In the name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Especially Merciful.

The Question Presented:

A question was placed before the Shaykh concerning the matter of Divine Decree and human will, using the state of our father Ādam, peace be upon him, as its starting point: "It is said that the fall of Ādam into error was a matter of Divine Decree (qadar) from Allah. If this is so, does a human being possess a will (irāda), and what is its place in relation to the Decree of Allah?"

The Shaykh's Response:

Before delving into such a matter, the first step is to learn the proper conduct (sulūk) required to avoid falling into poor etiquette (sūʾ al-adab) with Allah Most High. The foundational belief (iʿtiqād) that you must hold is that any good thing (ḥasana) originates from Allah, and any ill (sayyiʾa) originates from your own self (nafs).

A servant does not say, "The evil I committed is from Allah." This is a statement that only the Prophets (anbiyāʾ), peace be upon them, may utter, and there is a specific reason for this. You are commanded to take account of your own self (tuḥāsib nafsak) before you are taken to account on the Day of Resurrection. Recognize that wrongdoing comes from your own self, while good is a gift (hiba) from Allah that your self—being the locus of responsibility—has brought into action. In this way, you maintain the proper etiquette required along the path.

As for the Prophets, they are the people of Divine protection (ahl al-ʿiṣma). What we perceive as a mistake that they fell into is, in reality, for a profound wisdom (ḥikma) that Allah intended. The same applies to the family of the Prophet (Āl al-Nabī), peace and blessings be upon him and his household, for the Lord has said, "Allah only desires to remove from you all impurity, O people of the [Prophet's] household" (Qurʾān 33:33). This is not my own claim, but an understanding affirmed by many great early scholars. If you doubt this, look to the poems of Imām al-Shāfiʿī regarding ahl al-bayt. Therefore, if your own self whispers (waswasa) to you that these elevated beings erred, know that this thought is from your own self. In reality, their action was for a wisdom that Allah willed.

Let us consider the specific case of Ādam, peace be upon him. Had Ādam not descended, the comprehensive knowledge of all the Divine Names (maʿrifat kulliyyat al-asmāʾ) would have remained inaccessible to him. There were certain Names and Attributes that he had to learn on the earth. Among these realities is that which is alluded to in the sacred tradition (ḥadīth qudsī), "O son of Adam, I was sick and you did not visit Me." In the Garden of Paradise, there is no sickness. Therefore, it was necessary for Allah to create for him a "carpet" or a canvas (bisāṭ)—this earthly realm—upon which he could witness the meaning of this particular Divine self-disclosure (tajallī). It was thus necessary for him to descend in order to complete his education.

Furthermore, Allah the Exalted stated His will: "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a vicegerent (khalīfa)" (Qurʾān 2:30). Therefore, Ādam's descent was for the purpose of his becoming Allah's vicegerent in His earth. What does it mean to be a vicegerent? It is to be the locus through which Allah’s Names and Attributes are made manifest.

Now, you must understand your own position. You are a slave (ʿabd) of the Lord. There is a law (qānūn) that you are commanded to follow. You have a sacred legal responsibility (taklīf sharʿī), and your soul itself possesses the capacity to fulfill it, for Allah Most High has said, "Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity" (lā yukallifu Allāhu nafsan illā wusʿahā) (Qurʾān 2:286). Therefore, if you fail to perform your obligation, it is not because your soul is unable to bear it, but because your soul (nafs) does not desire to.

From this understanding, it becomes necessary for you to say that the good (ḥasana) originates from Allah—He decreed it and enabled it—and the evil (sayyiʾa) originates from your own lower self. The entirety of the Sacred Law is a responsibility (taklīf) that you have the capacity to bear. And out of His mercy, Allah Most High has even established dispensations (rukhaṣ)—such as allowing one to pray while sitting if they are unable to stand—so that you may fulfill this taklīf, even if not in its most complete form.

This is why Allah Most High says: “Indeed, Satan is an enemy to you; so take him as an enemy” (Qurʾān 35:6). The case of Ādam was a decreed destiny (qadar maqdūr), a matter of cosmic purpose. Your case, however, involves the capacity to defend yourself and resist the whispers of temptation (waswās). Thus, when you act upon Satan’s whispers, it is you who has committed the crime (ajramta)—and you cannot shift the blame onto predestination or the devil.

The take away is this: you must never say, "This evil was a destiny that Allah decreed for me." To do so is the absolute peak of poor etiquette with Allah Most High. On the contrary, you must discipline yourself with proper adab. You must recognize the good as a pure grace (minna) from Allah Most High and praise Him for it. And you must see the fault as your own, turning back to Him in repentance.