I went to Ubayy b. Ka’b and said him : I am confused about Divine decree, so tell me something by means of which Allah may remove the confusion from my mind. He replied : were Allah to punish everyone in the heavens and in the earth. He would do so without being unjust to them, and were he to show mercy to them his mercy would be much better than their actions merited. Were you to spend in support of Allah’s cause an amount of gold equivalent to Uhud, Allah would not accept it from you till you believed in divine decree and knew that what has come to you could not miss you and that what has missed you could not come to you. Were you to die believing anything else you would enter Hell. He said : I then went to ‘Abd Allah b. MAs’ud and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Hudhaifah b. al-Yaman and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Zaid b. Thabit who told me something from the Prophet (May peace be upon him) to the same effect.

أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَمَوَاتِهِ وَأَهْلَ أَرْضِهِ عَذَّبَهُمْ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ كَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ وَلَوْ أَنْفَقْتَ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَا قَبِلَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ وَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ وَأَنَّ مَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ وَلَوْ مُتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا لَدَخَلْتَ النَّارَ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَقَالَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنَ الْيَمَانِ فَقَالَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ فَحَدَّثَنِي عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ

"I was confused about this Divine Decree (Qadar), and I was afraid lest that adversely affect my religion and my affairs. So I went to Ubayy bin Ka'b and said: 'O Abu Mundhir! I am confused about the Divine Decree, and I fear for my religion and my affairs, so tell me something about that through which Allah may benefit me.' He said: 'If Allah were to punish the inhabitants of His heavens and of his earth, He would do so and He would not be unjust towards them. And if He were to have mercy on them, His mercy would be better for them than their own deeds. If you had the equivalent of Mount Uhud which you spent in the cause of Allah, that would not be accepted from you until you believed in the Divine Decree and you know that whatever has befallen you, could not have passed you by; and whatever has passed you by, could not have befallen you; and that if you were to die believing anything other than this, you would enter Hell. And it will not harm you to go to my brother, 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud, and ask him (about this).' So I went to 'Abdullah and asked him , and he said something similar to what Ubayy had said, and he told me: 'It will not harm you to go to Hudhaifah.' So I went to Hudhaifah and asked him, and he said something similar to what they had said. And he told me: 'Go to Zaid bin Thabit and ask him.' So I went to Zaid bun Thabit and asked him, and he said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "If Allah were to punish the inhabitants of His heavens and of His earth, he would do so and He would not be unjust towards them. And if He were to have mercy on them, His mercy would be better for them than their own deeds. If you had the equivalent of Mount Uhud which you spent in the cause of Allah, that would not be accepted from you until you believed in the Divine Decree and you know that whatever has befallen you, could not have passed you by; and whatever has passed you by, could not have befallen you; and that if you were to die believing anything other than this, you would enter Hell"

وَقَعَ فِي نَفْسِي شَىْءٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْقَدَرِ خَشِيتُ أَنْ يُفْسِدَ عَلَىَّ دِينِي وَأَمْرِي فَأَتَيْتُ أُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ فَقَلْتُ أَبَا الْمُنْذِرِ إِنَّهُ قَدْ وَقَعَ فِي قَلْبِي شَىْءٌ مِنْ هَذَا الْقَدَرِ فَخَشِيتُ عَلَى دِينِي وَأَمْرِي فَحَدِّثْنِي مِنْ ذَلِكَ بِشَىْءٍ لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ أَنْ يَنْفَعَنِي بِهِ فَقَالَ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَمَوَاتِهِ وَأَهْلَ أَرْضِهِ لَعَذَّبَهُمْ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ لَكَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ لَكَ مِثْلُ جَبَلِ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا أَوْ مِثْلُ جَبَلِ أُحُدٍ تُنْفِقُهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَا قُبِلَ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ فَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ وَأَنَّ مَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ وَأَنَّكَ إِنْ مُتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا دَخَلْتَ النَّارَ وَلاَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ أَخِي عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَتَسْأَلَهُ فَأَتَيْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ أُبَىٌّ وَقَالَ لِي وَلاَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ حُذَيْفَةَ فَأَتَيْتُ حُذَيْفَةَ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ مِثْلَ مَا قَالاَ وَقَالَ ائْتِ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ فَاسْأَلْهُ فَأَتَيْتُ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَوْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَمَوَاتِهِ وَأَهْلَ أَرْضِهِ لَعَذَّبَهُمْ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ لَكَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ لَكَ مِثْلُ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا أَوْ مِثْلُ جَبَلِ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا تُنْفِقُهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَا قَبِلَهُ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ كُلِّهِ فَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ وَمَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ وَأَنَّكَ إِنْ مُتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا دَخَلْتَ النَّارَ

