Is it permissible for us to say: “This happened by virtue of Allah then the Qur’an”?

Question

Tauhid Lab Assistant · Accepted Answer

> **TL;DR:** The safest wording is: “By Allah’s grace; He caused this through His Book (the Qur’an),” keeping Allah’s agency primary and the Qur’an as His means. Using “then” (thumma) can be permissible to show sequence and subordination, but many scholars prefer not to couple Allah with anything in the same clause; avoid “and,” and favor clear Tawhid (pure monotheism) in phrasing [HAD1][HAD2].

## The rule, with precise wording and evidence
- The Prophet explicitly prohibited coupling Allah with another will by “and” (wa): “Do not say: what Allah wills and what so‑and‑so wills; rather say: what Allah wills, then what so‑and‑so wills.” This establishes that “then” (thumma) subordinates the second cause and avoids wording that implies partnership in will [HAD1].  
- In another report, when a man said, “As Allah wills and you will,” the Prophet corrected him to, “Say: as Allah alone wills,” highlighting the ideal of singling out Allah in will-statements altogether [HAD2].  
- The core of Tawhid (pure monotheism) is that only Allah truly gives or withholds; “None can withhold what You give, and none can give what You withhold,” which orients all causal attributions back to Allah as the ultimate Giver [HAD7].  
- Attributing events to independent created causes is blameworthy: when people ascribed rain to stars, the Prophet taught that correct faith is to ascribe it to Allah’s bounty, not to causes with independent power [HAD6].  
- All destinies are decreed by Allah—humans meet only what He has written—so phrasing must reflect His ultimate causation (Qadar: divine decree) [HAD5][TAF5].

Therefore, if your intent is: “Allah caused this, and He made the Qur’an (His Speech) the means,” a clear, preferred phrasing is: “By Allah’s grace, He granted this through His Book.” This preserves Allah’s exclusive agency while acknowledging the Qur’an as the instrument of guidance or rescue [HAD7][HAD6]. The Qur’an is Allah’s Speech; classical jurists discuss its special status in legal oaths, underscoring its linkage to the divine attribute of Speech, not an independent power [RIS1].

## Why this precision is wise
- Language shapes belief. The Prophet corrected even casual expressions because sloppy wording can shade into Shirk (polytheism), even if minor or in phrasing (shirk al‑alfāẓ), by implying shared will or independent agency alongside Allah [HAD1][HAD2].  
- Faith is tested behind the “veil” of causes; a believer looks through causes to the Causer, while still working with means. This balance prevents fatalism and keeps the heart attached to Allah (not to tools) [TAF1].  
- Supplication (Du‘ā’ — direct asking of Allah) is made with determination, without hedging “if You will,” because Allah is not compelled by anyone; this trains certainty in the only True Agent [HAD3].  
- Gratitude (Shukr — conscious thanks) belongs first to Allah for every bite of food and every success, recognizing “no might or power on my part,” which calibrates the believer’s heart to ultimate causation [HAD8][TAF6].

### Practical, modern phrasing you can use
- Best: “Alhamdulillah (All praise belongs to Allah), He granted this through His Book (the Qur’an).” This places praise where it belongs and names the Qur’an as the means [TAF6][TAF8].  
- Acceptable with care: “This happened by Allah’s grace, then by the guidance of His Book.” Here “then” (thumma) denotes sequence and subordination, avoiding partnership in will [HAD1].  
- Avoid: “This happened by Allah and the Qur’an,” because “and” suggests parallel agency, which the Prophet forbade in similar constructs [HAD1].  
- In teams and families: Thank Allah first, then thank the means (people, tools) whom Allah used. “The one who is not grateful to people is not (truly) grateful to Allah” captures this etiquette of layered gratitude [FAT6].  
- When admiring or acknowledging good, saying “Mā shā’ Allāh” (What Allah willed) affirms Allah’s primacy and protects from envy; it’s a beneficial complement to the above phrasing [YT9].

### Psychological, social, and ethical benefits
- Precision protects Tawhid and removes subtle anxieties about causes; you work with means but your heart relies on Allah, which brings steadiness in setbacks and humility in success

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Is it permissible for us to say: “This happened by virtue of Allah then the Qur’an”?

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