Belief in fate is an integral part of perfect faith
Fatwa No: 16833

Question

I am always anxious. When my mother takes my sister to school I become worried because I fear that she might have a car accident. My mother had a car accident last year which only made my obsession grow worse. What is your advice?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

Firstly, we ask Allaah the Almighty to guide you to all that is good and to protect you from evil. 

You should also know, honorable sister, that Allaah the Almighty ordained the destiny and measures of creation fifty-thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth while His Throne was upon water, as stated by the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam.  [Muslim]

Thus, why should you worry? What should you fear? Indeed everything has already been predestined. Therefore, you should be satisfied with the decree of Allaah the Almighty who will reward you for your satisfaction. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said that a person’s reward is proportional to their amount of suffering. When Allaah loves a people, He tries them with affliction. Those who remain content with the decree of Allaah, He is pleased with, and those who are dissatisfied with the decree of Allaah are punished and He is displeased with them. [At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah]

The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, also said that whoever is satisfied with the decree of Allaah the Almighty will be the most satisfied in life.  [At-Tirmithi]

You should know that belief in predestination is one of the essential fundamentals of ’Eemaan (faith). A person’s faith is incomplete until he believes in fate, which entails that no one can decide, increase, decrease, advance or delay what Allaah has meant for them. Having established this belief, a believer will lead a happy and peaceful life. 

Finally, we advise you not to surrender to these obsessions. Let the Lord and the Sustainer be your disposer of everything. He is more merciful to you than you are to yourself.  Also, try to keep yourself busy with performing Thikr (mentionings and remembrances) and other acts of worship, and in acquiring useful knowledge.

And Allaah Knows best.

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