Is stating 'I owe you a thousand, if Allah wills' a valid admission?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Acknowledgment of Rights
Primary text
Saying, 'I owe you a thousand, if Allah wills' (In sha'a Allah) is an admission. Imam Ahmad states this explicitly. The ruling is that the admission is binding, and the subsequent clause that seems to negate it is nullified, as one cannot connect a statement that completely removes the admission. This is analogous to saying, 'I owe you a thousand except a thousand' (where the exception is voided). The phrase is connected to an action that does not establish another ruling or revoke the primary obligation, similar to saying, 'I owe you a thousand according to the Will of Allah.'
Supporting text
The scholars of the Shafi'i school hold that it is not an admission because the admission is conditioned upon a stipulation, rendering it void, similar to stipulating it upon the will of Zayd. They argue that what is conditioned upon the Will of Allah cannot be known. The distinction is that the Will of Allah is mentioned for blessing, connection, and submission to God, not as a condition, unlike the Will of a created being. Furthermore, the Will of Allah is only known upon the occurrence of the matter, whereas the will of a created being can be known, allowing it to function as a condition. Since the past (the admission) cannot be suspended on a future condition, the statement must be interpreted as a future promise, not an admission.