Questions regarding Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz...

[RashidD]

Assalamu Alaikum brothers and sisters in Islam,

I've been reading this article (http://alarqam.com/cm/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57&Itemid=66) and it's very interesting although i'm not sure whether there's a concept i'm
grasping or not...

The different writings... Ok, so what's in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz doesn't change. The writings of the angels can change through du'aa right?
So the angels write about our life span, which is also written in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz right?
So how come one can change (Angel's writings) but it's fixed in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz?
I don't understand how the two correspond... Unless they're different writings...

EDIT: Oh hold on, i think i'm being a bit of an idiot... When you make du'aa, it can change... Although it would be already be written in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz that it'd change (as everything is written and predetermined therefore Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz is not itself changing) whereas the angel doesn't know except what Allah (SWT) tells it so therefore it'd change due to:

Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills). And with Him is the Mother of the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz)

Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:39

[aboo ishaaq]

as-Salâm 'alaikum aw rahmatullah,

Dr. Saleh as-Saleh of Understand-Islam.net has an excellent book on this topic. You can find it available online here (http://www.ahya.org/amm/modules.php?name=Sections&op=viewarticle&artid=12) in full, or a summarized version here (http://understand-islam.net/pafiledb/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=87) on his site.

[farouk92]

From what I understand, everything is predetermined by Allah (not just life span, death, birth etc...).

[Umar`]

From what I understand, everything is predetermined by Allah (not just life span, death, birth etc...).

and nothing averts the decree but the dua, subhanAllah.

[RashidD]

and nothing averts the decree but the dua, subhanAllah.

Could you expand on this please... :) JazakAllah Khair.

[Umar`]

Its from a hadith collected by Tirmidhi, 'Nothing but supplication averts the decree and nothing but righteousness increases life'
i just wanted to point out that while everything that bro Farouk said is true in that these things are determined, it doesnt mean that we just take a fatalistic approach but that we appreciate that Allah SWT Will answer the dua of the muslim either in the dunya or akhira and that by supplicating to Allah we fufill something Allah has also Written will be, and He will Answer and Reward us accordingly, inshaAllah, and its that which ultimately has been written by Allah, in His Infinite Knowledge.

[Arifa]

The ayat, "Allahu ta'ala erases what He wishes. And He does not change what He does not wish to. Umm-ul-kitab is kept by Him," which is in Rad Sura, denotes Lawh-i mahfuz. Umm-il-kitab is the name of the Kalam-i ilahi (Divine Word), which is eternal. Angels cannot understand it. It is not with time. In other words, time is not recorded in it. No one but Allahu ta'ala knows it. It never ceases to exist. As for the Lawh al-Mahfuz, there are changes in it. Angels see it. A person's lifetime and sustenance may be changed on account of his deeds. The good may be changed into evil and the evil into good. Accordingly, He may make a person perform good deeds towards his death, thus sending him as a Believer to the next world. And He may make some other person commit an evil deed, and, thus, He may send him without iman. For this reason, Rasulullah 'sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam' would often say the Arabic prayer, "Allahumma, ya muqallibal-qulub, thabbit qalbi 'ala dinik" [O Allah! Thou alone canst change our hearts from good to evil, from evil to good. Make my heart fixed in Thine din, do not ever let it turn away from or abandon it!]. Upon hearing this, the Sahaba 'alaihimurridwan' said, "O Rasulallah 'sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam'! You, too, are afraid of turning renegade?" "Who on earth could ensure me from makr-i ilahi?" was his answer. [Makr means trick. Lexically, makr-i ilahi means divine trick.] For, a hadith al-qudsi states, "Men's hearts are in the power of Rahman. He changes hearts as He wishes." That is, He changes them to evil or to good with His Attributes of Jalal and Jamal. The first thing written in Lawh-i mahfuz was: "There is no Allah besides Me. Hadrat Muhammad 'sallAllahu alaihi wa sallam' is My Messenger and My beloved one, and all are My creatures. I am the Rab, the Creator of everything." Then prophets and all the people that will come to the world until Doomsday were registered, the good ones as Said and the evil ones as shaqi.

Qadar does not change. Qada happens compatibly with qadar. Qada changes a number of times every day and is created when it is suitable with qadar at last. Something which was recorded to be created as qada-i muallaq is changed on account of the slave's good deeds and is not created. The Awliya have compared qadar to a granary and qada to a scale.

