Allah Alone is the One Who has the Power of Creation, Knowle

[Mujaheedah-fee-Sabi'lilah]

Allah Alone is the One Who has the Power of Creation, Knowledge and Choice

Allah tells us that He is the only One Who has the power to create and make decisions, and there is no one who can dispute with Him in that or reverse His judgement. His saying:

[وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيَخْتَارُ]

(And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses,) means, whatever He wills, for what He wills, happens; and what He does not will, does not happen. All things, good and bad alike, are in His Hands and will return to Him.

[مَا كَانَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ]

(no choice have they.) is a negation, according to the correct view. This is like the Ayah,

[وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلاَ مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْراً أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ]

(It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision) (33:36). Then Allah says:

[وَرَبُّكَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمْ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ ]

(And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal, and what they reveal.) He knows what is hidden in their hearts, just as He knows what they do openly.

[سَوَآءٌ مِّنْكُمْ مَّنْ أَسَرَّ الْقَوْلَ وَمَنْ جَهَرَ بِهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ مُسْتَخْفٍ بِالَّيْلِ وَسَارِبٌ بِالنَّهَارِ ]

(It is the same whether any of you conceals his speech or declares it openly, whether he be hid by night or goes forth freely by day.) (13:10).

[وَهُوَ اللَّهُ لا إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ]

(And He is Allah; La ilaha illa Huwa,) meaning, He is unique in His divinity, for none is to be worshipped besides Him, and there is no lord who can create what he wills and chooses besides Him.

[لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِى الاٍّولَى وَالاٌّخِرَةِ]

(His is the praise, in the first and in the last,) in all that He does, He is to be praised for His justice and wisdom.

[وَلَهُ الْحُكْمُ]

(His is the decision,) that none can put back, because of His might, power, wisdom and mercy.

[وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ]

(and to Him shall you be returned.) means, all of you on the Day of Resurrection, and everyone will be rewarded or punished according to his deeds, good and evil alike, and absolutely none of their deeds will be concealed from Him.

[قُلْ أَرَأَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ الَّيْلَ سَرْمَداً إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ مَنْ إِلَـهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِضِيَآءٍ أَفَلاَ تَسْمَعُونَ - قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن جَعَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكُمُ النَّهَارَ سَرْمَداً إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَـمَةِ مَنْ إِلَـهٌ غَيْرُ اللَّهِ يَأْتِيكُمْ بِلَيْلٍ تَسْكُنُونَ فِيهِ أَفلاَ تُبْصِرُونَ - وَمِن رَّحْمَتِهِ جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الَّيْلَ وَالنَّهَارَ لِتَسْكُنُواْ فِيهِ وَلِتَبتَغُواْ مِن فَضْلِهِ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ ]

(71. Say: "Tell me! If Allah made the night continuous for you till the Day of Resurrection, which god besides Allah could bring you light Will you not then hear'') (72. Say: "Tell me! If Allah made the day continuous for you till the Day of Resurrection, which god besides Allah could bring you night wherein you rest Will you not then see'') (73. It is out of His mercy that He has made for you the night and the day that you may rest therein and that you may seek of His bounty -- and in order that you may be grateful.)

[Mujaheedah-fee-Sabi'lilah]

The Blessings of the Hereafter for the humble Believers

Allah tells us that He has made the home of the Hereafter, and its eternal delights which will never change or fade away, for His believing, humble servants who do not rebel against the truth with pride and oppression in the land. They do not exalt themselves above the creatures of Allah, arrogantly oppressing them and spreading corruption among them. `Ikrimah said that this phrase referred to haughtiness and arrogance. Ibn Jurayj said:

[لاَ يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوّاً فِى الاٌّرْضِ]

(those who do not want to exalt themselves in the land) "Arrogance and tyranny,

[وَلاَ فَسَاداً]

(nor cause corruption) committing sins.'' Ibn Jarir recorded that `Ali said, "If a man wants the straps of his sandals to be better than the straps of his companion's sandals, then he is one of those referred to in the Ayah,

[تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الاٌّخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لاَ يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوّاً فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ فَسَاداً وَالْعَـقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ]

(That is the home of the Hereafter, We shall assign to those who do not want to exalt themselves in the land nor cause corruption. And the good end is for those who have Taqwa.) This is understood to mean that if his intention is to show off and appear better than others, then that is to be condemned, as it was reported in the Sahih that the Prophet said:

«إِنَّهُ أُوحِيَ إِلَيَّ أَنْ تَوَاضَعُوا حَتَّى لَا يَفْخَرَ أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَدٍ وَلَا يَبْغِي أَحَدٌ عَلَى أَحَد»

(It has been revealed to me that you should be humble to the extent that none of you boasts to others or mistreats others. ) But if a person simply likes to look good, then there is nothing wrong with that. It was recorded that a man said: "O Messenger of Allah, I like to have my garment looking good and my shoes looking good -- is this a kind of arrogance'' The Prophet said:

«لَا، إِنَّ اللهَ جَمِيلٌ يُحِبُّ الْجَمَال»

(No, for Allah is beautiful and loves beauty...) And Allah says:

[مَن جَآءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ]

(Whosoever brings good,) meaning, on the Day of Resurrection,

[فَلَهُ خَيْرٌ مِّنْهَا]

(he shall have the better thereof;) meaning, the reward of Allah is better than the good deeds of His servant -- how can it not be, when Allah has multiplied it many times over This is the position of generosity. Then Allah says:

[وَمَن جَآءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَلاَ يُجْزَى الَّذِينَ عَمِلُواْ السَّيِّئَاتِ إِلاَّ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ]

(and whosoever brings evil, then those who do evil deeds will only be requited for what they used to do.) This is like the Ayah,

[وَمَن جَآءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَكُبَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِى النَّارِ هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلاَّ مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ]

(And whoever brings an evil deed, they will be cast down on their faces in the Fire. (And it will be said to them) "Are you being recompensed anything except what you used to do'') (27: 90). This is the postition of generosity and justice.

[إِنَّ الَّذِى فَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْءَانَ لَرَآدُّكَ إِلَى مَعَادٍ قُل رَّبِّى أَعْلَمُ مَن جَآءَ بِالْهُدَى وَمَنْ هُوَ فِى ضَلَـلٍ مُّبِينٍ - وَمَا كُنتَ تَرْجُو أَن يُلْقَى إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَـبُ إِلاَّ رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ ظَهيراً لِّلْكَـفِرِينَ - وَلاَ يَصُدُّنَّكَ عَنْ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ بَعْدَ إِذْ أُنزِلَتْ إِلَيْكَ وَادْعُ إِلَى رَبِّكَ وَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ - وَلاَ تَدْعُ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَـهاً ءَاخَرَ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ كُلُّ شَىْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلاَّ وَجْهَهُ لَهُ الْحُكْمُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ ]

(85. Verily, He Who has given you the Qur'an, will surely bring you back to the return. Say: "My Lord is Aware of him who brings guidance, and of him who is in manifest error.'') (86. And you were not expecting that the Book would be sent down to you, but it is a mercy from your Lord. So never be a supporter of the disbelievers.) (87. And let them not turn you away from the Ayat of Allah after they have been sent down to you, and invite to your Lord and be not of idolators.) (88. And invoke not any other god along with Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa. Everything will perish save His Face. His is the decision, and to Him you shall be returned.)

[Mujaheedah-fee-Sabi'lilah]

A-salam