Abu Aswad Daili narrates: Sayyiduna Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) said to me: O Abu Aswad, what is your opinion about the deeds people are doing today and the efforts they are making regarding them? Is this something about which a decision has already been made for them and everything has been decreed, or are they acting anew according to what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) brought to them in teachings, and can an argument be established against them because of this? I said: Rather, it is something about which a decision has already been made, which has passed before. Sayyiduna Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then this would be injustice. The narrator says: I became very anxious at this statement. I said: Everything is Allah Almighty’s creation and in the power of His kingdom; He cannot be questioned about what He does, but people will be questioned. So Sayyiduna Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) said: May Allah keep you right (the narrator is in doubt, perhaps these are the words), may Allah grant you success. By Allah! I only asked you this question to gauge your intellect. (Then he informed:) Once, a man from the tribe of Muzaynah came to the service of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! What is your opinion about the deeds people do nowadays and the efforts they make regarding them? Is this something for which a decision has already been made for them, or are they working anew according to what the Prophet brought to them in teachings, and can an argument be established against them because of this? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Rather, it is something about which a decision has already been made for them and it has passed before. The questioner asked: Then why should we act? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Allah Almighty will make the person do the deeds for which He has created him for one of the two destinations.
(The narrator says:) Its confirmation is present in the Book of Allah in these words:“And by the soul and Him Who proportioned it, and inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness.”