What is the meaning of belief in al-Qadar (the divine will and decree)?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Qadar means that Allaah has decreed everything that happens in the
universe according to His prior knowledge and the dictates of His
wisdom.
Belief in al-Qadar includes four things:
1 - The belief that Allaah knows all things, in general and in detail,
from eternity to eternity, whether that has to do with His actions or
the actions of His slaves.
2 - The belief that Allaah has written that in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the
Book of Decrees).
Concerning these two matters Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Know you not that Allaah knows all that is in the heaven and on the
earth? Verily, it is (all) in the Book (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz). Verily,
that is easy for Allaah"
[al-Hajj 22:70]
InSaheeh Muslim(2653) it is narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr ibn
al-'Aas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger
of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: "Allaah
wrote down the decrees of creation fifty thousand years before He
created the heavens and the earth."
And the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "The
first thing that Allaah created was the Pen, and He said to it,
'Write!' It said, 'O Lord, what should I write?' He said: 'Write down
the decrees of all things until the Hour begins." Narrated by Abu
Dawood, 4700; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani inSaheeh Abi Dawood.
3 - The belief that whatever happens only happens by the will of
Allaah - whether that has to do with His actions or the actions of
created beings.
Allaah says concerning His actions (interpretation of the meaning):
"And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses"
[al-Qasas 28:68]
"and Allaah does what He wills"
[Ibraaheem 14:27]
"He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He wills"
[Aal 'Imraan 3:6]
And He says concerning the actions of created beings (interpretation
of the meaning):
"Had Allaah willed, indeed He would have given them power over you,
and they would have fought you"
[al-Nisa' 4:90]
"If your Lord had so willed, they would not have done it"
[al-An'aam 6:112]
All events, actions and happenings occur only by the will of Allaah.
Whatever Allaah wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not
happen.
4 - The belief that all things that happen are created by Allaah in
their essence, their attributes and their movements.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Wakeel (Trustee,
Disposer of affairs, Guardian) over all things"
[al-Zumar 39:62]
"He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to
its due measurements"
[al-Furqaan 25:2]
And Allaah tells us that the Prophet of Allaah Ibraaheem(peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to his people:
"While Allaah has created you and what you make"
[al-Saaffaat 38:96 - interpretation of the meaning]
If a person believes in all these things then he believes correctly in
the divine will and decree (al-qadar).
Belief in al-qadar as we have described it above does not contradict
the idea that a person has free will with regard to actions in which
he has free choice. He can choose whether to or not to do things that
he is able to do of acts of worship or sinful actions. Sharee'ah and
real life both indicate that people have this will.
With regard to sharee'ah, Allaah says concerning man's will
(interpretation of the meaning):
"That is (without doubt) the True Day. 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]
"so go to your tilth, when or how you will"
[al-Baqarah 2:223]
And He says concerning man's ability (interpretation of the meaning):
"So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can"
[al-Taghaabun 64:16]
"Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that
(good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which
he has earned"
[al-Baqarah 2:286]
These verses confirm that man has a will and the ability to do what
he wants and not to do what he does not want.
With regard to real life, everyone knows that he has a will and the
ability to do what he wants and not to do what he does not want. And
he can distinguish between the things that happen when he wants them
to, such as walking, and those that happen without him wanting them
to, such as shivering. But the will and ability of man are subject to
the will and decree of Allaah, because Allaah says (interpretation of
the meaning):
"To whomsoever among you who wills to walk straight.
And you cannot will unless (it be) that Allaah willsthe Lord of the
'Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)"
[al-Takweer 81:28-29]
But the entire universe is the dominion of Allaah, and nothing can
happen in His dominion without His knowledge and will.
And Allaah knows best.
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