I went to Ubayy b. Ka’b and said him : I am confused about Divine decree, so tell me something by means of which Allah may remove the confusion from my mind. He replied : were Allah to punish everyone in the heavens and in the earth. He would do so without being unjust to them, and were he to show mercy to them his mercy would be much better than their actions merited. Were you to spend in support of Allah’s cause an amount of gold equivalent to Uhud, Allah would not accept it from you till you believed in divine decree and knew that what has come to you could not miss you and that what has missed you could not come to you. Were you to die believing anything else you would enter Hell. He said : I then went to ‘Abd Allah b. MAs’ud and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Hudhaifah b. al-Yaman and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Zaid b. Thabit who told me something from the Prophet (May peace be upon him) to the same effect. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4699)

أَنَّ اللهَ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَمَاوَاتِهِ وَأَهْلَ أَرْضِهِ لَعَذَّبَهُمْ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ كَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ لَهُمْ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ وَلَوْ أَنْفَقْتَ جَبَلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ مَا قَبِلَهُ اللهُ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ وَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ وَمَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ وَلَوْ مِتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ لَدَخَلْتَ النَّارَ قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُ حُذَيْفَةَ فَقَالَ لِي مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَقَالَ لِي مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَأَتَيْتُ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ فَحَدَّثَنِي عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ

[AI] I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "If Allah were to punish the inhabitants of His heavens and the inhabitants of His earth, He would have done so without being unjust to them. And if He were to have mercy upon them, His mercy would be better for them than their own actions. And if you were to spend gold equal to the size of Mount Uhud (in charity), it would not be accepted by Allah until you believe in destiny, and know that whatever has befallen you was not going to miss you, and whatever has missed you was not going to befall you. And if you die believing in something other than this, you will enter the Fire."

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَوْ أَنَّ اللهَ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَمَاوَاتِهِ وَأَهْلَ أَرْضِهِ لَعَذَّبَهُمْ غَيْرَ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ كَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ لَهُمْ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ لَكَ جَبَلُ أُحُدٍ أَوْ مِثْلُ جَبَلِ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا أَنْفَقْتَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ مَا قَبِلَهُ اللهُ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ وَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ وَأَنَّ مَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ وَأَنَّكَ إِنْ مِتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا دَخَلْتَ النَّارَ

I went to Ubayy b. Ka’b and said him : I am confused about Divine decree, so tell me something by means of which Allah may remove the confusion from my mind. He replied : were Allah to punish everyone in the heavens and in the earth. He would do so without being unjust to them, and were he to show mercy to them his mercy would be much better than their actions merited. Were you to spend in support of Allah’s cause an amount of gold equivalent to Uhud, Allah would not accept it from you till you believed in divine decree and knew that what has come to you could not miss you and that what has missed you could not come to you. Were you to die believing anything else you would enter Hell. He said : I then went to ‘Abd Allah b. MAs’ud and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Hudhaifah b. al-Yaman and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Zaid b. Thabit who told me something from the Prophet (May peace be upon him) to the same effect. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4699)

أَنَّ اللهَ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَأَهْلَ الْأَرْضِ عَذَّبَهُمْ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ كَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ لَهُمْ خَيْرًا مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ أُحُدٌ لَكَ ذَهَبًا فَأَنْفَقْتَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ ثُمَّ لَمْ تُؤْمِنْ بِالْقَدَرِ وَتَعْلَمْ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ وَأَنَّ مَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ مَا تُقُبِّلَ مِنْكَ وَلَوْ مِتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ دَخَلْتَ النَّارَ وَلَا عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَلْقَى أَخِي عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَتَسْأَلَهُ فَلَقِيَ عَبْدَ اللهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ لَقِيَ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنَ الْيَمَانِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ لَقِيَ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ فَقَالَ لَهُ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا أَنَّهُحَدَّثَهُ عَنْ نَبِيِّ اللهِ ﷺ

I went to Ubayy b. Ka’b and said him : I am confused about Divine decree, so tell me something by means of which Allah may remove the confusion from my mind. He replied : were Allah to punish everyone in the heavens and in the earth. He would do so without being unjust to them, and were he to show mercy to them his mercy would be much better than their actions merited. Were you to spend in support of Allah’s cause an amount of gold equivalent to Uhud, Allah would not accept it from you till you believed in divine decree and knew that what has come to you could not miss you and that what has missed you could not come to you. Were you to die believing anything else you would enter Hell. He said : I then went to ‘Abd Allah b. MAs’ud and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Hudhaifah b. al-Yaman and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Zaid b. Thabit who told me something from the Prophet (May peace be upon him) to the same effect. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4699)

فقَالَ «إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَوْ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَمَاوَاتِهِ وَأَهْلَ أَرْضِهِ عَذَّبَهُمْ غَيْرَ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ كَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ وَلَوْ أَنْفَقْتَ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ مَا قَبِلَهُ اللَّهُ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ وَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ وَأَنَّ مَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ وَلَوْ مُتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا لَدَخَلْتَ النَّارَ»

[AI] I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "If Allah were to punish the inhabitants of His heavens and earth, He would have punished them without being unjust to them. And if He were to have mercy on them, His mercy would be better for them than their own actions. And if the equivalent of Mount Uhud of gold were to be spent in the cause of Allah, it would not be accepted from you until you believe in destiny, all of it and that whatever has afflicted you was not going to miss you, and whatever has missed you was not going to afflict you. And if you were to die in any other state than this, you would enter the Hellfire."

