Dought & clear, - Man is following a course set by Allaah and has freedom of choice.

Does man has freedom of choice or is he following a course set by Allaah?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked this question and said: The questioner
should ask himself whether anyone forced him to ask this question, and
does he choose the kind of car that he drives? And other such
questions. Then the answer as to whether he is following a course set
by Allaah or has freedom of choice will become clear to him.
Then he should ask himself whether accidents happen to him by his
choice? Or whether he falls sick by his choice? Or will he die by his
choice?
And other similar questions. Then the answer as to whether he is
following a course set by Allaah or has freedom of choice will become
clear to him.
The answer is that the things that the wise person does, he
undoubtedly does by his choice. Listen to the words of Allaah
(interpretation of the meaning):
"So, whosoever wills, let him seek a place with (or a way to) His Lord
(by obeying Him in this worldly life)!"
[al-Naba' 78:39]
"Among you are some that desire this world and some that desire the Hereafter"
[Aal 'Imraan 3:152]
"And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it, with the
necessary effort due for it (i.e. does righteous deeds of Allaah's
obedience) while he is a believer (in the Oneness of Allaah—Islamic
Monotheism) — then such are the ones whose striving shall be
appreciated, (thanked and rewarded by Allaah)"
[al-Isra' 17:19]
"he must pay a Fidyah (ransom) of either observing Sawm (fasts) (three
days) or giving Sadaqah (charity — feeding six poor persons) or
offering sacrifice (one sheep)"
[al-Baqarah 2:196]
But if a person wants to do something and he does it, we know that
Allaah has willed it. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"To whomsoever among you who wills to walk straight.
And you cannot will unless (it be) that Allaah wills— the Lord of the
'Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)"
[al-Takweer 81:28-29]
Because His Lordship (ruboobiyyah) is complete and perfect, nothing
can happen in the heavens or on earth except by His will.
With regard to things that happen to a person or that he does without
choosing or willing them, such as sickness, death and accidents, they
are purely divine will (al-qadar) and the person has no choice or will
with regard to them.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Majmoo Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen, vol. 2.

Dought & clear, - Ruling on singling out ‘Ashoora for fasting

Is it permissible to fast 'Ashoora' only without fasting the day
before or the day after?.
Praise be to Allah
Shaykh al-Islam [Ibn Taymiyah] said: Fasting the day of 'Ashoora' is
expiation for one year, and it is not makrooh to single out this day
for fasting.Al-Fataawa al-Kubra, part 5.
InTuhfat al-Muhtaajby Ibn Hajar al-Haythami it says: There is nothing
wrong with fasting 'Ashoora' on its own. Part 3,Baab Sawm al-Tatawwu'.
The Standing Committee was asked this question and replied as follows:
It is permissible to fast the day of 'Ashoora' on its own, but it is
better to fast the day before it or the day after it. This is the
Sunnah that is proven from the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him), as he said, "If I am still alive next year, I will
certainly fast the ninth." Narrated by Muslim, 1134.
Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: He meant, along
with the tenth.
And Allaah is the Source of strength.
Al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah li'l-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wa'l-Ifta', 11/401.

For children, - Spiritual Stories for Children: Fox and StorkWhat Goes Around Comes Around

A selfish fox once invited a stork to dinner at his home in a hollow
tree. That evening, the stork flew to the fox's home and knocked on
the door with her long beak. The fox opened the door and said, "Please
come in and share my food."
The stork was invited to sit down at the table. She was very hungry
and the food smelled delicious! The fox served soup in shallow bowls
and he licked up all his soup very quickly. However, the stork could
not have any of it as the bowl was too shallow for her long beak. The
poor stork just smiled politely and stayed hungry.
The selfish fox asked, "Stork, why haven't you taken your soup? Don't
you like it?"
The stork replied, "It was very kind of you to invite me for dinner.
Tomorrow evening, please join me for dinner at my home."
The next day, when the fox arrived at the stork's home, he saw that
they were also having soup for dinner. This time the soup was served
in tall jugs. The stork drank the soup easily but the fox could not
reach inside the tall jug. This time it was his turn to go hungry.
MORAL: A selfish act can backfire on you.

For children, - Spiritual Stories for Children: Tit for Tat!What Goes Around Comes Around, Backfire

It is a law of nature that whatever action we take in this world,
there is always a reaction. If we do well, we stand to gain a good
reward. If we do badly, we should expect a bad outcome ultimately.
"What you sow, so you reap," is a popular saying.
The Noble Qur'an has also guided us on this subject, it says: "If you
do good, you do good to yourselves. Likewise, if you do evil, you do
evil to yourselves." (17:7)
One of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)was very fond of
this verse of the Noble Qur'an. He used to recite it loudly and
repeatedly wherever he went.
A Jewish woman who had heard him once wanted to prove him wrong and
thus make him unpopular among his people. She thought up a plot
against him. She prepared some sweets mixed with poison and sent them
to him as a present. When he received them, he went out of the city
taking sweets with him. On the way, he met two men who were returning
home from a long journey. They appeared tired and hungry, so he
thought of doing them a good turn. He offered them the sweets. Of
course, he was not aware that they were secretly mixed with poison. No
sooner had the two travelers taken the sweets, they collapsed and
died.
When the news of their death reached Medina, the city where the
Prophet Muhammad (SAW)resided, the man was arrested. He was brought
in front of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and he related what had
actually happened. The Jewish woman, who had mixed poison with the
sweets, was also brought to the court of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
She was stunned to see the two dead bodies of the travelers there.
They in fact turned out to be her two sons who had gone away on a
journey.
She admitted her evil intention before the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and
all the people present. Alas, the poison she had mixed in the sweets
to kill the companion of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had instead killed
her own two sons.
What a splendid example of a tragic reaction to a bad action; It shows
how one reaps what he sows. "Do as you would be done by," are the
words of wisdom from the learned and wise men of the past. They teach
us to do well to others in the same way as we like others to do good
to us.