Belief in Al-Qada and Al-Qadar (Divine Decree and Predestination) - Shaykh Al-Fawzaan Undoubtedly, approving of and believing in Allah’s Divine Decree and Predestination are of the greatest fundamental pillars of faith. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Hereafter, and to believe in the Divine Decree, bet it good or evil. (Related by Muslim) Almighty Allah says: Indeed, all things We created with predestination. (Qur’an: Al-Qamar: 49) Al-Qadar is an Arabic verbal noun derived from the Arabic verb ”qadara”, meaning ‘fully encompassed the estimation of something’. Technically, Al-Qadar is intended for Allah’s foreknowledge of all of His creatures affairs and the preserved, foreordained decrees He issued. This inevitably necessitates that every act of His creatures does not pass beyond the limits of His omniscience, Omnipotence and Will. The doctrine of the Adherents of the Sunnah and Muslim Community is to believe in Divine Predestination both the good and the evil thereof. Belief in Allah’s Divine Predestination encompasses four major grades: 1) Belief in Allah’s eternal foreknowledge of everything before its existence. It maintains that Allah has previously known all His servants’ deeds before doing them. 2) Belief that Allah has inscribed everythig in the Preserved Slate (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz). 3) Belief in Allah’s Comprehensive Will which dominates every event and in His Omnipotence over it. 4) Belief in Allah’s creation of all beings, He is, thus, the Sole Creator, whereas all other things are created by Him. Among the proofs which confirm the first and second grades is Allah’s saying: Do you not know that Allah knows what is in the heaven and earth? Indeed, that is in a Record. Indeed that, for Allah, is easy. (Qur’an: Al-Hajj: 70) The third grade may also be proved by Allah’s saying: And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds. (Qur’an: At-Takwir: 29) And His saying: …Allah does what He intends. (Qur’an: Al-Hajj: 14) The fourth grade is maintained in the Qur’anic verse, which provides: Allah is the Creator of all things… (Qur’an: Az-Zumar: 63) And His saying: …And He is the Knowing Creator. (Qur’an: Yasin: 81) Allah’s Divine Predestination is of two categories: 1) The general Predestination of all incidents, which is recorded in the Preserved Slate, where Allah inscribed the fates of everything until the Hour is established. This is maintained in the Prophet hadith related by Abu Dawud in his Sunan on the authority of Ubadah Ibnus-Samit (May Allah be pleased with him) who said that he heard Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) saying: The first thing that Allah created was the Pen. Allah said to it, ‘Write!’ It said, ‘What should I write?’ He said, ‘Write the destinies of everything until the day of Resurrection.’ The foreordained fates of all creatures come under this category. 2) Detailed Predestination of events that happen to people, which is sub-categorized in the following: A. Divine Predestination of one’s life span, it is illustrated in the Prophet hadith narrated on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud (May Allah be pleased with him). In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) maintains that each person, while being an embryo, is sent an angel whose task is to blow the breath of life into him, write down his means of livelihood, his life span, his actions, and whether fortunate or misfortunate. B. Divine Predestination of events and incidents occurring annually, this is written down during the ight of Decree (in Laylatul-Qadr). Almighty Allah says: Therein [i.e., on that night] is made distinct every precise matter. (Qur’an: Ad-Dukhan: 4) C. Divine Predestination regarding events and incidents occurring on a daily basis, in includes deaths, births and other changes of people’s affairs, which usually happen in the course of the day. Almighty Allah says: …Every day He is in [i.e., bringing about] a matter. (Qur’an: Ar-Rahman: 29) A Muslim must believe in Allah’s general Divine Predestination, and should, moreover, believe in Allah’s Predestination of detailed incidents. Whosoever renounces any category of the Divine Predestination is regarded as a disbeliever in Allah’s Predestination, then as renouncing one of the indispensable core pillars of a Muslim’s faith. Such is the case of the Anti-Fatalist (Al-Qadriyyah) who reject Divine Predestination. They are classified into two major groups: The first group includes extreme Anti-Fatalists who excessively renounce the belief that Allah possesses foreknowledge about the occurrence of incidents. They also deny Allah recorded people’s deeds in the Preserved Slate. They maintain that Allah only issues His commands and prohibitions without foreknowledge of who will obey and who will not. His commands are not, thus, foreordained or predestined. This sect has died out so you hardly come across any of them. The other group, through they believe in Allah’s foreknowledge of events and incidents, renounce the concept of foreordained deeds. They, moreover, claim that people’s deeds are not created by Allah. Deeds, according to this conviction, are independently created by people themselves with no intervention of the Divine Will. This is the doctrine of the Mu’tazilah (Mutazilites). There is, however, a third group that excessively approve of Divine Predestination by affirming that Allah has foreordained all things and deeds without the intervention of man’s free will. They further believe that all events are predetermined by fate and therefore unalterable. Thus, they are called Fatalists. Both those who approve of the doctrine of man’s absolute free will and those who negate it are false and refutable, since there are a number of proofs, which contradict their view. Almighty Allah, for instance, says: For whoever wills among you to take a right course. And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds. [Qur’an: At-Takwir: 28-29] Allah’s saying, ‘‘For whoever wills among you to take a right course.” contradicts the Fatalists because Allah affirms the existence of man’s will. Allah’s saying, ”And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds” refutes the doctrine of the Anti-Fatalists who advocate that man’s free will is not constrained by Allah’s Will. This doctrine is refutable for Allah made man’s will conditional upon the dominating Divine Will. The Adherents of the Sunnah and Muslim Community have adopted the moderate path by avoiding extravagant negation of Allah’s Divine Will as the Anti-Fatalists claim and the excessive conviction of the Fatalists. The doctrine of the Salaf (early Muslim scholars) and Imams is that all deeds of obedience, disobedience, evil or good inevitably occur according to Allah’s Divine Predestination and Decree. All people’s deeds, whether evil or good, are created by Allah, yet man is not coerced to do them. In addition to being equipped with full competence to do acts, man fully decides for himself. Shaykhul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "Deeds, utterances, acts of obedience and disobedience are initiated by man, i.e. they are offered and done by his own will and through his faculties. They are attributed to him and therefore he will be judged according to them. His deeds, utterances and acts are also attributed to Allah since He created them, while man is the perpetrator and acquirer. This is just as the case of the relation between cause and effect. If we say, for instance, that this fruit is caused by means of such a tree, it means that such a fruit is contingent on the tree. This does not contradict the view that Allah is the Original Creator of the fruit." As-Safarini said: "In short, the doctrine of the Salaf and the Adherents of the Sunnah and Muslim community is that Allah has created man’s faculties, will and acts while man is the real perpetrator of his deeds and the genuine originator of his acts. Allah says, ‘And you do not will except that Allah wills - Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.’ (Al-Insan: 30) According to the aforementioned verse, while the will of man is proved, it only operates in conformity with Allah’s Divine Will. This is the expressed doctrine of the adherents of the Sunnah and the Muslim Community who advocate man’s will providing it conforms with Allah’s Divine Will." I may further add that Allah has endowed man with the faculty to think, determine and choose. Thus, he will not be held accountable for his deeds unless he is equipped with all these faculties. Therefore, the insane, weak-minded or those under coercion are not accountable for their deeds. This indicates that they are neither absolutely free nor coerced to do specific acts. The fruits of believing in Allah’s Divine Predestination and Decree One of the greatest blessings of belief in Allah’s Divine Predestination and Decree is the perfection of man’s faith by fulfilling the fundamental pillars of faith, since it is considered one of the six pillars of faith according to what is maintained in the Noble Qur’an and the Sunnah. Similarly, by Belief in Divine Predestination and Decree, the heart is calm and enjoys tranquillity and peace of mind, particularly when man experiences hardships in his life. When man fully recognizes that what has afflicted him is predestined by Allah, his soul becomes tranquil and his heart turn quiet. A man should then remember the Prophet hadith, which provides: …And know well that what happened to you was not to miss you, and what missed you was not to happen to you. (Related by At-Tabrani) Those who do not believe in Divine Predestination and Decree always fall prey to anxiety and distress. They always feel so worried about their life and may commit suicide as commonly witnessed nowadays. Some people kill themselves to escape their miserable conditions or due to apprehension about their future. Due to their disbelief in Allah’s Divine Predestination and Decree, such worries and responses have become and inevitable consequence of their corrupt belief. Almighty Allah says: No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allah, is easy - in order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful. (Qur’an: Al-Hadid: 22-23) Almighty Allah informed us that He had willed and planned all afflictions striking our souls and all other misfortunes occurring on the earth beforehand. Everything He foreordained and predestined would inevitably happen regardless of whatever measures may be taken for its aversion. The wisdom behind this statement is to relieve our hearts and thus feel tranquil when being stricken with afflictions and not to rejoice at Allah’s blessings showing pride to others and turning away from offering thanks to Allah for such blessings. Thus, we should exercise patience at times of hardships and never show despair of Allah’s mercy; moreover, we should praise Allah at times of affluence. The Qur’anic verse similarly warns Muslims against feeling secure from the plans of Allah. It also calls Muslims to be close to Allah in both prosperity and adversity. Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: No one but experiences delight and grief. So, let your delight be a means of praising Allah and let your grief be a means of showing patience. The Qur’anic verse does not connote that man abandons taking measures guarding him against evil and availing benefit, and relying only on Allah’s Divine Predestination and Decree, as misconceived by some ignorant people. Almighty Allah commands us to take all possible measures and forbids us from showing indifference or slackening. In case we have exerted all possible efforts making all affordable measures but results have become frustrated, we should not feel distressed, for this is Allah’s Divine Predestination and Decree and if Allah decrees another thing, surely it will take place. