Evil one is he who is evil in the womb of his mother and the good one is he who takes a lesson from the (fate of) others. The narrator came to a person from amongst the Companions of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) who was called Hudhaifa b. Usaid Ghifari and said: How can a person be an evil one without (committing an evil) deed? Thereupon the person said to him: You are surprised at this, whereas I have heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: When forty-two nights pass after the semen gets into the womb, Allah sends the angel and gives him shape. Then he creates his sense of hearing, sense of sight, his skin, his flesh, his bones, and then says: My Lord, would he be male or female? And your Lord decides as He desires and the angel then puts down that also and then says: My Lord, what about his age? And your Lord decides as He likes it and the angel puts it down. Then he says: My Lord, what about his livelihood? And then the Lord decides as He likes and the angel writes it down, and then the angel gets out with his scroll of destiny in his hand and nothing is added to it and nothing is subtracted from it.
The Book of Destiny - Sahih Muslim 2645a
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. This profound hadith from Sahih Muslim addresses the divine decree (al-Qadr) and the creation of human beings. The narration begins with a statement about inherent nature, then proceeds to explain the process of embryonic development and predestination.
The Nature of Good and Evil
The hadith distinguishes between two types of individuals: the evil one who is predetermined as such from the womb, and the wise person who learns from observing others' fates. This demonstrates that while Allah has foreknowledge of our destinies, we still possess free will to choose our path and learn from examples.
The Companion's question about being evil without committing deeds highlights the complexity of divine knowledge versus human action. The response shows that Allah's knowledge encompasses what will occur before it manifests in the physical realm.
The Process of Creation and Predestination
The detailed description of embryonic development - beginning after forty-two nights - aligns with modern embryology while affirming divine intervention. The angel's role in shaping the creation demonstrates Allah's perfect system of creation.
The three questions posed by the angel - regarding gender, lifespan, and provision - emphasize that these fundamental aspects of human existence are divinely decreed. The recording of these decrees occurs before birth, establishing that our ultimate destiny is in Allah's knowledge.
Scholarly Commentary on Divine Decree
Classical scholars explain that this hadith confirms the six articles of faith, particularly belief in divine decree. The scroll of destiny mentioned represents Allah's eternal knowledge, which is complete and unchanging.
This narration does not negate human responsibility. Rather, it affirms that Allah's knowledge encompasses all that will occur, while humans still exercise choice within their predetermined circumstances. The wise person mentioned in the beginning is the one who recognizes this divine system and acts accordingly.
The ultimate wisdom behind this system remains with Allah, and our role is to trust in His perfect judgment while striving to do good and avoid evil.