Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 844 [Read full issue]
Changing Decree
"Nothing repels the Decree except supplications and nothing increases one's lifetime except righteousness." [Tirmidhi]
All scholars recognize that nothings occurs but by the will of Allah. However, Allah is able to do everything that He wills and there is nothing constraining Him. He may even change what He has decreed from one thing to another — although all of that was within His knowledge and His preordainment. He knew that certain causes would occur. This is why one's supplications and prayers have some effect. Allah changes the decree because of one's supplications. If there were no effect to prayers and a person only received what is decreed, this would imply that Allah does not actually respond to the supplication. That conclusion contradicts what is stated in this hadith. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to seek refuge in Allah from an evil decree. [Bukhari]
Allah erases or confirms whatever He wills of what has been decreed - although all of that is according to His pre-knowledge and what He has already recorded in the Preserved Tablet. Thus, Allah may confirm or change a person's lifespan, sustenance and so forth.
Compiled From:
"Commentary on the Forty Hadith of an-Nawawi" - Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo, p. 1434