English translation
4612. It was narrated that a man wrote to 'Umar bin 'Abdul-'Azīz asking him about Al-Qadar (the Divine Decree) and he wrote back (saying): "I enjoin you to fear Allāh and be moderate in obeying His commands and in following the Sunnah of His Prophet, and in avoiding that which was introduced by those who initiated new matters after his Sunnah was established; and there was no need for anything else. You should adhere to the Sunnah, for it will be a protection for you, by Allāh's permission. You should know, that the people have not introduced any innovation except that there has been before it, what is evidence against it, or discussing it. For indeed the Sunnah was only instituted by the one who knows what opposing, would lead to, of error, slipping, foolishness and extremism. So accept for yourself that which the people accepted for themselves, for their actions were based on knowledge, and due to their virtue, they are more worthy. If right guidance is what you are following, then you are saying that you reached it before them, and we could say that whatever is innovated after them was never innovated except by those who followed a way other than their way, and who wanted to be different than them, because they are the vanguard (of Islam) and they spoke about it (matters of the religion) in a sufficient and comprehensive manner. Nobody refrained from discussing matters of religion that there was no need to discuss like they did. And nobody explained issues of religion that need to be explained like they did. But nowadays you find some people who refrain from discussing issues of religion that need to be discussed, and thus they go to one extreme; and you find others who discuss issues of religion that there is no need to discuss, and thus they go to the other extreme. Verily they (the Salaf) were in-between both, following the right guidance. You wrote, asking about affirmation of Al-Qadar (the Divine Decree). Well, you have come to one who is well informed, by Allāh's permission. I do not know of any innovation that the people have introduced that is clearer and more obvious than (rejecting) affirmation of Al-Qadar (the divine decree). The ignorant people mentioned it during Jāhiliyyah and spoke of it in their words and their poetry, consoling themselves for what they had lost, then Islam only reinforced it (the belief in Al-Qadar) after that. The Messenger of Allāh ﷺ mentioned it in more than one or two Hadīth, and the Muslims heard it from him, and spoke of it during his lifetime and after his death, out of certain belief and in submission to their Lord, and they believed that it is impossible that there is anything that is not encompassed by His knowledge and recorded in His Book or comes to pass by His decree. Moreover, it is mentioned in His Book; from it they have derived it and from it they have learned it. If you say: Why did Allāh reveal such and such a Verse and why did He say such and such, they have read what you have read, and they know its interpretation of which you are ignorant, and yet they said: All of this is recorded and decreed. Doom is by decree and what has been decreed will come to pass. What Allāh wills happens, and what He does not will, does not happen. We possess no power to benefit or harm ourselves. But nevertheless they were still keen (to do good deeds) and they were afraid (of doing evil deeds).” (Da'if)