Al-Tawḥīd

Hadith 424
divine-decree
21 - حدثنا أبي رحمه الله، قال: حدثنا سعد بن عبد الله، عن محمد بن الحسين، عن أبي شعيب المحاملي، وصفوان بن يحيى، عن عبد الله بن مسكان، عن أبي بصير، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام، قال: سمعته يقول وعنده قوم يتناظرون في الأفاعيل والحركات فقال: الاستطاعة قبل الفعل، لم يأمر الله عز وجل بقبض ولا بسط إلا والعبد لذلك مستطيع.
21. My father (RA) said: Sa`d ibn `Abd Allah said, on the authority of Muhammad ibn alHusayn, on the authority of both Abu Shu`ayb al-Mahamili and Safwan ibn Yahya, on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn Muskan, on the authority of Abu Basir that Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) said: When a group of people were debating before him about the deeds and actins, I heard him say, “The ability to act precedes the action. Allah, the Mighty and High, did not command anything that would cause fear or delight until He granted His Servant with the ability to act.”
Source: Shaykh Muḥammad b. ʿAlī al-Ṣaduq