Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi's response to Is it true Allah created the Qalam to write till the end of the world, or that the thing He writes is part of one's destiny?

Is it true Allah created the Qalam to write till the end of the world, or that the thing He writes is part of one's destiny?

Sayyed Mohammad Al-Musawi, Sayyed Mohammad al-Musawi is originally from Iraq and heads up the World Ahlul Bayt Islamic League in London. Other than being involved in various humanitarian projects, he frequently responds to... Answered 2 years ago

1.   We have in many Hadeeths that Allah has created the Qalam (The Pen), and the Qalam has been ordered by Allah to write what will be happening till the Day of Judgement.
   2.   Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (A.S.) has been asked about this verse: ن والقلم (Noon Wal Qalam). He said Noon was a river in the Paradise,White more than the ice and sweet more sweet than the Honey. Allah ordered the river to be ink, then Allah put a tree and told that tree to become Qalam (A Pen) then Allah ordered the pen (Qalam) to write. The Qalam asked: What shall I write? Allah replied: Write whatever will be happening till the day of Judgement. The Qalam wrote according to the order of Allah then it was silent. Allah ordered: Do not talk till the designated time means the day of Judgement. (Elal Al-Shara’e’, علل الشرائع Page 402.
   3.   Another Hadeeth from Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (A.S.) when he was been asked about Noon Wal Qalam. He says: Noor was a river in the Paradise. Allah ordered the river to be frozen. It became frozen then it became ink. Allah told the Qalam (the Pen): Write. The pen wrote in the preserved board –Lawh Al-Mahfoudh اللوح المحفوظ . The Pen wrote whatever was happening and whatever will happen till the day of Judgement. The ink was ink from Noor (Light) and the Qalam (the Pen) was a Pen from Noor (Light) & Lawh (the Board) was Board from Light. معاني الأخبار Ma’aani Al-Akhbar Page 23.
   4.   In Tafseer Ali-Ibn Ibrahim Volume 2 Page 379, there is a narration from Abdul Rahim Al Qaseer who said: I asked Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (A.S.) about Noon Wal Qalam. Imam said: Allah has created the Qalam (the Pen) from a tree in the Paradise called “Al Khuld”. then Allah told a river in the Paradise to be ink. The river became frozen, and it was more white than the ice and more sweet than the Honey. Then Allah ordered the Qalam (the Pen) to write. The Qalam said “O my Lord What shall I write”. Allah Ordered the Qalam to write whatever existing and whatever will happen till the day of judgement.
   5.   In Tafseer Ali Ibn Ibrahim Volume 2 Page 198 , there is a narration from Hisham narrating from Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (A.S.) saying the first which Allah created is Al-Qalam. Then Allah ordered the Qalam : أُكتُب Write. The Qalam (the Pen) wrote what was going on and what will happen till the day of Judgement.
   6.   We also have narrations about the meaning of Noon and the meaning of Qalam. A narration from Imam Moosa Al-Kadhim (a.s.) which was narrated by Muhammed Ibn Al-Fadheel . He said I asked Imam Moosa Al-Kazim (a.s.) about Noon Wal Qalam Verse he said: Noon is a name of the Messenger of Allah, and Al-Qalam is name for Ameerul Momeneen Ali (a.s.).

7. What was been written in the Qalam is everything which was happening, and which will happen till the day of judgement. No doubt we as a human beings are included but we should understand that the destiny which is enforced on us does not mean at all that our faith and deeds are also enforced on us. Allah the Glorious, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, the Absolute Wise did not force us to do bad and no one can claim that he is doing bad because it is his destiny. Destiny is our shape, our gender, our skin colour, our eyes colour, our parents, our place of birth and other things which are out of our control. But our faith and our deeds is under our own option and our own Choice. Our faith and deeds are never enforced on us.

Wassalam.