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is reported to have said: Abide by what gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart. If anything (trouble) comes to you, do not say, ‘If I had not done that, it would not have happened such and such,’ but say, ‘Allah did that which He had ordained to do,’ for (saying) ‘if’ open the gate for Satan. (Related by Muslim) Man should also call himself to account for and always correct his mistakes, for all the afflictions he experiences mainly result from committing sins, Allah, Exalted and Glorified be He, says: And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned… (Qur’an: Ash-Shura: 30) Belief in Allah’s Divine Predestination and Decree, further, strengthens man’s faith at times of turmoil by inspiring him to receive sufferings with firm belief and unrelenting certitude since he surely ascertains that this life is an abode of trials and fluctuations. Almighty Allah says: [He] Who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed… (Qur’an: Al-Mulk: 2) He also says: And We will surely test you until We make evident those who strive among you [for the cause of Allah] and be patient, and we will test your affairs. (Qur’an: Muhammad: 31) The Prophet (peace be upon him) and his Companions (May Allah be pleased with them) faced tribulations and adversities with firm belief and unrelenting determination. This is by virtue of their belief in Allah’s Divine Predestination and Decree. Almighty Allah says: Say, ‘Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector.’ And upon Allah let the believers rely. (Qur’an: At-Tawbah: 51) Turning turmoil into success and afflictions into rewards is one of the blessings of believing in Allah’s Divine Predestination and Decree. Allah, Exalted be He, says, No disaster strikes except by permission of Allah. And whoever believes in Allah - He will guide his heart. And Allah is Knowing of all things. (Qur’an: At-Taghabun: 11) Interpreting the aforementioned Qur’anic verse, Alqamah said, ”It applies to the man who is afflicted with a misfortune but, upon realizing that it is from Allah, he feels content and submits to Allah’s Will.” This Qur’anic verse may be also interpreted that whosoever is afflicted with a tribulation but fully realizes that it only comes in accordance with the Divine Decree and thus shows patience, seeks Allah’s reward thereof and submits to His Divine Decree, Allah will guide his heart to belief. In addition, Allah will reward him with guidance and truthful certitude. Allah may provide him with something better than what he has lost. This also applies to natural disasters which are due to Allah’s Decree and which man has nothing to do with except that he is the cause of them through his violation of Allah’s commands and prohibitions. Man, therefore, should believe in Allah’s Divine Predestination and Decree and correct his mistakes that cause such misfortunes. Some people gravely err by taking the belief in Divine Predestination and Decree as a pretext for committing sins and being indifferent to religious ordinances. They argue that their sins are foreordained! They, moreover, never repent for their sins. Their example is that of the polytheists who are reported, according to the Qur’an, to have said: …If Allah had willed, we would not have associated [anything] and neither would our fathers, nor would we have prohibited anything. (Qur’an: Al-An’am: 148) This is a misunderstanding of Allah’s Decree and Predestination. Man should not take the Divine Decree and Predestination as a justification for committing sins. Nonetheless, belief in the Divine Decree and Predestination leads the Muslim to show patience over tribulations he may experience. Therefore, taking Allah’s Divine Decree and Predestination as a pretext for committing sins is a grave error since it invites people to abandon repentance and good deeds. On the other hand, taking the Divine Decree as an argument for accepting unpleasant fates is a good thing which may exhort one to show patience over such fates while seeking Allah’s reward. Belief in Allah’s Divine Decree and Predestination drives man to work, increase production and show strength and magnanimity. A striver in the cause of Allah continuously and enduringly strives without any fear of death which is surely inevitable, Almighty Allah says: Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. (Qur’an: An-Nisa: 78) And says: …Say, ‘Even if you had been inside your houses, those decreed to be killed would have come out to their death beds.’ (Qur’an: Alu Imran: 154) Hence, when a striver feels all such incitements through his belief in Allah’s Divine Decree, he endures striving in Allah’s cause until full victory is realized and utter domination of Islam and Muslims is attained. Similarly, through belief in Allah’s Divine Decree and Predestination, production and abundance of resources are secured. A believer, moreover, becomes completely certain that people will never cause not predestined by Allah. Furthermore, they will never benefit anyone with other than what Allah predestined for him. If he retains this firm belief, he will never experience laziness or even feel afraid of anyone. He will put his trust in Allah Alone and, thus, turns energetic in order to earn his living. In case he has a setback or fails in fulfilling his aim, he will not turn away from exerting his utmost efforts continually. At times of tribulations, he will not lament his misfortune but he will submit to Allah’s Divine Decree by fully relying on Him and putting his full trust in Him. He will, further, correct his mistakes and hold himself accountable for everything he does. In this way, our nation will flourish and all interest will be fulfilled. Almighty Allah says: And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent. (Qur’an: At-Talaq: 3) Source: Page 313-321, Guide to Sound Creed by Dr.Salih Al-Fawzan
Posted on: Tue, 30 Jul 2013 14:40:42 +0000
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