Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Souls are like assembled troops; those among them who became acquainted with one another (in the realm of souls) are inclined towards each other in this world as well, and those who did not become acquainted with one another remain distant from each other in this world too."

Abdullah bin Daylami narrates: I presented myself before Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them). I said: People say that you say: The person who is wretched is the one who is wretched in his mother’s womb. So Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I do not make it lawful for anyone to attribute any false statement to me. I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) saying this:“Indeed, Allah created His creation in darkness, then He cast His light upon them. So whoever received that light was guided, and whoever did not receive that light went astray. That is why I say, with reference to Allah’s knowledge (destiny has been decreed and) the pen has dried.”

Ibn Daylami narrates: I said to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him): I have heard that you say: The pen has dried. So Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) explained: I heard the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) say this: "Indeed, Allah created the people in darkness, then He took light from His own light and cast it upon them. So whoever He willed, that light reached him, and whoever He willed, that light did not reach him, even though He knew who the light would not reach and who it would reach. So whoever that light reached, he found guidance, and whoever it did not reach, he went astray." (Sayyiduna Abdullah, may Allah be pleased with him, said) For this reason, I say the pen has dried (i.e., the decree of destiny has been decided).

Sayyiduna Khuraym bin Fatik Asadi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "People are of four types and deeds are of six kinds: (deeds) that make (Paradise and Hell) obligatory, those whose reward is equal, those for which the reward is tenfold, those for which the reward is seven hundredfold. There are some people who are granted ease in this world and the Hereafter, some who are granted ease in this world but hardship in the Hereafter, some who are given hardship in this world but ease in the Hereafter, and some who are given hardship in both this world and the Hereafter. Some people are wretched in this world and also wretched in the Hereafter. The two things that make (Paradise or Hell) obligatory are: whoever says there is no god but Allah (the narrator is unsure, perhaps these are the words), whoever believes in Allah will enter Paradise, and whoever dies associating partners with Allah will enter Hell. Whoever intends to do a good deed and then does it, he will receive a tenfold reward. Whoever intends to do a good deed but does not do it, one good deed will be recorded in his book of deeds. Whoever intends to do an evil deed but does not do it, one good deed will be recorded in his book of deeds. Whoever intends to do an evil deed and then does it, one evil deed will be recorded in his book of deeds, and there will be no increase in it. And whoever spends something extra, its reward will be up to seven hundredfold."

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The example of people is like one hundred camels among which a man does not find even one suitable for riding."

Mother of the Believers, Sayyidah Aisha Siddiqa (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates: An Ansari child was brought to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) so that he (peace be upon him) could perform his funeral prayer. I said: O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)! He is a little bird of Paradise. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Do you not know that Allah Almighty has created a specific creation for Paradise? He made them deserving of Paradise while they were still in the loins of their forefathers. He also created Hell and created its inhabitants while they were still in the loins of their forefathers.

Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) informed us of this matter. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is truthful and has been confirmed. The semen of any person is kept in his mother's womb for forty days (in the form of semen), then it remains as a clot of blood for the same period, then it remains as a lump of flesh for the same period. Then Allah Almighty sends an angel to it, who is commanded regarding four things. Allah Almighty says: Record his deeds, his death, his provision, and whether he will be wretched or blessed. (The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, says:) A person continues to do the deeds of the people of Paradise until there remains only a hand span between him and Paradise, then what has been written in destiny overtakes him, and the seal of the people of Hell is set upon him (or his end is with the people of Hell). And a person continues to do the deeds of the people of Hell until there remains only a hand span between him and Hell, then what has been written in destiny overtakes him, and he does the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters Paradise.

Sayyiduna Sahl bin Sa’d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this statement of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):“A person performs the deeds of the people of Paradise in what appears to people, while in reality he is from the people of Hellfire; and a person performs the deeds of the people of Hellfire in what appears to people, while in reality he is from the people of Paradise.”

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates this statement of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "A person continues to perform the deeds of the people of Paradise for a long time, but then Allah Almighty ends his life upon the deeds of the people of Hell, and He includes him among the people of Hell. A person continues to perform the deeds of the people of Hell for a long time, then Allah Almighty ends his life upon the deeds of the people of Paradise, and He includes him among the people of Paradise."

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The wretched person is the one who is wretched while still in his mother's womb, and the fortunate one is he who can take admonition from another. One of the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came, whose name was Sayyiduna Hudhaifah bin Asid Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him). This statement was conveyed to him as the saying of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), so he said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say this: "When forty-two (42) days have passed over the drop of fluid (nutfah), Allah sends an angel to it, who shapes it, determines its hearing and sight, its skin, its flesh, and its bones. Then the angel asks: O Lord! Will it be a boy or a girl? So your Lord decrees whatever He wills, and the angel records it. Then he asks: O Lord! What will be its time of death? So your Lord decrees whatever He wills, and the angel records it. Then he asks: O Lord! How much will be its provision? So your Lord decrees whatever He wills, and the angel records it. Then the angel takes that scroll in his hand; now there can be no addition or subtraction in this matter."

(Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:) The statement of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "He created its hearing"—these words are according to the common usage of people; it does not mean that the angel creates these things.