The stages in the womb

Arabic

إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ يُجْمَعُ خَلْقُهُ فِي بَطْنِ أُمِّهِ أَرْبَعِينَ يَوْمًا نُطْفَةً، ثُمَّ يَكُونُ عَلَقَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ يَكُونُ مُضْغَةً مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ، ثُمَّ يُرْسَلُ الْمَلَكُ فَيَنْفُخُ فِيهِ الرُّوحَ، وَيُؤْمَرُ بِأَرْبَعِ كَلِمَاتٍ: بِكَتْبِ رِزْقِهِ وَأَجَلِهِ وَعَمَلِهِ وَشَقِيٌّ أَوْ سَعِيدٌ.

Translation

Each of you is formed in his mother's womb forty days as a drop, then a clinging clot for the same period, then a lump for the same period. Then an angel is sent to breathe the soul into him and is commanded with four words: to write his provision, his lifespan, his deeds, and whether he will be wretched or happy.

Narrator

ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd

Source

Bukhārī 3208 · Muslim 2643

Commentary

A foundational hadith on qadar. Our provision, our lifespan, our deeds and our end are all known to Allah before we draw our first breath — yet we still choose, still strive, still pray. Both are true at once.