“Good and evil is from Allah”, and the meaning of that


Question:

What’s the reconciliation between the statement of Allah aza wa Jal:

مَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللهِ وَمَا أَصَابَكَ مِنْ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنْ نَفْسِكَ

“Whatever of good reaches you, is from Allah, but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself”. (An-Nisā:79)

And His statement:

قُلْ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهِ

“Say: “All things are from Allah” (An-Nisā:78)

Answer:

There’s no clash between them, as each is from Allah, good and evil. So, what befalls you of good then it’s by the success of Allah. And what afflicts you of evil then the meaning of:

من نفسك

“Is from yourself”

i.e.: it’s because of your sins, due to the statement of Allah the Most High:

وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُوا عَنْ كَثِيرٍ

And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much. (Ash-Shura: 30)

Answered by: Shaykh, the Allamah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abu Abdirrahman Yahya bin Ali Al-Hajuri – may Allah preserve him

Source: https://t.me/Nasih_amin/74

Translated by: Abu Mālik Nāsir Al-Ma’mary