: My father, ʿUmar b. al-Khaṭṭāb, told me: One day we were sitting in the company of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes. His hair was extraordinarily black. There were no signs of travel on him. None amongst us recognized him. At last, he sat with the Prophet ﷺ. He knelt before him placed his palms on his thighs,

then said: Muhammad, inform me about Islam. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Islam implies that: (1) you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and (2) you establish prayer, (3) pay Zakat, (4) observe the fast of Ramadan, and (5) perform pilgrimage to the (House) if you are solvent enough ˹to bear the expense of˺ the journey. ˹The inquirer˺ said: You have told the truth. ˹ʿUmar˺ said: It amazed us that he would put the question and then he would himself verify the truth.

˹The inquirer˺ said: Inform me about Iman (faith). He replied: That (1) you affirm your faith in Allah, (2) in His angels, (3) in His Books, (4) in His Apostles, (5) in the Day of Judgment, and (6) you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil. ˹The inquirer˺ said: You have told the truth.

˹The inquirer˺ again said: Inform me about Iḥsān (excellence in deeds). He said: That (1) you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, (2) for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you.

˹The inquirer˺ again said: Inform me about the Hour (of the Last Day). He remarked: One who is asked knows no more than the one who is inquiring. ˹The inquirer˺ said: Tell me some of its indications. He said: That (1) the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress and master, that (2) you will find barefooted, destitute goat herders vying with one another in the construction of magnificent buildings.

˹ʿUmar˺ said: Then ˹the inquirer˺ went on his way but I stayed with (the Prophet) for a long while. He then, said to me: "ʿUmar, do you know who this inquirer was?" I replied: Allah and His Messenger know best. He remarked: "He was Jibrīl (Angel Gabriel). He came to you in order to teach you in your religion."  

كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ قَالَ فِي الْقَدَرِ بِالْبَصْرَةِ مَعْبَدٌ الْجُهَنِيُّ۔ فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَنَا وَحُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ الْحِمْيَرِيُّ حَاجَّيْنِ أَوْ مُعْتَمِرَيْنِ، فَقُلْنَا لَوْ لَقِينَا أَحَدًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَسَأَلْنَاهُ عَمَّا يَقُولُ هَؤُلاَءِ فِي الْقَدَرِ۔ فَوُفِّقَ لَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ دَاخِلاً الْمَسْجِدَ فَاكْتَنَفْتُهُ أَنَا وَصَاحِبِي أَحَدُنَا عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَالآخَرُ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ۔ فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّ صَاحِبِي سَيَكِلُ الْكَلاَمَ إِلَىَّ۔ فَقُلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ: إِنَّهُ قَدْ ظَهَرَ قِبَلَنَا نَاسٌ يَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَيَتَقَفَّرُونَ الْعِلْمَ وَذَكَرَ مِنْ شَأْنِهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنْ لاَ قَدَرَ، وَأَنَّ الأَمْرَ أُنُفٌ۔ قَالَ: فَإِذَا لَقِيتَ أُولَئِكَ فَأَخْبِرْهُمْ أَنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِنْهُمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ بُرَآءُ مِنِّي، وَالَّذِي يَحْلِفُ بِهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ لَوْ أَنَّ لأَحَدِهِمْ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا فَأَنْفَقَهُ، مَا قَبِلَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ۔

ثُمَّ قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطَّابِ قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ إِذْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ شَدِيدُ بَيَاضِ الثِّيَابِ، شَدِيدُ سَوَادِ الشَّعَرِ۔ لاَ يُرَى عَلَيْهِ أَثَرُ السَّفَرِ وَلاَ يَعْرِفُهُ مِنَّا أَحَدٌ۔ حَتَّى جَلَسَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَأَسْنَدَ رُكْبَتَيْهِ إِلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ، وَوَضَعَ كَفَّيْهِ عَلَى فَخِذَيْهِ۔

وَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ، أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الإِسْلاَمِ۔ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «الإِسْلاَمُ (١) أَنْ تَشْهَدَ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، (٢) وَتُقِيمَ الصَّلاَةَ، (٣) وَتُؤْتِيَ الزَّكَاةَ، (٤) وَتَصُومَ رَمَضَانَ، (٥) وَتَحُجَّ الْبَيْتَ إِنِ اسْتَطَعْتَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلاً۔» قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ۔ قَالَ: فَعَجِبْنَا لَهُ يَسْأَلُهُ وَيُصَدِّقُهُ!

قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الإِيمَانِ۔ قَالَ: «أَنْ (١) تُؤْمِنَ بِاللَّهِ، (٢) وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ، (٣) وَكُتُبِهِ، (٤) وَرُسُلِهِ، (٥) وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ، (٦) وَتُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ خَيْرِهِ وَشَرِّهِ۔» قَالَ: صَدَقْتَ۔

قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ الإِحْسَانِ۔ قَالَ: «أَنْ (١) تَعْبُدَ اللَّهَ كَأَنَّكَ تَرَاهُ، (٢) فَإِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ تَرَاهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَرَاكَ۔»

قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ السَّاعَةِ۔ قَالَ: «مَا الْمَسْئُولُ عَنْهَا بِأَعْلَمَ مِنَ السَّائِلِ۔» قَالَ: فَأَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ أَمَارَتِهَا۔ قَالَ: «أَنْ تَلِدَ الأَمَةُ رَبَّتَهَا، وَأَنْ تَرَى الْحُفَاةَ الْعُرَاةَ الْعَالَةَ رِعَاءَ الشَّاءِ يَتَطَاوَلُونَ فِي الْبُنْيَانِ۔»

قَالَ: ثُمَّ انْطَلَقَ فَلَبِثْتُ مَلِيًّا ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي: «يَا عُمَرُ أَتَدْرِي مَنِ السَّائِلُ؟» قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ۔ قَالَ: «فَإِنَّهُ جِبْرِيلُ أَتَاكُمْ يُعَلِّمُكُمْ دِينَكُمْ۔»  

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me: "Have taqwá (consciousness and fear) of Allah wherever you are, follow an evil deed with a good one to wipe it out, and treat the people with good conduct."  

قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «اتَّقِ اللَّهَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ، وَأَتْبِعِ السَّيِّئَةَ الْحَسَنَةَ تَمْحُهَا، وَخَالِقِ النَّاسَ بِخُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ۔»  

I was behind the Prophet ﷺ one day when he said: 'O boy! I will teach you a statement: Be mindful of Allah and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him before you. When you ask, ask Allah, and when you seek aid, seek Allah's aid. Know that if the entire creation were to gather together to do something to benefit you- you would never get any benefit except that Allah had written for you. And if they were to gather to do something to harm you- you would never be harmed except that Allah had written for you. The pens are lifted and the pages are dried.'"  

كُنْتُ خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمًا فَقَالَ: «يَا غُلاَمُ، إِنِّي أُعَلِّمُكَ كَلِمَاتٍ: احْفَظِ اللَّهَ يَحْفَظْكَ، احْفَظِ اللَّهَ تَجِدْهُ تُجَاهَكَ، إِذَا سَأَلْتَ فَاسْأَلِ اللَّهَ، وَإِذَا اسْتَعَنْتَ فَاسْتَعِنْ بِاللَّهِ۔ وَاعْلَمْ، أَنَّ الأُمَّةَ لَوِ اجْتَمَعَتْ عَلَى أَنْ يَنْفَعُوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَنْفَعُوكَ إِلاَّ بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ لَكَ، وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَضُرُّوكَ إِلاَّ بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ: رُفِعَتِ الأَقْلاَمُ وَجَفَّتِ الصُّحُفُ۔»  

Anas said, "You all do ˹bad˺ deeds which seem insignificant in your eyes, like hair, while we used to consider those ˹deeds˺ as destructive during the life-time of the Prophet ﷺ."  

قَالَ: إِنَّكُمْ لَتَعْمَلُونَ أَعْمَالاً هِيَ أَدَقُّ فِي أَعْيُنِكُمْ مِنَ الشَّعَرِ إِنْ كُنَّا نَعُدُّهَا عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الْمُوبِقَاتِ۔  

The Prophet ﷺ said, "Allah has ghayrah (protective jealousy), and the ghayrah of Allah is ˹provoked˺ when a believer does something that Allah has prohibited."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغَارُ وَغَيْرَةُ اللَّهِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ الْمُؤْمِنُ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ۔»  

that he heard the Prophet ﷺ say, "There were three persons in Bani Isra'il, one suffering from leprosy, the other bald-headed and the third one blind. Allah decided to test them. So He sent an angel."

