In the Name of Allah, the
Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Before we end our discussion about invoking for good, we
must touch upon invoking for evil, how could that be? It is the feeling of
injustice that drives one to invoke Allah against the unjust one: to afflict
him with sickness, or to bring upon him a disaster, or to be bereaved of one of
his children, or be subjected to bankruptcy until the abject condition of
finding nothing to eat, or any other curses.

Sometimes man

calls down evil upon himself, which is in case of anger. Thus he might pray
Allah to die, to have those whom he sustains feel his true worth and appreciate
the efforts he exerts!! Or one might feel that he has become a burden on his
family because of his illness, so he prays Allah to be relieved and relief
others (of his troubles), all these invocations besides others we see and hear
ourselves.

Before we
talk about invoking for evil, we have to stress that Allah, Whose Majesty
reigns supreme, loves to pardon people. We find many verses in Noble Qur’an
urging us to pardon and suppress anger, for Allah, all praise and glory be to
Him, describes those who pardon and suppress their anger as ‘Gooddoers’.
Allah, the Most Exalted, says (what means):

“Those who spend [in
Allah’s Cause - deeds of charity, alms, etc.] in prosperity and in adversity,
who repress anger, and who pardon men; verily, Allah loves Al-Muhsinûn (the
good­doers).”(Âl-‘Imrân, 3: 134)

And in
another verse (what means):

“And to forego is nearer
to At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness, etc.). And do not forget liberality between
yourselves. Truly, Allah is All-Seer of what you do.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 237)

Also Almighty Allah says in another verse (what means):

“And let not those among
you who are blessed with graces and wealth swear not to give (any sort of help)
to their kinsmen, Al-Masâkîn (the poor), and those who left their homes
for Allah’s Cause. Let them pardon and forgive. Do you not love that Allah
should forgive you? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (An-Nûr, 24:
22)

All these glorious verses and others have descended in
different occasions, all exhorting to pardon and forgive. Pardon was even
extended to the one who spread the slander about ‘Â’ishah (may Allah be pleased
with her), whose name was Musatah bin Athâthah bin ‘Abbâs bin
‘Abdul-Mutalib bin ‘Abd-Manâf.

 

After the uttered slander, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased
with him) deprived Musatah of what he used to donate as charity (by ties
of kinship and for his poverty), but Allah, all praise and glory be to Him,
revealed the noble verse saying (what means), ‘Let them pardon and
forgive.’ Upon which Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) resumed
giving him money and pardoned him. All this shows us to what extent the
believers are asked to pardon, and not to return evil for evil, as affirmed by
the hadith narrated on the authority of Uby, who said:

“When Allah, the Exalted and
Ever-Majestic, revealed to
His Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) the Qur’anic verse saying
(what means), ‘Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the
foolish (i.e. do not punish them),’ (Al-A'râf, 7: 199) the Messenger of
Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, ‘What is this, O Jibrîl
(Angel Gabriel, peace be upon him)?’ He answered, ‘Allah has ordered you to
forgive those who have wronged you, and give those who have deprived you, and
to keep good relations with those (relatives) who have severed the ties of
kinship with you.’”

‘Uqbah bin ‘Âmir (may Allah
be pleased with him) narrated, “I met the Messenger of Allah (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace), I was the first to greet, then I clasped his
hand and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Tell me the best of deeds.’ He said, ‘O
‘Uqbah! Keep good relations with those (relatives) who have severed the ties of
kinship with you, give those who have deprived you and turn away from those who
have wronged you.’”

When ‘Â’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to teach her a
supplication to say on Lailatul Qadr [the Night of Revelation] – that blessed
night on which the believer is the closest he can be to Allah – he (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) taught her to say: “O Allah! You are the
Ever­-Pardoning, the Most Generous, loves to pardon, so pardon us.”

Invoking evil upon unjust people, if prompted by jealousy
aroused for the sake of religion, is acceptable and sanctioned. As the
invocation of Nûh (Noah, peace be upon him) against his people, and the
invocation of Mûsâ (Moses, peace be upon him) against Pharaoh’s people, when he
called Allah to, ‘Destroy their wealth, and harden their hearts, so that
they will not believe until they see the painful torment,’ (Yûnus, 10: 88).
The desired end from such an invocation is the superiority of Allah’s Religion
on earth, the defeat of the disbelievers and hypocrites, and to champion the
Religion of Allah.

