سورة الرعد

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Does Allah erase anything other than what has been established, and does He establish anything other than what did not exist?

Imam Askari (peace be upon him): Abu Hashim al-Ja'fari said: Muhammad ibn Salih asked Imam Askari (peace be upon him) about the verse: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah erases what He wills and establishes, and with Him is Ummul Kitab]. The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Is it anything other than that Allah erases what has existed and establishes what has not existed?" I said to myself: "This is contrary to the statement of Hisham, who [holds] that Allah has no knowledge of a thing until that thing comes into existence." Then Imam Askari (peace be upon him) looked at me and said: "Allah the Exalted is the Compeller. He is the Knower of all things before they come into being. He is the Creator when there was no created thing." I said: "I bear witness that you are the proof (hujjah) of Allah."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): By Allah! Were it not for one verse in the Book of Allah, we would tell you of what will happen until the Day of Resurrection: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah erases what He wills and establishes, and with Him is Ummul Kitab].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): If there were not one verse in the Qur'an, I would surely have informed you of what has happened, what is, and what will happen until the Day of Resurrection; and that is this verse: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): My father, Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him), said: "If there were not one verse in the Qur'an, I would have told you of what will happen until the Day of Resurrection." I said to him: "Which verse?" He said: "This word of the Lord: یَمْحُو اللهُ مَا یَشَاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِندَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتَابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab]."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Hamzah al-Thumali said: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "O Abu Hamzah! If we tell you about something that it will come from here, and it comes from there, then indeed it is Allah who does whatever He wills. And if we tell you something today and tomorrow we tell you the opposite of it, know that it is so because Allah erases what He wills and establishes what He wills."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): With this verse present, how are we to speak: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab]. As for one who says that Allah the Exalted does not know a thing except after its coming into being, he has disbelieved and gone outside of tawhid (monotheism).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): "Whatever ruling We abrogate, or delay its abrogation, We bring better than it, or the like of it" (Baqarah/106). The abrogator is that which is changed, and that which delays it is like the unseen that has not yet come to pass, as in the word of Allah: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab]; Allah does what He wills and changes what He wills — like [the fate of] the people of Yunus (peace be upon him), for when bada' occurred for Allah concerning them, He had mercy on them; and like the word of Allah: "Now that it is so, turn away from them, for you will never be blameworthy" (Dhariyat/54). The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "Allah's mercy reached them."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Whenever Allah the Exalted wills the destruction of a people, He commands the celestial sphere and it revolves over them with greater speed, and thus the shortening of their lifespan comes about. But whenever Allah the Exalted wills the endurance of a people, He commands the celestial sphere and it slows its revolution, and their era proceeds slowly, and consequently the increase and extension He has willed for them comes about. So never deny such truths, for یَمْحُو اللهُ مَا یَشَاءُ وَیُثْبِتُ وَعِندَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتَابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ibn Sinan said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: Allah the Exalted advances whatever He wills and delays whatever He wills, and erases whatever He wills and confirms whatever He wills; and عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [with Him is Ummul Kitab]. And he also said: 'Every matter which Allah wills exists in His knowledge before He brings it about. Nothing appears to Him except that it was already in His knowledge. Indeed, nothing appears to Allah such that it was preceded by ignorance on His part.'

