The Supplication andAl-Qadar

Here there occurs a very popular question and it is:
If the thing that is being supplicated for is already decreed for the
servant, then there is no doubt that it is going to come to pass for
him, regardless of whether he supplicates forit or not. And if it has
not been decreed for him, then it will not come to pass, regardless of
whether he asks Allaah forit or not.
There is one group that perceives this question to be valid and so
they have abandoned the supplication and are of theview that there is
no benefit in doing it. These people, along with their excessive
ignorance and misguidance are in clear contradiction, for if we were
to follow their opinion, it would require us to reject all the
different means for attaining something (desired).
So it can be said to one of them:
If satisfying your appetite and quenching your thirst were already
decreed for you, then there is no doubt that they are going to come to
pass, whether you eat and drink or you don't. And if they were
notdecreed for you, they will not come to pass, whetheryou eat and
drink or you don't.
And likewise, if a child were decreed for you, then you will
definitely receive it, whether you have sexual intercourse with your
wife or you don't. And if that was not decreed for you, then it will
not come to pass. Thus there is no need for marrying, having sexual
relations and so on and so forth.
Who says such a statement? Is it one possessing common sense or a
beast? Rather, even the animal has a natural inclination (fitrah)
towardsseeking the means of attaining something (desired), which (for
example) will give it sustenance and livelihood.So the animals have
more common sense and possess more understanding than these types of
people who are like cattle – nay, far worse!
Some of them try to be clever and say:
Preoccupying oneself withsupplication falls into the realm of worship
solely – Allaah will reward the onesupplicating, without that having
an effect on what he is asking for in any way. According to this type
of person, there is no difference between supplicating and
refrainingfrom supplicating by heartand tongue, with regard to that
having an effect onattaining what is being asked for. And according to
them, the relation of the supplication to it (what is being asked for)
islike its relation with silence. There is no difference between them.
Another group, more slick than this one says:
Rather, the supplication is a sign, which Allaah displays as a symbol
that amatter has been carried out. So when Allaah grantshis servant
the ability to supplicate, it is a sign and a symbol that the matter
he was requesting has been carried out. This is just as if one were to
see afrigid black cloud during the winter season. It is a sign and an
implicationthat it will rain.
They say: Similarly is enacting good deeds with respect to reward, and
committing disbelief and sins with respect to punishment – they are
pure signs for the occurrence of (either) reward or punishment – not
means (by which the result will be attained).
Likewise, according to them, with the matters of breaking, kindling
and destroying – none of thesethings serves as a means for the
occurrence (result) of a wreck, fire and death, respectively. Nor is
there any connection between those things and what results from them,
other than the fact that they are normally paired together – not that
one is caused due to the means of the other!
They have contradicted perceptual observation and common sense with
this opinion, as well as revelation and fitrah (natural inclination),
not tomention all of the other intellectual groups. Rather,those with
intellects laughat them!
The correct view: There is a third category, apart from those
mentioned by the questioner. And it is that the decreed result is
preordained along with itsproper means, which lead to its occurrence.
One of these means is the supplication. It is not preordained just
like that, without any means (leading to its occurrence), rather it is
preordained along with its proper means (which will ensure its
occurrence). So when a person comes across the means, the decreed
matterwill come to pass. And if he does not come across those means,
the decreed matter is denied.
So satisfying one's appetite and quenching one's thirst are
preordained with (the means of) eating and drinking. Children are
preordained with (the means of) sexual intercourse. Harvesting crops
is preordained with (the means of) planting and, the withdrawal of
thesoul from an animal is decreed with slaughter. Likewise, entrance
into Paradise is preordained with (good) deeds,