If that is the basis, then invocation is required and will
be fulfilled, but if one invokes evil upon others for no reason, or out of envy
and spite, the Divine Answer will be, ‘The evil you have prayed to befall
others, will befall you.’ That if he was invoking for something related to
worldly life, and not by way of supporting Allah’s Religion. On the other hand,
if there is someone obstructing the way of the call to Allah’s Religion, by
killing Imams, banning Prayers, and struggling to spread disbelief and atheism,
no harm will ever come to you from the evil you invoke upon him, as you are doing
it for the sake of Allah and championing His Religion. Or you are supporting a
person treated unjustly.

Supplication of the aggrieved is required

The Noble Qur’an allows the one who has suffered injustice
to invoke against the one who has wronged him.  He thus leaves to Allah taking reprisal from the one who has
injured him; to bring him back his ravished rights which he could not claim
back himself. The Noble Qur’an says (what means):

“Allah does not like
that the evil should be uttered in public except by him who has been
wronged. And Allah is Ever All­-Hearer, All-­Knower.” (An-Nisâ’, 148: 4)

But what is the reason behind such an allowance? Simply
because the entreaty that the aggrieved person utters is a kind of healing to
his injured self, and Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, wants to heal the
souls. So if there is someone who has suffered injustice, there should be an
outlet for him to unburden his heart of the distress and pain caused him by
this injustice. Allah, the Exalted and Ever-Majestic, allows him to relieve his
soul, for when he supplicates he will feel spiritually better, his heart will
calm, and his passion will subside.

Other than these two cases: championing religion, or
suffering injustice, invoking for evil will not be accepted by Allah, all praise and glory be to Him,
as the glorious verse says (what means):

“And were Allah to
hasten for mankind the evil (they invoke for themselves and for their children,
etc. while in a state of anger) as He hastens for them the good (they invoke)
then they would have been ruined.”(Yûnus, 10, 11)

Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, wants man to always
interact with the events in this world, and not to invoke Divine Wrath unless
for outspoken injustice, or for championing the Religion of Allah. Even if the
aggrieved person did not invoke, Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, would still
avenge His wronged servant. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and
grant him peace) said in a noble hadith:

“Fear the invocation
of an aggrieved person, for there is no barrier between it and Allah.”

Also the Messenger of Allah (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) said:

“Verily, Allah gives
respite to the oppressor, but when He seizes him He never releases him, them he
recited (the noble Qur’anic verse which means), ‘Such is the Seizure of your
Lord when He seizes the (population of) towns while they are doing wrong.
Verily, His Seizure is painful, and severe.’ (Hûd, 11: 102)”

Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, says in a
Sanctified hadith:

“O son of Adam! You
have prayed against the one who has wronged you, and the one whom you have
wronged has prayed against you. If you wish, We will answer your prayer, and
the prayer against you, and if you wish, We will postpone you both till the Day
of Resurrection to be both embraced by My pardon.”

The invocation of the aggrieved person is allowed, yet in
case of the one who has been treated unjustly and at the same time has been
unjust to others, Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, says it is better that
he takes care, and not to invoke against the one who has been unjust to him,
because he himself is unjust. For Allah will answer his invocation and the
invocation against him. Injustice could be the most hideous sin, for the
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said: “Injustice
is darkness on the Day of Resurrection.”

Reckoning and Punishment are all deferred to the Day of
Judgment, except for injustice done to people; its punishment is inflicted in
both the life of this world and the Hereafter, for the aggrieved person must
witness the day on which Allah will punish his oppressor, in order that
injustice does not prevail on earth. If people were to see that there are
oppressors who escape punishment and revenge in retribution for their committed
injustice, this would encourage others to act unjustly, for as long as people
do not witness a worldly punishment befalling the oppressor, they will adopt
the way of injustice. That is why heaven inflicts a worldly punishment upon the
oppressor, a punishment openly witnessed by all people. Retribution is not
exacted between Almighty God and the oppressor alone, sheltered from people’s
eyes, but punishment comes for the whole world to see, hear and know, to serve
as a deterrent to every oppressor.