"He came to the one who was suffering from leprosy and said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Beautiful color and fine skin and removal of that which makes me detestable in the eye of people. He wiped him and his illness was no more and he was conferred upon beautiful colour and beautiful skin. He (the angel) again said: Which property do you like most? He said: Camels, or he said: The cow. – The narrator is, however, doubtful about it, but (out of the persons) suffering from leprosy or baldness one of them definitely said: The camel. And the other one said: Cow. – And he (one who demanded camel) was bestowed upon a she-camel, in an advanced stage of pregnancy, and while giving he said: May Allah bless you in this."

"Then he came to the bald-headed person and said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Beautiful hair and that (this baldness) may be removed from me because of which people hate me. He wiped his body and his illness was removed and he was bestowed upon beautiful hair, and the angel said: Which wealth do you like most? He said: The cow. And he was given a pregnant cow and while handing it over to him he (the angel) said: May Allah bless you in this."

"Then he came to the blind man and he said: Which thing do you like most? He said: Allah should restore my eyesight so that I should be able to see people with the help of that. He wiped his body and Allah restored to him his eyesight, and he (the angel) also said: Which wealth do you like most? He said: The flock of sheep. And he was given a pregnant goat and that gave birth to young ones."

"And it so happened that one valley abounded in camels and the other one in cows and the third one in sheep."

"He then came to the one who had suffered from leprosy in an (old) form and shape and he said: I am a poor person and my provision has run short in my journey and there is none to take me to my destination except with the help of Allah and your favor. I beg of you in His name Who gave you fine color and fine skin, and the camel in the shape of wealth (to confer upon me) a camel which should carry me in my journey. He said: I have many responsibilities to discharge. Thereupon he said: I perceive as if I recognize you. Were you not suffering from leprosy whom people hated and you were destitute and Allah conferred upon you (wealth)? He said: I have inherited this property from my forefathers. Thereupon he said: If you are a liar may Allah change you to that very position in which you had been."

"He then came to the one who was bald-headed in his (old) form and said to him the same what he had said to him (one suffering from leprosy) and he gave him the same reply as he had given him and he said: If you are a liar, may Allah turn you to your previous position in which you had been."

"And then he came to the blind man in his (old) form and shape and he said: I am a destitute person and a wayfarer. My provisions have run short and today there is no way to reach the destination but with the help of Allah and then with your help and I beg of you in the (name) of One Who restored your eyesight and gave you the flock of sheep to give me a sheep by which I should be able to make my provisions for the journey. He said: I was blind and Allah restored to me my eyesight; you take whatever you like and leave whatever you like. By Allah, I shall not stand in your way today for what you take in the name of God. Thereupon, he said: You keep with you what you have (in your possession). The fact is that you three were put to the test and Allah is well pleased with you and He is angered with your companions."  

أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ ثَلاَثَةً فِي بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ أَبْرَصَ، وَأَقْرَعَ، وَأَعْمَى۔ فَأَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَبْتَلِيَهُمْ، فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِمْ مَلَكًا۔»

«فَأَتَى الأَبْرَصَ فَقَالَ: أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: لَوْنٌ حَسَنٌ، وَجِلْدٌ حَسَنٌ، وَيَذْهَبُ عَنِّي الَّذِي قَدْ قَذِرَنِي النَّاسُ۔ قَالَ: فَمَسَحَهُ فَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ قَذَرُهُ، وَأُعْطِيَ لَوْنًا حَسَنًا، وَجِلْدًا حَسَنًا۔ قَالَ: فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: الإِبِلُ» أَوْ قَالَ «الْبَقَرُ۔» - شَكَّ إِسْحَاقُ إِلاَّ أَنَّ الأَبْرَصَ أَوِ الأَقْرَعَ قَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا الإِبِلُ وَقَالَ الآخَرُ الْبَقَرُ - قَالَ «فَأُعْطِيَ نَاقَةً عُشَرَاءَ، فَقَالَ: بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ فِيهَا۔»

قَالَ «فَأَتَى الأَقْرَعَ، فَقَالَ أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: شَعَرٌ حَسَنٌ، وَيَذْهَبُ عَنِّي هَذَا الَّذِي قَذِرَنِي النَّاسُ۔ قَالَ فَمَسَحَهُ فَذَهَبَ عَنْهُ وَأُعْطِيَ شَعَرًا حَسَنًا۔ قَالَ: فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: الْبَقَرُ۔ فَأُعْطِيَ بَقَرَةً حَامِلاً۔ فَقَالَ: بَارَكَ اللَّهُ لَكَ فِيهَا۔»