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ishaq ibn Ammar narrates from someone who heard from a man that Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), regarding the verse: 'And the Jews said: The hand of Allah is tied up [in chains]' (al-Ma'idah/64), said: 'The Jews did not mean that He is literally so, but they said: He has finished with the matter, so He neither adds nor decreases.' Allah the Mighty and Majestic, in refutation of their statement, said: 'May their hands be tied! And on account of this speech, may they be distanced from [divine] mercy! Rather, both His hands [of power] are outstretched; He gives however He wills!' (al-Ma'idah/64). Have you not heard that Allah the Mighty and Majestic says: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Allah the Exalted has recorded everything that has been and will be in a book, and everything is placed before the Lord and He sees it. So whatever He wills, He advances, and whatever He wills, He sends back, and whatever He wills, He erases, and to whatever He wills, He gives existence, and if He does not will, it does not come into being.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): There are two kinds of matter: the suspended matter and the decreed matter. Whatever is decreed, He carries out; and whatever is suspended [and not decreed], the divine will and pleasure is operative in it, and He decrees regarding it whatever He wills.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Allah did not raise anyone to prophethood until He took from him three pledges: acknowledgement of servitude and worship to Allah, discarding of equals [associated] with Allah, and belief that Allah brings forward whatever He wills and puts back whatever He wills.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Knowledge is of two kinds: a knowledge which is with Allah, stored in the divine treasury of the unseen, and no one among people has awareness of it; and a knowledge which Allah has taught to His angels and messengers. So that portion of the knowledge which He has taught to His angels and messengers will surely come to pass. Allah does not attribute lying to Himself, His angels, or His messengers. But that portion of the divine knowledge which is hidden in the treasury and store of the divine unseen — He brings forward from it as much as He wills, delays as much as He wills, and establishes and fixes whatever He wills.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Allah has two knowledges: one is stored away and none but He has knowledge of it — and it is from this kind that bada' (change in divine decree) occurs. The other is the knowledge which He has taught to the angels, prophets and messengers; we too know it.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): They are two books: a book other than Ummul Kitab, from which Allah erases whatever He wills and establishes [whatever He wills]; and Ummul Kitab, from which He alters nothing.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Whatever generations He wills, He erases, and whatever He wills of them, He establishes. Like [this] statement of Allah the Exalted: ثُمَّ أَنْشَأْنَا مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ قَرْناً آخَرِینَ [Then We raised up after them another generation.] (Mu'minun/31) and [this] statement of Allah the Exalted: وَ کَمْ أَهْلَکْنا قَبْلَهُمْ مِنْ قَرْنٍ [How many generations before them did We destroy (for their sins)!] (Maryam/74).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Allah the Mighty and Majestic informed Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) of what has occurred from the beginning of the world and of what will occur until the end of the world. He informed him of those events that are definite [and made an exception regarding those that are not definite and depend on His will] [and did not inform him of them].

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): O Allah! If in Your presence I am deprived and my sustenance is straitened upon me, then erase my deprivation and the straitening of my sustenance, and record me with You as one provided for and granted success in good works; for You Yourself said: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): O Possessor of favour upon whom there is no favour! O Possessor of abundant bounty, there is no god but You! O Support of those who seek refuge, Shelter of the fearful, and Protector of those who seek help! If with You and in Ummul Kitab I am wretched, or deprived, or my sustenance is straitened, then erase from Ummul Kitab my wretchedness, my deprivation, and the straitening of my sustenance, and record me with You as blessed, granted success in good, and with sustenance made ample for me; for You said in Your Book sent down upon Your Prophet: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab].

Imam Mahdi (may Allah hasten his noble relief): O my Allah, I know with certainty that You do not command injustice, nor are You pleased with it, nor do You incline towards it, nor do You desire it, nor do You love it, nor do You engage in it. And You know what these people are engaged in — of oppression against Your servants, and their transgression against us, and their exceeding the bounds without right and without any lawful basis, rather out of injustice, enmity, falsehood, and slander. So if You have set for them a term which must inevitably be reached, or have written for them appointed times which they must attain, then You have said — and Your word is true and Your promise is truthful: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab]. So I ask You by the right of all that Your sent prophets have asked You, and Your messengers who are the sent ones, and I ask You by that which Your righteous servants and Your near-stationed angels have asked You — that You erase that from the Preserved Tablet, and establish for them annihilation and destruction, and that You bring their appointed times near, and end their term, and take away their days, and cut short their lives, and destroy their transgressors, and give power of some of them over others, until You do not leave any one of them remaining, and do not deliver any of them, and never spare any one of them, and scatter their assemblies, and blunt their weapons, and disperse their people, and cut short their appointed terms, and shorten their lives, and shake their feet, and purify Your lands from them, and make Your servants prevail over them. For indeed they have altered Your way and broken Your covenant and torn the veil of Your sanctity, and committed what You forbade them from, and rebelled greatly, and gone astray a far-reaching straying.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) and Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Allah has not been worshipped by anything like bada (the appearance of a new decree).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Bada (a change in decree) does not occur for Allah regarding anything except that it was in His knowledge before it occurred for Him.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): As for the one who denies bada (a change in decree) [his statement is invalid, because] Allah has said in His Book: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book]. Does He erase anything except what has been?! And does He establish anything except what has not been [does He establish anything that has been]?! And the like of this verse is plentiful in the Book of Allah the Mighty and Majestic.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): He was asked about the saying of Allah: "Enter the holy land which Allah has decreed for you" (Ma'idah/21). He said: "He decreed it for them, then He erased it, and He decreed it for their children; so they entered that land: وَ اللهُ یَمْحُو ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [And Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book]."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Amr ibn al-Hamiq said: When Ali (peace be upon him) was struck in Kufa, I said: "There is nothing to worry about; the wound is superficial." The Imam (peace be upon him) said: "By my life! I shall be leaving you." Then he said three times: "Until seventy, there is affliction." I said: "Is there ease after the affliction?" He did not answer me and fell unconscious. So Umm Kulthum wept. When he regained consciousness, he said: "O Umm Kulthum, do not distress me. If you saw what I see, you would not weep. The angels of the seven heavens, one after another, and the prophets are saying: 'O Ali, join us. Indeed, what lies ahead of you is better than what you are in.'" I said: "O Amir al-Mu'minin, you said: 'Until seventy years there is affliction and hardship.' Does ease appear after seventy?" He said: "Yes, indeed after affliction there is ease: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book]." Abu Hamza said: I said to Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): "Ali (peace be upon him) said: 'Until seventy years affliction and hardship come,' and he used to say: 'After seventy there is ease and comfort,' but we have not seen ease until now." Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "O Thabit, Allah had set the time for this matter at seventy. But when Husayn (peace be upon him) was martyred, Allah became angry with the people of the earth and postponed it to one hundred and forty years. Then we informed you of the hadith, and you disclosed it and lifted the veil of the secret, so Allah postponed it and after that no time has been set for it with Allah: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book]." Abu Hamza said: I mentioned this [narration] to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him), and he said: "It was exactly so."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Allah the Exalted presented the names and lifespans of the prophets to Adam (peace be upon him). When it reached the name of Dawud (peace be upon him) and his lifespan, He indicated his lifespan in this world as forty years. Adam (peace be upon him) said: 'O Lord, how short is the lifespan of Dawud and how long is mine! O Lord, is it possible that You grant him thirty years of my lifespan?' Allah said: 'Yes, O Adam (peace be upon him).' Adam (peace be upon him) said: 'Then reduce thirty years from my lifespan and add it to his lifespan.' Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: 'Allah the Exalted added thirty years to the lifespan of Dawud (peace be upon him) and established it firmly for him, and this matter was indeed established with Allah the Exalted.' And the words of Allah the Exalted: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is the basis of the Book], point to this same meaning. Then the Imam (peace be upon him) said: 'Therefore, He erased what was established with Allah the Exalted for Adam (peace be upon him), and He established for Dawud (peace be upon him) what had not been established with Him.'

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): It is narrated from Sama'a: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say: 'Allah has never turned back a punishment from any people over whom it had already cast its shadow, except the people of Yunus (peace be upon him).' I said: 'Had the punishment cast its shadow over them?' He said: 'Yes, to the point that they took hold of it with their hands.' I said: 'Then how was it that it was turned back?' He said: 'In the established, eternal knowledge of Allah, of which He had informed no one, it had been thus decreed that He would turn the punishment away from them.'

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Allah sent termites upon the document of the polytheists of Mecca, and they ate it up. Jibra'il descended and informed the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) of this, and the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) informed Abu Talib (may Allah have mercy on him). Abu Talib went to the Quraysh in al-Masjid al-Haram. They honored him and said: "Do you wish to restore ties with us and hand over your nephew to us?" He said: "By Allah, I have not come for this, but my nephew has told me — and he has never lied to me — that Allah has informed him of the state of your document. So bring me your document; if his word is true, then fear Allah and turn back from the injustice and severing of kinship in which you are engaged; and if his word is false, I will hand him over to you." So they brought the document and broke the seals, and suddenly they saw that nothing remained on it except "In Your name, O Allah" and the name of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). Then Abu Talib (may Allah have mercy on him) said to them: "Fear Allah and desist from what you are doing." They fell silent and dispersed. Then the verse was revealed: "Invite to the way of your Lord!" (Nahl/125). The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "How shall I invite them, while they have agreed to abandon my call?" Then this verse was revealed: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases]. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) asked Abu Talib about leaving the ravine [of Abi Talib]; then seven persons from the Quraysh agreed to annul their document.