If man supplicates Allah saying, “All the praises
and thanks be to Allah, the Lord of ‘Âlamîn (mankind, jinn, and all that
exists),” for whatever hardships or adversities he may experience, by
doing so he meets the Fate of Allah by giving thanks, and meets hardship by
patience. Indeed, when Allah, Whose Majesty reigns supreme, taught us how to
express thanks and gratitude, He has bestowed upon us a blessing that itself
deserves thanking.

Supplication and Fate

We have to discuss some of what is said about
supplication, and shed light on supplication and fate, and how supplication
alleviates fate and eases it, or serves as a shield from it.

One must understand that the Decree of Allah follows by
exact order, and Almighty Allah has full Knowledge of all events. Thus, if one
is destined to be relieved of a certain evil or a bad event this is also
inscribed in his destined fate. One supplicates and the evil is removed. It is
not true that the decreed fate awaits supplication to happen or not happen, for
all things are within the Knowledge of Allah, decreed and known since eternity.

Each supplication is predestined whether it would be
answered or not, and does not await your actual supplication for it to be
accepted and answered. All things Allah has destined and fully comprehends in
His Knowledge since eternity, for the pen (inscribing Fate) has dried (ceased
writing), meaning that all destinies are written down. Supplication itself is
predestined and the answer as well.

One of the righteous men was once talking to people about
the Noble Qur’an and explaining its meanings till he reached the noble verse
saying (what means):

“Every day He has a
matter to bring forth”(Ar-Rahmân, 55: 29)

[When asked about this
verse the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
Forgives sin, relieves of distress, raises people and degrades others, in
another narration: Forgives sin, relieves of distress, and answers a
supplicant]

Upon which one of the attendances stood up and asked, ‘And
what is the matter that your Lord brings forth today?’ The man kept
silent and did not answer, and then left the assembly and hurried to his house
feeling distressed for not answering the laid question. When he slept he saw
the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) in his dream.
He told him if the inquirer came and asked you, ‘What is the matter that
your Lord brings forth today?’ Tell him, ‘(Destined) matters He
reveals and not originates, raising people and degrading others.’ On
the next day the righteous man went to his assembly and found the inquirer
sitting, and when he started his lecture about the meaning of the noble
Qur’anic verse saying (what means), ‘Every day He has a matter to bring
forth,’ the inquirer stood and repeated the same question, thus the
righteous man answered him saying, ‘(Destined) Matter He reveals and not
originates, raising people and degrading others.’ Whereupon the
inquirer said, ‘Supplicate blessings on the one who taught you so.’
It is said that the asker was Al-Khadir [A
servant upon whom Allah has bestowed divine secrets and supernal
understandings, for Almighty says (of Al-Khadir what means:), “A servant among
Our servants, unto whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and whom We had taught
knowledge from Us.” (Al-Kahf, 18: 65)].

We thus can see that Allah, all praise and glory be to
Him, has predestined all things in this universe since eternity; that Allah,
all praise and glory be to Him, only reveals them to us, and does not originate
them, for they are already inscribed, and we know nothing about till Allah
unveils them to us.

Fate and Supplication

The willful actions of man like supplication is part of
his fate, not decreed upon him to do, but decreed because Allah, all praise and glory be to Him,
knows that he will do. Allah comprehends everything in His knowledge, and
nothing is kept veiled from Him, a fact that at the same time does not divest
you from acting according to your own free will, but Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, simply knows your choices,
and His knowledge comprehends all things.

Having everything in the book of fate inscribed does not
mean your subjection to a compulsive way of acting, but rather an Absolute
Knowledge that Allah possesses of all your doings. For Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, knows all things that will
happen, and the fact that He knows the matters you are free to choose, is a
sign of His Omniscience. If Allah only knows the matters related to unfree
choices, this would not be a total knowledge of all the universal events, which
is far from Allah, for Allah possesses full knowledge of all the events that
take place in the universe, those in which you have freedom of choice and those
befalling you without choice.

