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Fatwa CenterDestiny and our responsibility
Question
My husband died in a motor accident as a result of my brother-in-law's reckless and very fast driving. My in-law's blame it on destiny and believes that my brother-in-law is blameless for my husband's death along with 4 other boys. I don't agree with them, please tell me with explanation whether I am right or wrong. I believe that Allaah is aware of all that is to happen and so it is written down on the tablet. That does not mean it was planned to happen like that and the one who is responsible for another's death will have to pay the price in the hereafter if they do not accept their faults and apologies to the bereaved family. I was 2 months pregnant when he died. Is it not said "tie your camel and trust in GOD" Allaah has given us a brain and mind to think and use. So is it not our responsibility to be thoughtful of others and not blame destiny for a careless act and try to justify oneself. I love my husband deeply and I miss him so much. With a lot of prayers and the patience Allaah has bestowed on me I'm getting strong, but the thought of my husband bleeds my heart. Despite the differences shown towards me by my in-laws I do not pay attention to such instead I fulfill my duties and more towards them. Please tell me if my view is correct.
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 is His slave and Messenger. We ask Allaah to exalt his mention as well as that of his family and all his companions.
First of all we advise you to patiently endure the loss of your husband and we remind you of the saying of the Prophet 
: "The greatness of the extent of the reward is proportional to the greatness of the affliction. When Allaah loves some people, He afflicts them. So, those of them who are content get the reward of being content while those who get angry get the punishment of being discontent." [At-Tirmithi]
As regards accusing the driver of being responsible for the accident, if the driver was driving safely and was not reckless and despite all this, an accident happened, then he is not responsible. However, if he is negligent about driving safely and was not careful, like driving his own car while he felt sleepy, or neglected to check the tyres or respect traffic rules and regulations, in this case he is reckless and careless and has to expiate and pay Ad-Diyah (i.e. blood-money (compensation) to be given to the family of the deceased) [see details in Fatwa: 88305], as he is the one who caused the accident. Therefore, there is no point in giving excuses that the matter was predestined to escape the religious obligations that are due because of the incident. The Decree is predestined by Allaah, and it is He Who ordered us to take all necessary precautions and forbade us from being negligent. It is also He, Who prescribed the expiation and blood-money when someone kills another person accidentally, so that people would not take the matter carelessly and so that (innocent) people would not be killed in vain.
Allaah knows best.
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