[The (celebrated grand dictionary titled) Qamus writes in the entry 'qada': "Qada is a special section of qadar. Qadar is like the wheat stocked in a granary. And qada is like giving it in measured amounts. Hadrat 'Umar 'radiAllahu anh' came to Damascus. But when he heard that there was plague in the city, he did not enter the city. When he was asked, 'Are you running away from Allah's qada?' he said, 'I am running from Allah's qada to His qadar. For qadar may change unless it turns into qada." Qadar is like a salary list (payroll). And qada is like the distribution of the salary. Ibni Asir said, "Qada and qadar do not part from each other; for qadar is like the foundation of a building and qada is like the building itself." It is written in the entry 'qadar': "Qadar is Allah's knowing in the eternal past all that will happen. Qada is His creating the things in qadar when the time comes."]

Imam-i Ghazali says in his book Ihya-ul-'Ulum, "Qada-i muallaq(hanging) is recorded in Lawh al- Mahfuz. If a person performs good deeds and his prayers are accepted the qada will change." A hadith ash-Sharif states, "Qadar does not change by taking precautions or avoiding. But a prayer that is accepted protects one against an approaching catastrophe." The prayer's repelling the catastrophe is also within qada and qadar. As a shield is a rampart against arrows, and as water causes grass to grow on earth, [and as the air's oxygen gas causes heat by burning the food substances in the cells of the living], so prayers cause Allah's compassion. A hadith ash-Sharif states, "Nothing can change the qada-i muallaq. But prayers only can change it; and favors, goodness only can lengthen one's lifetime." The recording of Allah's predestination, that is, qadar, in Lawh al-Mahfuz is qada. If the disaster predestined for a person is qada-i muallaq, that is, if it has been predestined also that the person would pray, he prays and, when the prayer is accepted, it prevents the disaster. Doing favors delays the ajal-i qada. But the ajal-i musamma does not change. The ajal-i qada is a person's lifetime which, for example, was predestined as sixty years if he performs some good deeds or gives alms or performs hajj (pilgrimage) and forty years if he does not do these. When the time is up, his death is not delayed even for one moment. While a person has, for example, three days left to live, thirty years may be added to his lifetime when he visits one of his relatives for Allah's sake. Another person may have, for example, thirty years more to live, but the rest of his lifetime may be reduced to three days because he neglects his relatives. It is written in the book Lubab-ut-tawil [alias Tafsir-i Hazin], that predestination was recorded in the Lawh al-Mahfuz in the eternal past. Nothing is recorded afterwards. In other words, the changes that would happen in Lawh al-Mahfuz, the lengthening or shortening of lifetimes, were recorded in eternity; this case is called qada-i muallaq. The changes in Lawh al-Mahfuz take place suitably with Allah's qadar, that is, His knowledge in eternity. When 'Umar 'radiAllahu anh' was wounded Qa'bul-akhbar said, "If 'Umar 'radiAllahu anh' wanted to live more he would pray, for his prayer would certainly be accepted." Those who heard this were surprised and said, "How dare you say so? Allahu ta'ala declares, 'Death is never late, nor does it come before time is up.' " Upon this he said, "Yes, death is not delayed when the time is up. But before the time is up, one's lifetime is lengthened owing to one's alms, prayers or pious deeds. For the sura of Fatir purports, 'Lifetimes of all and the shortening of lifetimes are all recorded.' "

http://www.hizmetbooks.org/Endless_Bliss_Third_Fascicle/bliss3_36.htm

[RashidD]

Arifa: That sounds a bit off from what i've read. Is that article saying Umm ul Kitab is NOT the same as Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz? Because from what i've read, they're the same thing (just different names) and what's written in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz is preserved i.e. not subject to any change whatsoever because it is based on the Allah's Knowledge.

http://alarqam.com/cm/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57&Itemid=66

....

Al-Kitabah الكتابة : Writing

Al-Kitabah means that Allah wrote everything about His creation; their livelihood, provision, life-spans, deeds, etc. All this is written in Umm al-Kitaab أم الكتاب (lit. Mother of all books, an expression define something as ‘the original’), also known as al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet)

تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاء وَالْأَرْضِ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ فِي كِتَابٍ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ

Know you not that Allah knows all that is in heaven and on earth? Verily, it is (all) in the Book (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz). Verily! That is easy for Allah.