Sometimes when one uses his knowledge, he can infer what
will be the choice of others. If we assumed that a father gave a pound to each
of his three sons, and asked each of them to buy whatever he likes. After they
went out he said that he knew beforehand what each of them would buy: the first
would get something to eat because he likes food, the second would buy a book,
because he likes to read, and the third would buy a game because he likes to
play. Did the father force them to buy such things, the answer is no, but
simply the father knows their propensities and behavior.

If that is the case with human beings, how would it be
when it comes to Allah, all praise and
glory be to Him?

Thus, we confirm that all that occurs in the universe is
fully within the knowledge of Allah,
all praise and glory be to Him. When Allah created us and granted us the
power of choice He knew in advance what choices we would make, choices that are
neither forced on us nor are compulsory.

Nothing beyond the Knowledge of Allah

Thus, Almighty Allah comprehends all things in His
Knowledge. Even the things of your own choice are never beyond the Knowledge of
Allah, though chosen by your own free will, exercised freely without any
compulsion from Allah. Your choice never escapes the Knowledge of Allah that
comprehends all things. Recite the following glorious verse saying (what
means):

“No calamity befalls on
the earth or in yourselves but is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (Al-Lauh
Al-Mahfûz), before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for
Allah. In order that you may not be sad over matters that you fail to get, nor
rejoice because of that which has been given to you. And Allah likes not
prideful boasters."

)Al-Hadîd,
75: 22-23)

This noble verse shows how everything, no matter how
minute it is or great, never escapes the Knowledge of Allah, even the
leaf that falls from the tree, or the smallest seed deep in the earth. Glory be
to Allah, nothing is hidden from Him so much as the weight of an atom (or small
ant) on the earth or in the heaven, as states the Noble Qur’an (what means):

“Whatever you (O
Muhammad) may be doing, and whatever portion you may be reciting from the
Qur'ân, - and whatever deed you (mankind) may be doing (good or evil), We are
Witness thereof, when you are doing it. And nothing is hidden from your Lord
(so much as) the weight of an atom (or small ant) on the earth or in the
heaven. Not what is less than that or what is greater than that but is
(written) in a Clear Record.” (Yûnus, 10: 61)

We should understand that there is a phenomenal course and
a legal course in the universe. Man is given freedom of choice in the legal
course, related to the Divine law. But as for the phenomenal course, it
signifies all the events that take place in the universe other than the Divine
law. We have also aforesaid that we have to differentiate between the universal
Course of Allah and His Course of enjoined duties.

Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, has created man
having the power of free choice in the legal course of do and do not do. When
Almighty Allah forbids us from drinking intoxicants, you have the choice to
drink or abstain from drinking. When The Exalted and Ever-Majestic says,
‘Perform Prayers,’ you have the choice to pray or not to pray. But in both
cases you never stepped beyond the Will of Allah, as He is the One who created
you capable to do or not to do.

Supplication and its fulfillment are never beyond the
Knowledge of Allah and His Will, supplication is a manifestation of your
inability, and an admission of the Power and Might of Allah, be He highly
blessed and exalted, in doing whatever He wants. The shown inability,
submission, and awe, is what Allah, the Exalted and Ever-Majestic, wants from
supplication, so that pride be subdued within us, and one feels that he
possesses no mastery in the universe, but that Allah, all praise and glory be
to Him, is The Disposer of everything. Thus, your supplication is an
acknowledgment of your helplessness before the Power of Allah.

Each Messenger had an answered supplication, but the
supplication of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
is postponed till the Day of Judgment, which is the intercession. That does not
mean that each Messenger had only one fulfilled supplication, for the
Messengers had prayed and supplicated to Allah many times, and their
supplications were all answered. If we read the story of Mûsâ (Moses peace be
upon him) we would find that many of his prayers were answered apart from the
one prayed for the destruction of Pharaoh’s people. Allah fulfilled many prayers
of the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and the
intercession that would be granted to him on the Day of Judgment would not be
confined to his nation only, but to the nations of all other Prophets…the
followers of all the Prophets and Messengers. This is because the Messenger of
Allah, Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), is the most entitled
to intercede for the nations of all the Prophets, because he has been sent to
the entire universe…to all humanity. On the Day of Judgment the intercession of
the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would be for
the sake of his nation and the nations of the other Prophets as well. The
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “Had
Mûsâ been alive during the time of my message, he would but have followed me.”

