Chapter on Wish and Will

لَا يَكُونُ شَيْ‌ءٌ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَ لَا فِي الْأَرْضِ‌ إِلَّا بِسَبْعٍ بِقَضَاءٍ وَ قَدَرٍ وَ إِرَادَةٍ وَ مَشِيئَةٍ وَ كِتَابٍ وَ أَجَلٍ وَ إِذْنٍ فَمَنْ زَعَمَ غَيْرَ هَذَا فَقَدْ كَذَبَ عَلَى اللَّهِ أَوْ رَدَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ.

There is nothing in heavens or on earth without seven: the decree, the measure, the will, the wish, the record (book) the duration and the permission. Whoever, would think something else he certainly has spoken a lie against Allah or has rejected Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High.

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌ لَا يَكُونُ شَيْ‌ءٌ إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَ أَرَادَ وَ قَدَّرَ وَ قَضَى قُلْتُ مَا مَعْنَى شَاءَ قَالَ ابْتِدَاءُ الْفِعْلِ قُلْتُ مَا مَعْنَى قَدَّرَ قَالَ تَقْدِيرُ الشَّيْ‌ءِ مِنْ طُولِهِ وَ عَرْضِهِ قُلْتُ مَا مَعْنَى قَضَى قَالَ إِذَا قَضَى أَمْضَاهُ فَذَلِكَ الَّذِي لَا مَرَدَّ لَهُ‌[1].

“I heard abu al-Hassan Musa ibn Ja‘far (a.s.) saying, ‘There can nothing until Allah would wish it to be, will, measure and decree.” I asked what is the meaning of wish (Sha’a)? The Imam replied, “It is to begin the act.” I asked, “What is the meaning of measure (Qaddara)? The Imam replied, “It is measuring the length

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع شَاءَ وَ أَرَادَ وَ قَدَّرَ وَ قَضَى قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ وَ أَحَبَّ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ وَ كَيْفَ شَاءَ وَ أَرَادَ وَ قَدَّرَ وَ قَضَى وَ لَمْ يُحِبَّ قَالَ هَكَذَا خَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا[2].

2. It is narrated from Ali ibn Ibrahim from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from Aban from abu Basir who has said the following. “asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about, “(Allah) Wished, Willed, Measured and Decreed.” The Imam said, “Yes.” I asked, “Did He love?” The Imam said, “No.” I asked, “How is it that

سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ‌ أَمَرَ اللَّهُ وَ لَمْ يَشَأْ وَ شَاءَ وَ لَمْ يَأْمُرْ أَمَرَ إِبْلِيسَ أَنْ يَسْجُدَ لآِدَمَ وَ شَاءَ أَنْ لَا يَسْجُدَ وَ لَوْ شَاءَ لَسَجَدَ وَ نَهَى آدَمَ عَنْ أَكْلِ الشَّجَرَةِ وَ شَاءَ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ مِنْهَا وَ لَوْ لَمْ يَشَأْ لَمْ يَأْكُلْ.

“Allah commanded but did not want. He wanted but did not command. He commanded Satan to prostrate but He did not want it. If He wanted Satan would have prostrated. He prohibited Adam from eating of the tree and wanted him to eat. Had He not wanted he would not have ate.”

إِنَّ لِلَّهِ إِرَادَتَيْنِ وَ مَشِيئَتَيْنِ إِرَادَةَ حَتْمٍ وَ إِرَادَةَ عَزْمٍ يَنْهَى وَ هُوَ يَشَاءُ وَ يَأْمُرُ وَ هُوَ لَا يَشَاءُ أَ وَ مَا رَأَيْتَ أَنَّهُ نَهَى آدَمَ وَ زَوْجَتَهُ أَنْ يَأْكُلَا مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ وَ شَاءَ ذَلِكَ وَ لَوْ لَمْ يَشَأْ أَنْ يَأْكُلَا لَمَا غَلَبَتْ مَشِيئَتُهُمَا مَشِيئَةَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى وَ أَمَرَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَنْ يَذْبَحَ إِسْحَاقَ وَ لَمْ يَشَأْ أَنْ يَذْبَحَهُ وَ لَوْ شَا

“Allah has two wills and two wishes. He has a definite will and an intended will. He prohibits but He wants it. He commands but He does not want it. Consider that He prohibited Adam and his spouse from eating of the tree but He wanted them to eat. Had He not wanted their wish would not have surpassed Allah’s wish. He c

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ شَاءَ وَ أَرَادَ وَ لَمْ يُحِبَّ وَ لَمْ يَرْضَ- شَاءَ أَنْ لَا يَكُونَ شَيْ‌ءٌ إِلَّا بِعِلْمِهِ وَ أَرَادَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ وَ لَمْ يُحِبَّ أَنْ يُقَالَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ وَ لَمْ يَرْضَ‌ لِعِبادِهِ الْكُفْرَ.

‘He wanted and willed and did not love and did not agree. He wanted something nor to happen except in His knowledge and He willed in the same way but He did not love it to be said, “The third of the three and He did not agree that His servants become unbelievers.”

قَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع‌ قَالَ اللَّهُ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ بِمَشِيئَتِي كُنْتَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَشَاءُ لِنَفْسِكَ مَا تَشَاءُ وَ بِقُوَّتِي أَدَّيْتَ فَرَائِضِي وَ بِنِعْمَتِي قَوِيتَ عَلَى مَعْصِيَتِي جَعَلْتُكَ سَمِيعاً بَصِيراً قَوِيّاً ما أَصابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللَّهِ‌ وَ ما أَصابَكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنْ نَفْسِكَ‌ وَ ذَاكَ أَنِّي أَوْلَى بِحَسَنَاتِكَ مِنْكَ وَ أَنْتَ أَوْلَى بِسَيِّئَاتِكَ مِنِّي وَ

“Allah said, ‘O son of Adam through My wish you came into existence and it is you who wish for yourself whatever you wish. Through My power you fulfill your obligations and through My bounties you receive strength to disobey Me. I made you to hear and see and be strong. Whatever good you receive is from Allah and whate

مَا مِنْ قَبْضٍ وَ لَا بَسْطٍ إِلَّا وَ لِلَّهِ فِيهِ مَشِيئَةٌ وَ قَضَاءٌ وَ ابْتِلَاءٌ.

“There is no expansion or reduction but that Allah therein has a wish, decree and testing.”