46/1. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 2648a — Pens Have Dried
How The Human Being Is Created, In His Mother's Womb, And His Provision, Lifespan And Deeds Are Written Down, And His Misery and Happiness
Hadith About the Pens Have Dried and Destiny
Sahih Muslim : 2648a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 2648a
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ جَاءَ سُرَاقَةُ بْنُ مَالِكِ بْنِ جُعْشُمٍ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ بَيِّنْ لَنَا دِينَنَا كَأَنَّا خُلِقْنَا الآنَ فِيمَا الْعَمَلُ الْيَوْمَ أَفِيمَا جَفَّتْ بِهِ الأَقْلاَمُ وَجَرَتْ بِهِ الْمَقَادِيرُ أَمْ فِيمَا نَسْتَقْبِلُ قَالَ " لاَ . بَلْ فِيمَا جَفَّتْ بِهِ الأَقْلاَمُ وَجَرَتْ بِهِ الْمَقَادِيرُ " . قَالَ فَفِيمَ الْعَمَلُ قَالَ زُهَيْرٌ ثُمَّ تَكَلَّمَ أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ بِشَىْءٍ لَمْ أَفْهَمْهُ فَسَأَلْتُ مَا قَالَ فَقَالَ " اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ " .
Jabir Narrated from:
Suriqa b. Malik b. Ju'shuin came and said: Allah's Messenger, explain our religion to us (in a way) as if we have been created just now. Whosoever deeds we do today, is it because of the fact that-the pens have dried (after recording them) and the destinies have began to operate or these have effects in future? Thereupon he said: The pens have dried and destinies have begun to operate.(Suraqa b. Malik) said: If it Is so, then what is the use of doing good deeds? Zuhair said: Then Abu Zubair said something but I could not understand that and I said. What did he say? Thereupon he said: Act, for everyone is facilitated what he intends to do.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2648aIn-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 13USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 33, Hadith 6402
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 2648a
This hadith about the pens have dried records Suraqa b. Malik asking the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم to explain religion as if they had just been created. He asked whether today’s deeds are based on what has already been written and what destinies have begun to operate, or whether they relate only to what comes later. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم answered that the pens have dried and destinies have begun to operate. When Suraqa asked about the use of doing deeds, the answer was still: act, for everyone is facilitated. The lesson is clear. Qadar is real, but action remains part of the path. A believer should not use written destiny as a reason to stop doing good.
What we learn from this hadith
- The hadith affirms that destiny has been written.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم still commanded people to act.
- Belief in qadar should not remove personal effort.
- Everyone is facilitated toward what they do.