Surah al-Hajj 22:70

The Qur'an itself is written in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz, as Allah says:

وَإِنَّهُ فِي أُمِّ الْكِتَابِ لَدَيْنَا لَعَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌرٌ

And Verily, it (this Qur'an) is in the Mother of the Book (i.e. Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz), before Us, indeed Exalted, full of Wisdom.

Surah az-Zukhruh 43:3

This is also mentioned in Surah al-Buruj 85:22. Even the smallest of detail has been recorded in the Preserved Tablet, as Allah says:

وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَن رَّبِّكَ مِن مِّثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاء وَلاَ أَصْغَرَ مِن ذَلِكَ وَلا أَكْبَرَ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ

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.

Surah Yunus 10:61

This is also mentioned in other verses; like Surah al-An'aam 6:59. These records are perfect and have missed nothing. Allah SWT has said referring to the answer of Moosa to the Pharaoh:

قَالَ فَمَا بَالُ الْقُرُونِ الْأُولَى

قَالَ عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّي فِي كِتَابٍ لَّا يَضِلُّ رَبِّي وَلَا يَنسَى

Fir'aun (Pharaoh) said: "What about the generations of old?.

Musa (Moses) said: "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord, in a Record. My Lord is neither unaware nor He forgets”.

Surah Ta-Ha 20:51-51
The Writing on Preserved Tablet لَوْحٍ مَّحْفُوظٍ doesn’t change

Some argue that what is written on preserved tablet can be re-written. This is false assumption. What was written on preserved tablet is final and it doesn’t change. Thus it is important to mention following Hadith to clarify that what Allah SWT wrote on the Preserved Tablet is firm and it doesn’t change.

Jabir reported that Suraqah bin Maalik came and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Explain our Deen to us as if we have been created just now. Whatever we do today, is it because of the fact that the pens have turned dry (having written the records) and the destinies have begun to operate? Or is it something that just happens (without pre-destination)?” Thereupon, the Messenger said, “Nay! Surely it is because of what has been recorded by the pens after they have dried and the destinies have begun to operate” - Sahih Muslim

The pen has been dried here means that what was written in the book is final and requires no further modification. Thus whatever actions happen in our live happens in accordance with what was written, and it can not happen otherwise, because it will constitute the lack of knowledge of Allah.

However, writing the actions of man does not mean that it is dictated upon him to do. It only means that:

i) Allah SWT knows what he (creation) will do no matter how many times the person might change his mind, and that

ii) Allah SWT decided not to interfere in changing that action, as if he wanted to change it He SWT would have done that and it would be easy for Him to do.
Other Writings of Taqdeer تقد ير

There are evidences in Qur’an and Sunnah that there are other writing of Taqdeer تقد ير other than what Allah SWT wrote on ام الكتاب(The Preserved Tabled) or لَوْحٍ مَّحْفُوظ. These can be thought of subset of what was written on the Preserved Tabled. What was written on the preserved tablet is only known to Allah SWT, however the order from preserved tablet is descended to these other writing, and made known to angles.

1. التقدير العمرى Covering the person’s life span: are written while in the mother’s womb at an early stage of his development

Abdullah bin Masood who said, that the Messenger of Allah (s) said: “The creation of everyone of you is collected for the first forty days in his mother’s womb in the form of a Nutfah after which it turns into a Alaqa for an equal period. Then it becomes a Mudhqah for a similar period and then Allah sends an angel with four words recording: the person’s provision, his life term, his deeds, or whether he will be of the wretched or the blessed (in the Hereafter).” Bukhari and Muslim

2. ليلةالقدر in the Night of al-Qadar: These are annual provisions that take place during the night of decree (Lailatul-Qadar, in last 10 days of Ramadan).

فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ

Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments.

Surah Ad-Dukhan 44:4



Ibn Abbas said: “On the night of Decree, everything that occurs over the whole (coming) year from the matters of death, births, provisions, and the rain would be recorded from the Record of the Mother of the Book; it would even be said that such and such a person would perform Hajj.” Mentioned in as-Syouti’s Ad-Durr al-Manthour [6/25] and al-Shawkani’s Fathul-Qadeer [4/572]

3. The Daily Taqdeer: these are the daily provisions from the Taqdeer according to its previously appointed terms and on its specific times. This can be a result of one’s prayers.

يَسْأَلُهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْنٍ

Whosoever is in the heavens and on earth begs of Him (its needs from Him). Every day He has a matter to bring forth (such as giving honour to some, disgrace to some, life to some, death to some, etc.)!

Surah ar-Rahman 55:29

In this Ayah, Allah affirms that He is Rich, Free of all wants for anyone else and that all creatures stand in need of Him, in all conditions and situations. They all seek His help willingly or unwillingly. Everyday, He is engaged in some affair.

Al-A`mash reported from Mujahid, from `Ubayd bin `Umayr, [كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِى شَأْنٍ] (Every day He is (engaged) in some affair.) He said, "Of His affairs is that He answers the supplicant, or gives to the one requesting, or removing adversity, or cures the one seeking to be cured.'' – Tafsir ibn-Khatir

Relationship between different levels of Taqdeers:

Ibn Taymiyah and Ibn Qaiyyim al-Jawziyyah stressed that the Taqdeer in the Preserved Tablet is a general and comprehensive one that covers everything, while the other writings of Taqdeer are special and specific details for the Taqdeer of the Preserved Tablet

The writing of the Preserved Tablet is Preserved, i.e. is not subject to any change whatsoever because it is based on Allah’s Knowledge [Ibn Taymiyah in al-Fatawa, vol.8, p.840]

In other books (or writings), however changes may occur, as in the case of the books handled by the angels, as Allah says:

يَمْحُو اللّهُ مَا يَشَاء وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِندَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ

Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills). And with Him is the Mother of the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz)

Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:39



Ibn Taymiyah explained that: “Provisions and life terms are of two kinds:

o The unchanged record written in Ummul Kitaab

o That made known to the angels by Allah (these records being subject to increase or decrease). This is why Allah says, “يَمْحُو اللّهُ مَا يَشَاء وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِندَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills); and with Him is Ummul Kitaab (the Preserved Tablet).” [Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:39]



In the angel’s books, both the life span and provisions increase and decrease due to specific reasons. Thus, Allah commands the angel to write the provision and life span of one of His slaves. If the slave joins the tie of kinship, Allah commands the angel to increase the slave’s sustenance and life term by specific increments. The angel does not know the actual outcome of extension in the life term, or that related to the increase in provisions. He (Allah) knows the out come (i.e. the pre-appointed term which is not to be prolonged nor delayed.” [al-Fatawa, vol.8, p.517 and p.540]



Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar said: “For example, to say to the angel that the age of such and such person is hundred years if he joins the tie of his kinship, and sixty years if he severs it. In the Foreknowledge of Allah it is known whether he will join or sever the tie of kinship; and whatever is in Allah’s Knowledge is not subject to extension or delay. However, the angel’s knowledge is the one subject to the increase or decrease. This is what is referred to in Allah’s saying: “يَمْحُو اللّهُ مَا يَشَاء وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِندَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَاب Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills); and with Him is Ummul Kitaab (the Preserved Tablet).” [Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:39]



Therefore the blotting and confirming is relevant to the knowledge of the angels, but what is recorded in Ummul Kitaab is relevant to Allah’s Knowledge, where there is absolutely no blotting…” [Fath ul-Bari, vol.10, p.430]

.......

That's just an extract from the abovementioned link :)

[farouk92]

The Qur'an as well as the hadiths mention that all of our actions are done by the will of Allah (we don't have free-will). I don't get why so many Islamic websites and scholars mention that we have freedom to make our own choices.

[RashidD]

I don't understand you...
Did you read the entire article? Are you saying Allah (SWT) forces our actions?

[farouk92]

I don't understand you...
Did you read the entire article? Are you saying Allah (SWT) forces our actions?
I only read the part you just posted right now. I'm not saying Allah (subhanahu wa ta'ala) forces our actions. I'm saying that everything is Allah's will. This means that whatever we do was already predetermined by Allah. But just like Umar' said,

it doesnt mean that we just take a fatalistic approach

[Arifa]

Arifa: That sounds a bit off from what i've read. Is that article saying Umm ul Kitab is NOT the same as Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz? Because from what i've read, they're the same thing (just different names) and what's written in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz is preserved i.e. not subject to any change whatsoever because it is based on the Allah's Knowledge.


Assalamu'alaikum, I was assuming the article also says they are the same thing. I think though, your article is much easier to understand :up: