The soul and the decree written in the womb.
Narrated by ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd (عبد الله بن مسعود)
إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ يُجْمَعُ خَلْقُهُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا نُطْفَةً، ثُمَّ يَكُونُ عَلَقَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ يَكُونُ مُضْغَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ يُرْسَلُ الْمَلَكُ فَيَنْفُخُ فِيهِ الرُّوحَ
"The creation of each of you is gathered in the womb of their mother for forty days as a drop, then a clinging thing for the same period, then a lump of flesh for the same period. Then the angel is sent, who breathes the soul into it, and is commanded to write four things: its provision, its term of life, its deeds, and whether it will be wretched or blessed."
A hadith about the beginning of a human life — and about the inscrutable precision of divine decree. The scholars used this as a primary text on predestination. The final note — that one's ending is written before one has even drawn a breath — is meant to humble, not to discourage action.
Passages that draw on this hadith
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"This person experiences a transformation of the heart and soul, similar to the difference between the creation of a child in the womb and the observable creation in the world. A person goes through four stages of creation: the creation in the womb,"
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"unseen and untouched; the creation in this world; the creation in the بَرْزَخ, the intermediate state; and the creation in the second resurrection. Each stage surpasses the previous one. This creation primarily concerns the soul and heart, and secondarily the body."
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"Is it permissible for مُسْلِمs to submit to this decree and not counter it with an equivalent decree, which is jihad, by which they repel the decree of اللّٰه with His decree? Similarly, if a sin is decreed upon you and you commit it by decree, counter its consequence with sincere repentance, which is also from the decree."
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"The cosmic decree also includes both grace and proof. When a decree is accompanied by a religious decree, it is a grace. If not, it becomes a proof against the individual. Similarly, a religious decree connected with a cosmic decree is a grace, enabling the individual to fulfill it."
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"and Allah instructed the angel of death to descend to his beloved Muhammad in the best of forms, and to be gentle in taking his soul. The angel of death entered and sought permission to take his soul. The prophet asked, O angel of death, where did you leave my beloved Gabriel? The angel"
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"Say, "He who created them the first time. The initial creation is proof of re-creation. And He, the Exalted, said: "Your creation and your resurrection is only as that of a single soul. Resurrection is a second creation, so it is as possible as the first creation."
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"Nor does it mean a mere creation of Allah, as that applies to all creations. The world consists of two realms: the realm of command and the realm of creation. To Allah belongs creation and command. Bodies, with their quantities and measurements, belong to the realm of creation, as creation signifies measurement."
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"the rest? Likewise, the soul is enfeebled by cravings and sins. The composed soul weakens, while the commanding soul gains strength and dominance. As the latter becomes stronger, the former weakens, leaving the commanding soul in control. Sometimes, the composed soul"
More on foundations
- The first hadith — the inner measure of every deed."Actions are only by intentions, and every person shall have only what they intended."
- The religion in three words: Islam, Īmān, Iḥsān."Islam is that you bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, establish the prayer, give zakāt, fast Ramadan, and make pilgrimage to the House if you are able. Īmān is that you believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and in divine decree — its good and its bitter. Iḥsān is that you worship Allah as though you see Him; and if you do not see Him, He sees you."
- The five pillars."Islam is built on five: the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah; the establishment of prayer; the paying of zakāt; the pilgrimage to the House; and fasting Ramadan."
- Innovation in the religion is returned to its introducer."Whoever introduces into this matter of ours something that is not from it — it is rejected."