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «لَوْ أَنَّ اللهَ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَماَوَاتِهِ وَأَرْضَهِ لَعَذَّبَهُمْ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ كَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ وَلَوْ كَانَ جَبَلُ أُحُدٍ وَمِثْلُ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا تُنْفِقُهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ مَا تَقَبَّلَ اللهُ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ كُلَّهِ وَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ وَأَنَّ مَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ وأَنَّكَ إِنْ مُتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا دَخَلْتَ النَّارَ»

[AI] Like the gold of Uhud that you spend in the way of Allah, Allah does not accept it from you until you believe in destiny and know that what has befallen you could not have missed you, and what has missed you could not have befallen you. And surely, if you die without believing in this, you will enter the Fire. It is not necessary for you to go to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud to ask him, so I went to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud and asked him. He said the same thing. Ishaq narrated the entire story just as Ghayra, except that I summarized it and he told me, "It is not necessary for you to go to Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman to ask him," so I went to Hudhayfa ibn al-Yaman and asked him. He said the same thing. And he said, "Go to Zaid ibn Thabit and ask him." So I went to Zaid ibn Thabit and asked him. He said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'If Allah were to punish the inhabitants of His heavens and the inhabitants of His earth, He would do so, and it would not be unjust to them. And if He were to have mercy on them, His mercy would be better for them than their deeds. And if you were to spend the amount of Uhud in gold in the way of Allah, Allah would not accept it from you until you believe in destiny and know that what has befallen you could not have missed you, and what has missed you could not have befallen you. And if you die without believing in this, you will enter the Fire.'"

مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا أَنْفَقْتَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ مَا قَبِلَهُ اللهُ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ وَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ وَأَنَّ مَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ وَإِنَّكَ إِذَا مُتَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا دَخَلْتَ النَّارَ وَلَا عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ أَخِي عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَتَسْأَلَهُ فَأَتَيْتُ عَبْدَ اللهِ بْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ قَصَّ الْقِصَّةَ كُلَّهَا كَمَا قَالَ غَيْرَ أَنِّي اخْتَصَرْتُهُ وَقَالَ لِي لَا عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنَ الْيَمَانِ فَتَسْأَلَهُ فَأَتَيْتُ حُذَيْفَةَ بْنَ الْيَمَانِ فَسَأَلْتُهُ وَقَالَ لِي مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَقَالَ ائْتِ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ فَسَلْهُ فَأَتَيْتُ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ إِنَّ اللهَ ﷻ لَوْ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَمَاوَاتِهِ وَأَهْلَ أَرْضِهِ لَعَذَّبَهُمْ وَهُوَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ كَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ مِنْ أَعْمَالِهِمْ وَلَوْ أَنَّ لَكَ مِثْلَ أُحُدٍ ذَهَبًا أَنْفَقْتَهُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ مَا قَبِلَهُ اللهُ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالْقَدَرِ وَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطِئَكَ وَأَنَّ مَا أَخْطَأَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُصِيبَكَ وَأَنَّهُ إِنْ مَاتَ عَلَى غَيْرِ هَذَا دَخَلَ النَّارَ

"لَوْ أَنَّ اللهَ عَذَّبَ أَهْلَ سَمَاوَاتِهِ وَأهْلَ أَرْضه لَعَذبهُمْ وَهُوَ غَيرُ ظَالِمٍ لَهُمْ، وَلَوْ رَحِمَهُمْ لَكَانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ لَهُمْ خَيرًا مِنْ أَعْمَالهم، وَلَوْ أنَفَقْتَ مِثْلَ أُحُد ذَهبًا فِي سَبِيلِ الله ما قَبِلَهُ الله مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِن بِالقَدَرِ فَتَعْلَمَ أَنَّ مَا أَصَابَكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لِيُخْطئَكَ وَمَا أَخْطَأكَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَيُصِيبَكَ، وَلَوْ مُتَّ عَلَى غَير هَذَا لَدَخَلتَ النَّارَ".

"لَوْ أَنَّ اللهَ -تَعَالى- عَذَّبَ أَهْل السَّمَاءِ والأرْضِ، عَذبهُمْ غَيرَ ظَالِم، وَلَوْ أَدْخَلَهُم فِي رَحْمَتِه كانَتْ رَحْمَتُهُ أَوْسَع مِن ذُنُوبهم، وَلَكِنَّهُ كمَا قَضَى يُعَذِّبُ من يَشَاءُ، وَيرْحَمُ مَن يَشَاءُ، فَمَنْ عَذَّبَ فَهُوَ الحَقُّ، وَمَنْ رَحِمَ فَهُوَ الحَقُّ، وَلَوْ كانَ ذَلِكَ مِثْلَ أحُدٍ ذَهَبًا تُنْفِقُهُ في سَبِيلِ اللهِ مَا قُبِلَ مِنْكَ حَتَّى تُؤْمِنَ بِالقَدَرِ كُلِّهِ، خَيرِهِ وَشَرِّه".