The benefits of belief in Divine Decree and Predestination

Belief in Al-Qadhaa' Wal-Qadar )Divine Decreeand Predestination( is
one of the pillars of faith in Islam. The Muslim's faith is not
complete unless he knows that whatever befalls him could not have
missed him, and whatever misses him could not have befallen him.
Everything is subject to the Will and Decree of Allaah, as Allaah Says
in the Quran )what means(:"Indeed, all things We created with
predestination".]Quran 54:49[
All the disasters and tribulations that happen on earth, or happen to
the individual, or to his wealth or family, etc., were known to Allaah
before they happened, He has written them in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooth
)thePreserved Tablet( as He Says )what means(:"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 Allaah, is
easy."]Quran 57:22[
No matter what disasters befall a person, it is goodfor him, whether
he realizes that or not, because Allaah does not decree anything but
it is good, as He Says )what means(:
"Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allaah has decreed for
us;He is our protector." And upon Allaah let the believers
rely."]Quran 9:51[
Every disaster happens byAllaah's leave. If He had not willed it, it
would nothave happened, but Allaah permitted it to happen and decreed
it, and so it happened. Allaah Says )what means(:
"No disaster strikes except by permission of Allaah. And whoever
believes in Allaah — He will guide his heart. And Allaah is Knowing of
all things."]Quran 64:11[
Once a person knows that all calamities happenby the will and decree
of Allaah, then he has to believe and submit and be patient. The
reward for patience is Paradise, as Allaah Says )what means(: "And
will rewardthem for what they patiently endured ]with[ a garden
]inParadise[ and silk ]garments[."]Quran 76:12[
The position of patience in relation to this aspect of faith, in
particular, is like that of the head in relation to the body. Patience
is a noble attribute with good consequences. Those who are patient
will havean unlimited reward, as Allaah Says )what means(:
"Say, "O My servants who have believed, fear your Lord. For those who
do good in this world is good and the earth of Allaah is spacious.
Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account ]i.e.
limit[."]Quran 39:10[
Another good outcome to perseverance through the Decree of Allaah, is
the believer )in particular( is rewarded inboth good times and bad.
Prophet Muhammadsaid:
"How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for all his affairs are
good, and that is for no one except the believer. If something good
happensto him, he expresses gratitude, and that is good for him, and
if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is
goodfor him."]Muslim[
Allaah has taught us whatwe should say when calamity strikes, and has
stated that those who arepatient will have an honorable position with
their Lord. Allaah Says )what means(:"… But give good tidings to the
patient. Who, when disaster strikes them, say,"Indeed we belong to
Allaah, and indeed to Himwe will return."]Quran 2:155-156[
The benefits of Belief in Divine Decree and Predestination:
The benefits of Divine Decree and Predestination can be highlighted
through the following points:
1. Peace of mind: A Muslim who believes in Divine Decree and
Predestinationwill havehis mind at ease when heknows for certain that
what befell him could nothave missed him and what missed him could not
have reached him.
2. Contentment: It doesn'tmake him grieve about anything because he
doesn't say things that reflect discontent like "if I did such and
such then such and such would have happened". Also, hedoesn't worry
too much about the future becausehe believes that everything is
already written. What he should worry about is his deeds and doing
good.
3. It gives him the will power and determination to go forward in the
way of Allaah: A Muslim doesn't fear anybody because he knows that no
one has the power to afflict harm on him without it being decreed by
Allaah. The Prophet )( clarified this point to Ibn Abbaassaying:
"…If the whole nation were to gather together to benefit you they
would only benefit you with that which Allaah had already written for
you and if the whole nation were to gather to harm you they could
onlyharm you with that which Allaah had already written to harm you.
The pen has been lifted and the ink has dried )a phrase meaning:
everything has been decreed or settled(".]At-Tirmithi[
4. It teaches the Muslim to be modest and humble. This is so because
everything that a Muslim does is by the Will of Allaah so if he
succeeds he knows that Allaah helped him in doing it; he doesn't
succeed because he is intelligent or because he is rich or because he
deserves it, and, likewise,a person isn't poor because he is stupid.
This stops pride and arrogance from creeping to his heart because he
knows that Allaah can afflict him with harm anddeprive him from the
bounties he boasts about.
5. Total dependence upon Allaah: A Muslim takes precautions, does as
much as he can and then depends upon Allaah because Divine Decree does
not stop himfrom taking precautions and utilizing worldly means.
The Prophetsaid:"Take precautions as everybody is guided to that which
has been destined for him."e.g. you should drink to quench your
thirst. If something bad comes, it is because of our bad doings and if
something good reaches us then it isfrom Allaah's grace.
Almighty Allaah Says )what means(:"What comes to you of good is from
Allaah, but what comes to you of evil, ]O man[, is from
yourself."]Quran 4:79[

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Be a Logical and Motivating Parent

