saying "except if Allah wills" from 18:24
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Hi,
So for some time i've known about how in 1823-24 of the Quran we see that it is mentioned that if we stating that if will do something tomorrow we are to say "except if God wills".Because I live in a secular western society, so I have thought that I might appear strange amongst many of them for saying it so much. I have interpreted these two verses to mean that if it is a sentense we say that appears as if it is saying that the will surely do that event, we are to add "except if God wills" to give the sentence an appearance of uncertainty as an event may happen beyond our control and only God knows the future.
Since I didn't want say the exact words "except if God wills" in this western society due to possibily standing out and maybe being looked down weirdly I have been saying "As planned " or "I hope" or other things along thse lines I think in place to give the sentence of what telling them i'm going to do a sense of uncertainty since only God knows what will happen in the future and if that it will happen and that if what is beyond my control may stop what I wanted to do.
However i've been rethinking and wondering if what i'm doing is infact incorrect and thus I am required to say those exact words "except if God wills"?
As well is my interpretation correct? And I wanna make sure if it is considered a sin if I don't say it?
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Salaam,
As long as you know in your heart that the future event is depending on God's will then I cannot think that it is a sin in it. But daring to say the phrase that it depends on God would of course seem more righteous and eventually you might even spread the Light if they are curious and ask what you mean and you explain.
However, in work situations I sometimes avoid using these expressions myself as I try to be secular in professional situations, but off-duty I would say God willing whenever applicable. Apart from avoiding religious expressions in work-related situations I apply the morals of God's religion during my shift.
God bless you
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Salaam,
As long as you know in your heart that the future event is depending on God's will then I cannot think that it is a sin in it. But daring to say the phrase that it depends on God would of course seem more righteous and eventually you might even spread the Light if they are curious and ask what you mean and you explain.
However, in work situations I sometimes avoid using these expressions myself as I try to be secular in professional situations, but off-duty I would say God willing whenever applicable. Apart from avoiding religious expressions in work-related situations I apply the morals of God's religion during my shift.
God bless you
Peace,
Well the thing is that it appears to be a command to say "except if Allah wills". So I would think it would be a sin to disobey a command of Allah.
but I still am looking for more the answer to my question stating
"However i've been rethinking and wondering if what i'm doing is infact incorrect and thus I am required to say those exact words "except if Allah wills"?" -
Salaam,
Well, the story says that the man should have said "God willing" (insh'allah) instead of being so sure that everything was going to be fine with his garden. It is a moral lesson and perhaps not meant to be so literal as to always say "insh'allah" whatever situation, as long as you know that it is God's will that determines the fate of whatever you are doing.
The man with the garden was very arrogant and boastful and not heeding God at all and God obviously taught him a lesson and the other man afterwards said that he should have said "God willing" instead of being so over-confident and proud over his land.
On the other hand, saying God willing or if God wills is pretty automatic for someone that believe. But pure thoughts and reassurance that God is in control of your fate is probably sufficient as God knows what is in your mind. A Believer knows that he or she is in God's hands and what you know God knows.
God bless you
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Salaam,
Well, the story says that the man should have said "God willing" (insh'allah) instead of being so sure that everything was going to be fine with his garden. It is a moral lesson and perhaps not meant to be so literal as to always say "insh'allah" whatever situation, as long as you know that it is God's will that determines the fate of whatever you are doing.
The man with the garden was very arrogant and boastful and not heeding God at all and God obviously taught him a lesson and the other man afterwards said that he should have said "God willing" instead of being so over-confident and proud over his land.
On the other hand, saying God willing or if God wills is pretty automatic for someone that believe. But pure thoughts and reassurance that God is in control of your fate is probably sufficient as God knows what is in your mind. A Believer knows that he or she is in God's hands and what you know God knows.
God bless you
Peace,
I think you are thinking of 1839 not 1823-1824 which is what i'm referencing. What are your thoughts on that? Also i'm pretty sure the exact wording was "Except if Allah wills" in the beginning of 1824
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Salaam,
In 23-24 the expression is related to the story about the Seven Sleepers narrated above and the implication to say "God willing" is a moral attribute of that story. But it is a direct "say" command from the previous verse to utter "en sha Allah" for what is going to happen tomorrow. The most important factor of this is to be mindful of that God controls your fate and the expression is a more distinct declaration of this knowledge.
God seems in the following phrases encourage that one do better in the future if we forget to say "if God wills or God willing". Well, I still think that the phrase is not literal if you do know in your heart that God is in control of your fate, only that we should not be so very sure about doing something tomorrow as we do not always know. God may pick you back in your sleep or you may drop dead the very same evening or your home burn down to the ground, who knows but God?
But you are right, the incitement seems to indicate that one ought to say "God willing" whenever applicable. I still think it is the moral teaching of being sure about this or that will happen tomorrow without taking God's will into account. We should not be so very sure about everything in this life when we actually know so little. God created this world like a video game and who knows what is hidden beyond the illusion and how the world really works or how the next one works. We just interact with a physical world that God created for this purpose and God could create something entirely different when He destroys this one.
God can at any time change your plans no matter if you like it or not and this is what both the story of the Seven Sleepers and the men with the gardens want to teach us. If you say "God willing" you clearly proclaim that you are in God's hands.
Is it a sin not to say it? I would not believe God is so cruel as long as you have the certainty in your mind about God's plans might be different from your own. "I hope" can be a more subtle inclination that you do not know for sure and is likely acceptable as substitute, for example, "I hope the harvest will be fine", or "if nothing happens (God might do something) I will meet you tomorrow.
God bless you
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Yes saying it out loud under all circumstancies may sound clumsy and make somebody look at you like you came right out of some cavern.
In Spain, mostly catholic back then I remember still a time where nobody would say anything as to the future without mentioning, if God wills, or by Gods doing or something of the kind. In fact in letters, it was always written and there was a coined abreviation for it, D.m. (Dios mediante). This last expression, to say aloud is less attention attracting than the whole if God wills, which back then, as I say, was the most common thing to say.
I think that provided we do know and say it inwardly we will be doing ourselves a favour. Outwardly, I think it is a matter of adjudging what is best in each case. If we are going to get the wrong attention, then it may be better to be circumspect. I can't say that I have a rule for this, I go by the feeling of it.
Salaam