Allah has set for everything a measure, and for every measure a [specified] term.

15ـ كُلُّ شَيْء فيهِ حيلَةٌ إلاّ القَضاءُ. How can one whose certitude is not true [and firm] be pleased with the divine decree? 16ـ كَيْفَ يَرضى بِالقَضاءِ مَنْ لَمْ يَصْدُقْ يَقينُهُ. One who seeks to overpower destiny is overcome by it. 17ـ مَنْ غالَبَ الأقْدارَ غَلَبَتْهُ. One who is certain about destiny is not disturbed by what befalls him. 18ـ مَنْ أيْقَنَ بِالقَدَرِ لَمْ يَكْتَرِثْ بِما نابَهُ. One who is pleased with what has been destined [for him] is not troubled by warning.

19ـ مَنْ رَضِيَ بِالقَدَرِ لَمْ يَكْرُثْهُ الحَذَرُ. The tribulations of destiny overtake precaution. 20ـ مِحَنُ القَدَرِ تَسْبِقُ الحَذَرَ. The best expeller of distress is reliance on divine decree. 21 ـ نِعْمَ الطّارِدُ لِلْهَمِّ اَلاِتِّكالُ عَلَى القَدَرِ. The descending of destiny overtakes precaution. 22ـ نُزُولُ القَدَرِ يَسْبِقُ الحَذَرَ. The descending of destiny blinds the sight. 23ـ نُزُولُ القَدَرِ يُعْمِى البَصَرَ.

Destiny comes to pass in accordance with divine decree, contrary to the choice and planning [of the people]. 24ـ يَجْرِى القَضاءُ بِالمَقاديرِ عَلى خِلافِ الاِخْتِيارِ والتَّدْبيرِ. The worst of things is displeasure with the divine decree. 25ـ شَرُّ الأُمُورِ السَّخَطُ لِلْقَضاءِ.

He (‘a) was asked about destiny so he said: It is a dark path, so do not traverse it, and it is a deep sea, so do not dive into it, and it is a secret of Allah, the Glorified, so do not trouble yourself with [trying to understand] it. 26ـ وَسُئِلَ ـ عَلَيه السّلامُ ـ عَنِ القَدَرِ؟ فَقالَ: طَريقٌ مُظْلِمٌ فَلا تَسْلُكُوهُ، وبَحْرٌ عَميقٌ فَلا تَلِجُوهُ، وسِرُّ اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ فَلا تَتَكَلَّفُوهُ. Destiny overpowers precaution. 27ـ اَلقَدَرُ يَغْلِبُ الحَذَرَ. Previous…