قَالَ «فَأَتَى الأَعْمَى، فَقَالَ: أَىُّ شَىْءٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ أَنْ يَرُدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَىَّ بَصَرِي فَأُبْصِرَ بِهِ النَّاسَ۔ قَالَ فَمَسَحَهُ فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَيْهِ بَصَرَهُ۔ قَالَ فَأَىُّ الْمَالِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ؟ قَالَ: الْغَنَمُ۔ فَأُعْطِيَ شَاةً وَالِدًا۔»

«فَأُنْتِجَ هَذَانِ وَوَلَّدَ هَذَا قَالَ فَكَانَ لِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الإِبِلِ، وَلِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الْبَقَرِ، وَلِهَذَا وَادٍ مِنَ الْغَنَمِ۔»

قَالَ «ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ أَتَى الأَبْرَصَ فِي صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ، فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِسْكِينٌ قَدِ انْقَطَعَتْ بِيَ الْحِبَالُ فِي سَفَرِي فَلاَ بَلاَغَ لِيَ الْيَوْمَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ، ثُمَّ بِكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِالَّذِي أَعْطَاكَ اللَّوْنَ الْحَسَنَ وَالْجِلْدَ الْحَسَنَ وَالْمَالَ بَعِيرًا أَتَبَلَّغُ عَلَيْهِ فِي سَفَرِي؟ فَقَالَ: الْحُقُوقُ كَثِيرَةٌ۔ فَقَالَ لَهُ: كَأَنِّي أَعْرِفُكَ، أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَبْرَصَ يَقْذَرُكَ النَّاسُ فَقِيرًا فَأَعْطَاكَ اللَّهُ؟ فَقَالَ: إِنَّمَا وَرِثْتُ هَذَا الْمَالَ كَابِرًا عَنْ كَابِرٍ۔ فَقَالَ: إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِبًا فَصَيَّرَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَا كُنْتَ۔»

قَالَ «وَأَتَى الأَقْرَعَ فِي صُورَتِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ لِهَذَا، وَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَ مَا رَدَّ عَلَى هَذَا۔ فَقَالَ: إِنْ كُنْتَ كَاذِبًا فَصَيَّرَكَ اللَّهُ إِلَى مَا كُنْتَ۔»

قَالَ «وَأَتَى الأَعْمَى فِي صُورَتِهِ وَهَيْئَتِهِ فَقَالَ: رَجُلٌ مِسْكِينٌ وَابْنُ سَبِيلٍ انْقَطَعَتْ بِيَ الْحِبَالُ فِي سَفَرِي فَلاَ بَلاَغَ لِيَ الْيَوْمَ إِلاَّ بِاللَّهِ ثُمَّ بِكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِالَّذِي رَدَّ عَلَيْكَ بَصَرَكَ شَاةً، أَتَبَلَّغُ بِهَا فِي سَفَرِي؟ فَقَالَ: قَدْ كُنْتُ أَعْمَى فَرَدَّ اللَّهُ إِلَىَّ بَصَرِي، فَخُذْ مَا شِئْتَ وَدَعْ مَا شِئْتَ، فَوَاللَّهِ لاَ أَجْهَدُكَ الْيَوْمَ شَيْئًا أَخَذْتَهُ لِلَّهِ۔ فَقَالَ: أَمْسِكْ مَالَكَ فَإِنَّمَا ابْتُلِيتُمْ فَقَدْ رُضِيَ عَنْكَ وَسُخِطَ عَلَى صَاحِبَيْكَ۔»  

from the Prophet ﷺ who said, "The clever person is the one who lowers himself and strives toward what is after death. And the weak- ˹minded˺ person is the one who follows his desires and holds hope in Allah."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: «الْكَيِّسُ مَنْ دَانَ نَفْسَهُ وَعَمِلَ لِمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَالْعَاجِزُ مَنْ أَتْبَعَ نَفْسَهُ هَوَاهَا وَتَمَنَّى عَلَى اللَّهِ۔»  

"Indeed among the excellence of a person's Islam is that he leaves what does not concern him."  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ: «مِنْ حُسْنِ إِسْلاَمِ الْمَرْءِ تَرْكُهُ مَا لاَ يَعْنِيهِ۔»  

The Prophet ﷺ said: "A man will not be asked as to why he beat his wife."  

عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ: «لاَ يُسْأَلُ الرَّجُلُ فِيمَا ضَرَبَ امْرَأَتَهُ۔»