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ArticlesOfTheIslamicFaithByGhazali, page : 278
that he is one of those for whom Allah has
preordained good things.
It has been said that the Words of Allah: "And when the agony
of death comes in truth," (Ch.50:19 Koran) mean that the preordained
thing (has been fulfilled) and made known.
One of the good, early generation said that deeds would be judged
by their ends. Abu ad Darda' used to swear by Allah saying:
"There is no one who feels safe in his belief who is not
robbed of it." It was also said that some sinful deeds were
not punished except by their sad ends. We seek refuge in Allah
against such deeds and such punishments. It has also been
said that such punishments await those who falsely claim
righteousness and the gift of miracles.
One of the gnostics once said, "If I were given the choice between
martyrdom at the outer gate of the house and death as
a true believer at the door of an inner room, I would choose
the latter because I do not know what might occur to me and
divert my heart from true belief on my way (from the inner
room) to the outer gate of the house." Another said, "If I had
known a certain person to have been a true believer for the
last fifty years and then, even though so frail a thing a
pole should hide him from my sight before his death, I could
not be sure that he died a true believer." According to one
condition, "Whoever says, 'I am a believer', is an infidel;
and whoever says, 'I am learned', is ignorant." In the interpretation
of the Words of the Allah, "And the Words of your
Lord are completed in truth and in justice." It has been said
that truth relates to those who died a believer and justice
relates for he who dies an unbeliever.
He - the High - said: "And all final matters belong to Allah".
No matter how little doubt may be in such cases the resort
to qualification is obligatory, because belief is a means of
grace for the Hereafter just as fasting is a means of grace
for absolving the heart from guilt in this life. Whatever
fast is rendered void before sunset it is no longer a fast and
will not absolve from guilt. The same thing is true of belief.
In fact a person may be asked about a previous fast concerning
which there is no doubt. He will be asked, "Have you
fasted yesterday?" and he will reply. "Yes, Allah willing".
For genuine fasting is the only acceptable fasting, and the
acceptable fasting is unknown except to Allah.
For this reason it is desirable to use the qualification, "Allah
willing" in all the deeds of righteousness. This will imply
doubt as to their acceptance by Allah, since such acceptance,
despite the outward fulfillment of all
preordained good things.
It has been said that the Words of Allah: "And when the agony
of death comes in truth," (Ch.50:19 Koran) mean that the preordained
thing (has been fulfilled) and made known.
One of the good, early generation said that deeds would be judged
by their ends. Abu ad Darda' used to swear by Allah saying:
"There is no one who feels safe in his belief who is not
robbed of it." It was also said that some sinful deeds were
not punished except by their sad ends. We seek refuge in Allah
against such deeds and such punishments. It has also been
said that such punishments await those who falsely claim
righteousness and the gift of miracles.
One of the gnostics once said, "If I were given the choice between
martyrdom at the outer gate of the house and death as
a true believer at the door of an inner room, I would choose
the latter because I do not know what might occur to me and
divert my heart from true belief on my way (from the inner
room) to the outer gate of the house." Another said, "If I had
known a certain person to have been a true believer for the
last fifty years and then, even though so frail a thing a
pole should hide him from my sight before his death, I could
not be sure that he died a true believer." According to one
condition, "Whoever says, 'I am a believer', is an infidel;
and whoever says, 'I am learned', is ignorant." In the interpretation
of the Words of the Allah, "And the Words of your
Lord are completed in truth and in justice." It has been said
that truth relates to those who died a believer and justice
relates for he who dies an unbeliever.
He - the High - said: "And all final matters belong to Allah".
No matter how little doubt may be in such cases the resort
to qualification is obligatory, because belief is a means of
grace for the Hereafter just as fasting is a means of grace
for absolving the heart from guilt in this life. Whatever
fast is rendered void before sunset it is no longer a fast and
will not absolve from guilt. The same thing is true of belief.
In fact a person may be asked about a previous fast concerning
which there is no doubt. He will be asked, "Have you
fasted yesterday?" and he will reply. "Yes, Allah willing".
For genuine fasting is the only acceptable fasting, and the
acceptable fasting is unknown except to Allah.
For this reason it is desirable to use the qualification, "Allah
willing" in all the deeds of righteousness. This will imply
doubt as to their acceptance by Allah, since such acceptance,
despite the outward fulfillment of all