Imam al-Askari (peace be upon him): Ibn Suriya said to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), "Tell us, which angel brings you the revelation from Allah?" He said, "Jibril." Ibn Suriya said, "Among the angels, Jibril is our enemy. He constantly brings us slaughter, hardship and war, whereas our messenger and emissary is Mika'il, who is the bearer of joy and abundance. If the angel of your revelation were Mika'il, we would believe in you, because he would strengthen our power, but Jibril destroys our kingdom, and for that reason he is our enemy." Salman al-Farisi (may Allah have mercy on him) asked him, "From where did his enmity with you begin?" He replied, "It has happened very often that he has shown enmity toward us…" Salman (may Allah have mercy on him) said, "Ibn Suriya! With this very corrupt thinking you have gone astray from the path of truth. See how your forefathers appointed Daniyal to kill Bukhtnassar (Nebuchadnezzar), even though Allah had, through His prophets and messengers, informed them that he would gain power over Bayt al-Muqaddas and would destroy it. They intended to deny the prophets and to accuse them regarding the news they had given, or else, while affirming the news of the prophets, they wanted to prevail over what Allah had decreed. Is it possible that such people are anything but disbelievers? What enmity can one hold against Jibril (peace be upon him), who blocks the scheme of overturning Allah's decree and [has restrained the people] from denying the news of the prophets?" Ibn Suriya said, "It is true that Allah gave such news through [His] prophets, but He erases whatever He wills and establishes whatever He wills." Salman (may Allah have mercy on him) said: In that case one cannot rely on anything in the Tawrat concerning the past or the future, for indeed Allah erases whatever He wills and establishes whatever He wills. Perhaps Allah has removed Musa (peace be upon him) and Harun from prophethood and nullified their call, because He establishes whatever He wills; and perhaps all that they told you would occur in the future will not occur, and what they told you would not occur may occur; and likewise what they told you had happened may not have happened, and what they told you had not happened may have happened; and it may be that the reward which they say is given in return for deeds has been erased by Allah, and every punishment and torment with which they threatened [people] may not take place, because He erases and establishes. You do not know the meaning of erasing and establishing, and for that reason you are disbelievers in Allah and deniers of Allah's news of the unseen, and you are stripped from the religion.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'A person of whose life only three years remain performs silat al-rahim (maintaining ties of kinship), and Allah the Mighty and Majestic makes his life thirty years. And [a person] cuts off ties of kinship while thirty years of his life remain, [and Allah reduces his life and] brings it down to three years.' Then he recited this verse: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتاب [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) — addressing Ibn Abi Fatima: A servant does good to his kinsfolk while only three years of his life remain, and Allah makes it thirty-three years; and a servant, because he is disobedient toward his kinsfolk and does not observe their rights, while thirty-three years of his life remain, Allah makes it three years. Then he recited this verse: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتاب [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Humran says: I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): 'What is the meaning of یَمْحُو اللهُ مَا یَشَاءُ وَیُثْبِتُ وَعِندَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتَابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab]?' He said: 'O Humran! When the Night of Qadr arrives and the recording angels descend to the lowest heaven, they write down all the events of that year. Then, if Allah wills, He brings something forward or delays it, or reduces it or increases it. He commands the angel to erase whatever Allah wills, and to establish whatever Allah wills.' At that point I said to him: 'So everything that will happen is with Allah in a book?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Such and such happens, and then those events occur, until the year comes to its end?' He said: 'Yes.' I said: 'Then what will remain in Allah's hand [after that]?' He said: 'Glory be to Allah! Then Allah the Exalted also creates whatever He wills, Blessed and Exalted is He.'

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim says: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) was asked about the Night of Qadr. He said: 'On that night the angels and the writers [of revelation] descend to the lowest heaven and write down what will occur during the year and what will befall the servants during it.' He said: 'And there are some matters whose occurrence in that year is contingent upon the will of Allah — from among them He brings forward what He wills and delays what He wills. And this is the meaning of the words of Allah the Mighty and Majestic: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah makes to pass away and establishes what He pleases, and with Him is Ummul Kitab].'

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): I and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) will be at the Hawd (Pool), and our household will also be with us. Whoever wishes to come to us must act upon our sayings and perform our deeds. We, the Ahl al-Bayt, are the people of shafa'a (intercession). Allah began through us and through us He ended, and Allah erases whatever He wills and establishes whatever He wills, and through us the rain descends.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Whenever you intend to visit Aba Abdillah al-Husayn (peace be upon him), perform ghusl, stand at the threshold of the shrine and say: السَّلَامُ عَلَیْکَ یَا حُجَّةَ اللهِ وَ ابْنَ حُجَّتِه [Peace be upon you, O Proof of Allah and son of His Proof]; through you Allah removes falsehoods, and through you Allah drives away hardships and difficulties, through you Allah opens and inaugurates and through you He seals and completes. And through you He erases whatever He wills and establishes [whatever He wills].

