"Once in Kufa...

"Once in Kufa, after Amirul Mu'minin's return from Siffin a man came to him and sat with his legs folded underneath in front of the Imam (a.s.) and said, "O Amirul Mu'minin, tell us about our journey against the people of Sham (Syria) was it because of Allah's determining it to be so?" Chapter 31 : Chapter on Predestination, Fate and the Middle road in between H 397, Ch.

31, h 1 Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Ishaq ibn Muhammad and others, in a marfu' manner, who have said the following. "Once in Kufa, after Amirul Mu'minin's return from Siffin, a man came to him and sat with his legs folded underneath in front of the Imam (a.s.) and said, "O Amirul Mu'minin, tell us about our journey against the people of Sham (Syria).

Was it because of Allah's decree and determination or not?" Amir al-Mu'minin said, "Yes, O Shaykh, every hill that you climbed and every valley that you traversed was because of the decree and the determination of Allah." The Shaykh then said, "Will my tiring efforts be counted in the sight of Allah, O Amir al-Mu'minin?" The Imam said, "Be patient, O Shaykh.

I swear to Allah that He will grant you a great reward for your journey wherever you traveled, for your stay wherever you rested and for your return when you were headed back.

In none of these conditions that you went through you were coerced or compelled." The Shaykh then said, "How would we not be considered compelled or coerced when all of our journey, rest and return were because if the decree and determination of Allah?" The Imam said, "Do You think it was all due to unavoidable decree and binding determination? Had it been so all the reward, punishment, commandments, orders and warnings from Allah would remain invalid and meaningless.

The promise and warnings would fall apart. No one could blame the sinners and no one would praise the people of good deeds. The sinners could have been more deserving than the people of good deeds and the latter ones could have deserved more punishment. Such can only be the belief of the idol worshippers, the enemies of the Beneficent and of the party of Satan and determinist of this nation (Ummah) and her Zoarastarians.

"Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has obligated people on the basis of their freedom and choice and has prohibited as a warning. He rewards a great deal for very little of deeds. Disobedience to Him is not due to His weakness or His defeat. Obedience to Him is not for compulsion and coercion.