Chapter Six : Invoking For Evil :

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.”