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Nawfali said: Sulayman al-Marwazi, the theologian of Khurasan, came to al-Ma'mun, and al-Ma'mun, along with showing him great respect, also gave him gifts, and said: "My cousin Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (peace be upon him) has come to me from the Hijaz, and he loves the science of kalam (theology) and its people, so there is no objection to your coming to us on the Day of Tarwiyah to debate with him" ... Then al-Ma'mun turned to the Imam (peace be upon him) and said: "What do you say?" ... The Imam said: "Continue your question." Sulayman [as if withdrawing his own words] said: "No, rather [Murid (Willer)] is one of the names of Allah." The Imam said: "Has He named Himself with such a name?" Sulayman said: "No, He has not named Himself with such a name." The Imam said: "Then you have no right to give Him a name by which He has not named Himself." Sulayman said: "But He Himself has described Himself as Murid." The Imam said: "His describing Himself as Murid does not mean that He wished to say: He is will, or that will is one of His names." Sulayman said: "Because His will is the very same as His knowledge." The Imam said: "O ignorant one! If Allah knows a thing, does that mean He has willed it?!" Sulayman said: "Yes, certainly." The Imam said: "Now, if He does not will it, does that mean He has no knowledge or awareness of it?!" Sulayman said: "Yes, certainly." The Imam said: "From where do you say this? And what proof do you have that Allah's will is the very same as His knowledge? Whereas sometimes Allah knows a thing but never wills it — for instance this noble verse: وَ لَئِنْ شِئْنا لَنَذْهَبَنَّ بِالَّذِی أَوْحَیْنا إِلَیْکَ [And if We willed, We would surely take away that which We have revealed to you] (al-Isra/86). Allah knows how to take it away, but He will never do so." Sulayman said: "Because Allah has finished with the matter and has withdrawn His hand from the work, and will not add anything to what He has decreed." The Imam said: This is the statement of the Jews. If what you say were correct, then how does Allah say: ادْعُونِی أَسْتَجِبْ لَکُمْ [Call upon Me, I will answer you] (Ghafir/60)?" Sulayman said: "He means that He is capable of doing this." The Imam said: "Does He make a promise which He will not fulfill?! Then how has He said: يَزِيدُ فِي الْخَلْقِ ما يَشاءُ [He adds to the creation whatever He wills] (Fatir/1), and He has also said: یَمْحُوا اللهُ ما یَشاءُ وَ یُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْکِتابِ [Allah erases what He wills and establishes, and with Him is Ummul Kitab] — and now He has finished with the matters?!" Sulayman had no answer.

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): Mu'alla narrates: Imam Kazim (peace be upon him) was asked, "How did Allah come to know?" He said: "He knew, and He willed, and He intended, and He decreed, and He judged, and He executed. He executed what He had judged, and judged what He had decreed, and decreed what He had intended. So His will (mashiyyah) is from His knowledge, and His intention (iradah) is from His will, and His decree (taqdir) is from His intention, and His judgement (qada) is from His decree, and His execution (imda) is from His judgement. Therefore His knowledge precedes His will, and will is in the second rank, and intention in the third rank, and decree consists in the judgement being executed. Allah, Blessed and Exalted, whenever He wills, can bring about bada (change of appointment) in what He knows and in what He has intended for the decree of things. When Allah's judgement comes about through His execution, there is no more bada. Therefore knowledge is of the known before its existence, and will is in the willed before its concrete realisation, and intention regarding the intended is before its actualisation, and the decree of these known things is before their being detailed and brought to concrete realisation and actualisation; and judgement by way of execution is the settled form of deeds and bodies and things perceived by the senses — those existents which have colour and smell and weight and volume, and all creatures that crawl and walk, such as humans and jinn and birds and beasts of prey and other beings perceived by the senses. Allah the Exalted has bada regarding things that have not yet acquired concrete existence, [but] when their perceivable, comprehensible concrete form comes about, there is no more bada, and Allah does whatever He wills."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Indeed this Book is a Book in which Allah erases what He wills and establishes what He wills. From this it follows that supplication (du'a) repels the decree, and this is a supplication which is written down as repelling the decree — so long as it has not been recorded in Ummul Kitab; for once it is recorded there, supplication will have no effect in repelling the decree.