Al-Hadid 57:23

Everything that affects Mankind, is duly measured and destined

Allah reminds of His measuring and deciding the destiny of all things before He created the creation,

مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ فِى أَنفُسِكُمْ

(No calamity occurs on the earth nor in yourselves) meaning, `there is nothing that touches you or happens in existence,'

إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَآ

(but it is inscribed in the Book of Decrees before We bring it into existence.) meaning, `before We created the creation and started life.' Qatadah commented on this Ayah,

مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِى الاٌّرْضِ

(No calamity occurs on the earth) refers to famine, while,

وَلاَ فِى أَنفُسِكُمْ

(or nor in yourselves) refers to suffering and diseases." He also said, "We were told that every person who suffers a prick of a thorn, a twisted ankle, or a bleeding vein, has it occur on account of his sins. What Allah forgives is even more." This great, honorable Ayah provides clear evidence to the misguidance of the cursed Qadariyyah sect, who deny Allah's Preordaihnent and His knowledge of everything before it occurs. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah bin `Amr bin Al-`As said, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say,

«قَدَّرَ اللهُ الْمَقَادِيرَ قَبلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَة»

(Allah ordained the measures (of everything) fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth.)" Muslim collected this Hadith in his Sahih with the addition:

«وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاء»

(And His Throne was over the water.) At-Tirmidhi also collected it and said, "Hasan Sahih." Allah's statement,

إِنَّ ذلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ

(Verily, that is easy for Allah.) means that He knows all things before they occur, and He records them exactly as they will occur when they occur, and this is easy for Him. Verily, Allah knows what happened, what will happen and what did not happen, and what shape and form it will take if it were to happen.

Ordering Patience and Gratitude

Allah said,

لِّكَيْلاَ تَأْسَوْاْ عَلَى مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلاَ تَفْرَحُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَـكُمْ

(In order that you may not grieve at the things over that you fail to get, nor rejoice over that which has been given to you.) meaning, `We informed you of Our encompassing knowledge, recording all things before they occur and creating all things in due measure known to Us, so that you may know that what has met you would never have missed you and what has missed you would never have met you. Therefore, do not grieve for what you have missed of fortune, because had it been destined for you, you would have achieved it.' (It is also recited:) (وَلَا تَفْرَحُوْا بِمَا أَتَاكُمْ) (nor rejoice over that which came to you) meaning, come to you. According to the recitation,

ءَاتَـكُمُ

it means (which has been given to you.) Both meanings are related. Allah says here, `do not boast before people about what Allah has favored you with, because it is not you who earned it by your efforts. Rather, all this came your way because Allah destined them for you and provided them for you as provisions. Therefore, do not use what Allah has granted you as a reason to boast and become arrogant with others.' Allah's statement,

وَاللَّهُ لاَ يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ

(And Allah likes not prideful boasters.) meaning, who acts arrogantly with other people. `Ikrimah commented by saying, "Everyone of us feels happiness and grief. However, make your joy with gratitude and endure your grief with patience."

Censuring the Stinginess

Allah the Exalted then said,

الَّذِينَ يَبْخَلُونَ وَيَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبُخْلِ

(Those who are misers and enjoin miserliness upon people.) meaning those who commit evil and encourage people to commit it,

وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ

(And whosoever turns away,) from abiding by Allah's commandments and obeying Him,

فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْغَنِىُّ الْحَمِيدُ

(then Allah is Rich, Worthy of all praise.) As Musa, peace be upon him, said,

إِن تَكْفُرُواْ أَنتُمْ وَمَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ جَمِيعًا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِىٌّ حَمِيدٌ

(If you disbelieve, you and all on earth together, then verily, Allah is Rich, Owner of all praise.)(14:8)

Patience and Gratitude

لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَ‌حُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ (...so that you may neither grieve on what has escaped you, nor over-exult on what He has given you ...57:23) This means that Allah has informed us of His encompassing knowledge, recording all things before they occur and creating all things in due measure known to Him, so that we may know that what has met us would never have missed us, and what has missed us would never have met us. Therefore, we are commanded not to over-grieve on the good things we have missed, nor to over-exult on the comforts or wealth we enjoyed in this life, and in turn be neglectful about Allah and the Hereafter. Sayyidna ` Abdullah Ibn ` Abbas ؓ says that it is man's natural disposition that certain things cheer him up and other things make him miserable, whereas the true position should have been as follows: When any misery befalls him, he should endure it with patience and earn reward in the Hereafter, and when he experiences joy, he should experience it with gratitude to Allah and earn reward in the Hereafter. [ Reported by Hakim who rates it as sahib. See Ruh ]

وَاللَّـهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ‌ (...And Allah does not love any self-admirer, over-proud...57:23) The expression "does not love" in fact implies that Allah 'hates' those who become proud of the bounties they enjoy in this world. But instead of using the word 'hates' the expression 'does not love' is perhaps an indication that an intelligent person should consider about all his actions whether or not the intended act is dear to Allah. This is the reason why the verse uses the phrase 'does not love'.