Fatwa ID: 06382
Answered by: Alimah Zakiratul Hoque
Question:
Assalamu alaikum Shaykh. I believe in the existence of satan and also believe that satan whispers to misguide and distract humans from their goals. So, I believe that there are thoughts that are influenced by the whispers of satan. But I don’t believe these thoughts which are influenced by satan’s whispers to be involuntary. Because technically it is the humans who think these thoughts even though these thoughts are influenced by or triggered by satan’s whispers. My question is, is there any sin or any problem if I believe thoughts that are influenced by or triggered by satan’s whispers are not involuntary?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Thoughts/feelings are of 2 types: thoughts that one intentionally formulates, and thoughts that occur in the mind and one does not have the ability to remove (Tafseer Kabeer, Vol 7, Pg 104). (1)
It would not be correct to believe that all thoughts are voluntary, or that all thoughts are involuntary. Rather, some thoughts can be voluntary and others involuntary. If all thoughts were voluntary, the Sahaabah would not have struggled with the Ayah of the Qur’an (written below) stating that Allah would also hold people to account for what is in their hearts (Sahih Muslim, 125). (2)
“To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and whether you disclose that which is in your mind or conceal it, Allah will call you to account according to it. Then He forgives whom He pleases and chastises whom He Pleases, and Allah is over everything Potent” (2:284). (3)
When the abovementioned Ayah was revealed, the Sahaabah approached the Prophet ﷺ and said “Messenger of Allah, we were assigned some duties which were within our power to perform, such as prayer, fasting, struggling (in the cause of Allah), charity. Then this (the above-mentioned) verse was revealed unto you and it is beyond our power to live up to it.”
The Prophet ﷺ told them to say:” We hear and we obey, (we seek) Thy forgiveness, Our Lord! and unto Thee is the return.”
When they did so, Allah revealed immediately afterwards: “The Apostle believes in that which is sent down unto him from his Lord, and so do the believers. Each one believes in Allah and His Angels and His Books and His Apostles, saying: We differentiate not between any of His Apostles and they say: We hearken and we obey: (we seek) Thy forgiveness, our Lord! and unto Thee is the return” (2:285). (4)
When they did that, Allah abrogated this (verse) and the Great, Majestic Allah revealed: “Allah burdens not a soul beyond its capacity. It gets every good that it earns and it suffers every ill that it earns. Our Lord, punish us not if we forget or make a mistake. do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us, impose not on us (burdens) which we have not the strength to bear, and pardon us and grant us protection! and have mercy on us. Thou art our Patron, so grant us victory over the disbelieving people” (2:286) (5)
Also, it has been narrated that: “…if somebody intends to do a good deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write for him a full good deed (in his account with Him); and if he intends to do a good deed and actually did it, then Allah will write for him (in his account) with Him (its reward equal) from ten to seven hundred times to many more times: and if somebody intended to do a bad deed and he does not do it, then Allah will write a full good deed (in his account) with Him, and if he intended to do it (a bad deed) and actually did it, then Allah will write one bad deed (in his account).” (Sahih Al Bukhari, 6491) (6)
You mention that the reason you don’t believe the thoughts to be involuntary is that it is the humans who think the thoughts, although they’re influenced by Shahytaan. However, humans do not have the ability to remove the thoughts that are influenced by Shaytaan. Therefore, they are involuntary in that they are disliked, were not actively thought of, and cannot be removed. It is due to this reason that Allah does not hold us accountable for our thoughts, as that would be unjust. Believing that all thoughts are voluntary, but Allah chooses to only reward good thoughts and not punish bad thoughts, makes Him seem unjust, which is not fitting for Him.
To answer your question, the belief that thoughts that are influenced or triggered by Shaytaan’s whispers are not involuntary somewhat goes against what is suggested by the Qur’an and Hadith. Therefore, it would be best to amend that belief.
Note: the above discussion is only regarding thoughts, and does not include the consequences of acting on the thoughts.
(1)
الْخَوَاطِرَ الْحَاصِلَةَ فِي الْقَلْبِ عَلَى قِسْمَيْنِ، فَمِنْهَا مَا يُوَطِّنُ الْإِنْسَانُ نَفْسَهُ عَلَيْهِ وَيَعْزِمُ عَلَى إِدْخَالِهِ فِي الْوُجُودِ، وَمِنْهَا مَا لَا يَكُونُ كَذَلِكَ بَلْ تَكُونُ أُمُورًا خَاطِرَةً بِالْبَالِ مَعَ أَنَّ الْإِنْسَانَ يَكْرَهُهَا وَلَكِنَّهُ لَا يُمْكِنُهُ دَفْعُهَا عَنِ النَّفْسِ، فَالْقِسْمُ الْأَوَّلُ: يَكُونُ مُؤَاخَذًا بِهِ، وَالثَّانِي: لَا يَكُونُ مُؤَاخَذًا بِهِ
(2)
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ } لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَإِنْ تُبْدُوا مَا فِي أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ{ قَالَ فَاشْتَدَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَأَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ بَرَكُوا عَلَى الرُّكَبِ فَقَالُوا أَىْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كُلِّفْنَا مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ مَا نُطِيقُ الصَّلاَةُ وَالصِّيَامُ وَالْجِهَادُ وَالصَّدَقَةُ وَقَدْ أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَيْكَ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ وَلاَ نُطِيقُهَا . قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ” أَتُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَقُولُوا كَمَا قَالَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابَيْنِ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا بَلْ قُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ ” . قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ . فَلَمَّا اقْتَرَأَهَا الْقَوْمُ ذَلَّتْ بِهَا أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِي إِثْرِهَا } آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ}{ فَلَمَّا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ نَسَخَهَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ } لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا{ قَالَ نَعَمْ } رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا{ قَالَ نَعَمْ } رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ{ قَالَ نَعَمْ } وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ{ قَالَ نَعَمْ
(3)
لِّلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِن تُبْدُوا۟ مَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُم بِهِ ٱللَّهُ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
(4)
ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَـٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
(5)
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ
(6)
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِيمَا يَرْوِي عَنْ رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَالَ قَالَ “ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَتَبَ الْحَسَنَاتِ وَالسَّيِّئَاتِ، ثُمَّ بَيَّنَ ذَلِكَ فَمَنْ هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً، فَإِنْ هُوَ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ عَشْرَ حَسَنَاتٍ إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ إِلَى أَضْعَافٍ كَثِيرَةٍ، وَمَنْ هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ عِنْدَهُ حَسَنَةً كَامِلَةً، فَإِنْ هُوَ هَمَّ بِهَا فَعَمِلَهَا كَتَبَهَا اللَّهُ لَهُ سَيِّئَةً وَاحِدَةً ”..
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Alimah Zakiratul Hoque
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