The Truth, praise and glory be to Him, says (what means):

“The Prophet is closer
to the believers than their ownselves.” (Al­-Ahzâb, 33:6)

Almighty Allah did not say, ‘Closer to the believers of
his nation,’ but said to all the believers without exception. Meaning all those
who believed in the Prophets (peace be upon them all) who came before the
mission of the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace), and all those who believed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad, may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) since he was entrusted to convey the
Divine Message. This is the true meaning of the intercession of the Messenger
of Allah (Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace) on the Day of
Judgment. He is the one who would intercede for humanity at large to begin the
Reckoning, and he would be the one to intercede for all those who believed from
the people of the earth, because he was sent to them all, as states the noble
Qur’anic verse saying (what means):

“We have only sent you
(O Muhammad) as a mercy to the worlds.” (Al-Anbiyâ', 21: 107)

This mercy encompasses
all the responsible [who bear the trust of showing obedience to Allah] from man
and jinn.

Intercession on the Day of Resurrection

The Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, (may Allah bless him and
grant him peace) is the first intercessor and the first whose intercession will
be accepted by Allah, as states the sanctified hadith related by the Messenger
of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace):

“On the Day of Resurrection the believers will assemble
and say, ‘Let us ask somebody to intercede for us with our Lord.’ So they will
go to Âdam (Adam, peace be upon him) and say, ‘You are the father of all the
people, Allah created you with His Own Hands, and ordered the angels to
prostrate to you, and taught you the names of all things; so please intercede
for us with your Lord, so that He may relieve us from this place of ours.’ Adam
will say, ‘I am not fit for this (i.e. intercession for you).’ Then Adam will
remember his sin and feel ashamed thereof. He will say, ‘Go to Nûh (Noah, peace
be upon him), for he was the first Messenger, Allah sent to the inhabitants of
the earth.’

They will go to him and Nûh will say, ‘I am not fit for
this undertaking.’ He will remember his appeal to his Lord to do what he had no
knowledge of, then he will feel ashamed thereof and will say, ‘Go to
Khalîl-r-Rahmân [the close servant to the Most Merciful, i.e. Ibrâhîm (Abraham,
peace be upon him)].’ They will go to him and he will say, ‘I am not fit for
this undertaking. Go to Mûsâ (Moses, peace be upon him), the servant to whom
Allah spoke (directly) and gave him the Torah.’ So they will go to him and he
will say, ‘I am not fit for this undertaking,’ and he will mention (his)
killing a person who was not a killer, and so he will feel ashamed thereof
before his Lord, and he will say, ‘Go to ‘Iesâ (Jesus, peace be upon him),
Allah’s servant, His Messenger and Allah’s Word ["Be!" - and he was]
and a spirit (Rûh) created by Him.’ ‘Iesâ will say, 'I am not fit for this
undertaking, go to Muhammad the servant whose past and future sins were
forgiven by Allah.’ So they will come to me and I will proceed till I will ask
my Lord’s Permission and I will be given Permission. When I see my Lord, I will
fall down in Prostration and He will let me remain in that state as long as He
wishes and then I will be addressed: ‘(Muhammad!) Raise your head. Ask, and
your request will be granted; say, and your saying will be listened to;
intercede, and your intercession will be accepted.’ I will raise my head and
praise Allah with a saying (i.e. invocation) He will teach me, and then I will
intercede. He will fix a limit for me (to intercede for) whom I will admit into
Paradise. Then I will come back again to Allah, and when I see my Lord, the
same thing will happen to me. And then I will intercede and Allah will fix a
limit for me (to intercede for) whom I will admit into Paradise, then I will
come back for the third time; and then I will come back for the fourth time,
and I will say, ‘None remains in Hell but those whom the Qur’ân has imprisoned
(in Hell) and who have been destined to an eternal stay in Hell.’”

 

We beg Allah that we are from the people whom Allah
answers their supplication and from the people whom Allah has graced with the
intercession of the Prophet Muhammad, (may Allah bless him and grant him
peace).

And from the people of
Paradise whose close prayer will be….

“All praises and thanks are to Allah, the Lord and Cherisher of
the Worlds.”