Father: I told you to clean your room.‎
Child: But I don't know how to dothat!
Father: I said clean the room! Don't you understand? Does ‎thisneed
any explanation? ‎You are old enough and you ‎can do this by yourself.
If you clean your room, I will buy you ‎whatever you ‎like. ‎
Child: ‎Really, Dad? ‎
Father: ‎Yes, my dear boy. ‎However, if you don't do so, the
consequences will be ‎bad.‎
After cleaning the room…
Child: Dad! I cleaned my room.‎
Father: ‎Do you call this cleaning?
Child: ‎I did my best, Dad.
Father: ‎Why didn't you clean under the bed? ‎Remove the dustfrom the
glass? Arrange the clothes?
Child: I forgot to do that, but I will do it now.
After cleaning the room again...
Child: I have cleaned everything!
Father: Good! Well done!
Child: I deserve the prize now, right?
Father: Yes, you deserve it!
Child: You told me that you will buy me whatever I want.
Father: Yes, I did say that. What would you like me to buy you?"
Child: I want you to buy me a motorcycle!
Father: What, a motorcycle?! That is too expensive, and I can't buy it now.
Child: But you said that you would buy me whatever I wanted.
Father: But you should ask for something reasonable.
Child: But I want a motorcycle and nothing else.
Father: I don't likethose whotalkand arguetoo much, you have to ask
for something reasonable or Iwill buy you nothing.
Child )weeping(: But I love motorcycles!
The child then returns to his room that he has just cleaned feeling
remorse for every second he had spent in cleaning it. At thesame time,
he has lost confidence in his father's repeated illusionary promises
that he never fulfills. He closes the door and falls asleep.
Dear educator, be precise, logical and motivating. In the light of the
previous story, let us ask the following questions:
Was the father precise and logicalin his request? Did he succeed in
motivating his child?
Dear parent, let us answer the following three questions:
First:Was the father precise )in his orders and requests(?
Why do parents always think badly of their children if they refuse to
respond to their orders or if they respond wrongly? Why do we
immediately accuse the child of negligence?
In fact, we should accuse ourselves in many cases and inquire,"Were we
precise in our demands from the child?"
Was it sufficient for the father to ask his child to clean his room?
Isthis request sufficient or does it need some clarification?
The reward that the child will receive when he obeys his parents
represents the real incentive that makes him feel confident and
strong. Therefore, the parents who are not specific with their
children when they give them orders unintentionally lead their
children to failure.
For example, the father could have explained his request to his child
from the beginning in the following way:
·Use the broom when cleaning the floor
·Arrange the clothes and put them in their place
·Remove the dust from the glass and furniture
Putting it this way helps the childto know what is exactly required of
him easily. In such a case, if the child does something wrong, then
he, rather than you, would be the negligent party.
Specification and clarity is required ‎in motivation:You should not
tell your child that you would buy him whatever he wants if he does
such-and-such. That is because the child has an intrinsic powerful
imagination and there is no limit to his demands. Therefore, if you
are not specific and do not respond to your child's requests, he will
be disappointed and will lose confidence in his father's promises and
incentives. On the contrary, such motivation will turn in the future
into frustration.
This explains what happened in our story. The child asked for a
motorcycle, and the father could not fulfill this difficult request
and the result was disappointment and frustration.
The father has to be specific even in motivating his child. For
example, he could motivate him by saying,"If you clean your room, I
will allow you to watch a cartoon."
Likewise, the parents should be specific in punishment. Therefore, it
is unfavorable to tellthe child,"If you do not do such-and-such, the
consequenceswill be bad."
The punishment should be specific. For example, one should say to his
child, "If you do not do such-and-such, you will not have any pocket
money, or you will not play video games, watch a cartoon movie, and so
on."
The father should choose the most effective )not severe( punishment,
becauseunspecifiedpunishments encourage the child to be careless as
long as he does not feel its effect on him.
However, the best thing that you can do to be specific in your demands
from your child is to arrange your room in his presence. In other
words, you should be an example to your child just as the Prophet,,
was the best example to his Companions. The Prophet,, was the perfect
example of the educator that people follow. He used to be ahead of his
Companions guiding them in wars, and encouraging them to spend in the
cause of Allaah The Almighty. He was also ahead of them when they were
digging the trench and he endured hardships and treated his wives
well.
My dear educator, you should know that giving a clear messageis
considered one of the key introductions to good education. Parents
should tell their children exactly what they want them to do, and how
they want them to do it. They should also determinewhen their children
act properly or improperly.
Second:Was the father logical in his demands and the expected results?
Many parents ask their children to do things that exceed their ability
or age. Therefore, they ‎are in fact leading them to failure,
especially when they ‎expect excellent results. An example of this is
when a parent asks his three-year-old child to wash the dishes or
clean the room.On the other hand, many parents degrade their
children's ‎‎abilities and ask them to do what they cannot accept,
‎‎because they can actually do more due to their age and mature
‎‎mind. For example, when the mother asks her ten-year-old child to
sit so that she can study every single word with him, she is in fact
asking herchild to do something that he cannot bear. That is because
this implies an offence and accusationof ignorance. However, the
mother expects excellent scores at the end of the year, while she has
made her child completely dependent upon her.
The parent should be logical in what he asks his child to do and the
results he expects. This requires taking two things into
consideration:
1-The child's capabilities including his age, strength, intelligence,
vitality and self-confidence
2-The nature of the request itself
Then, the parent should comparethe child's capabilities and the
capabilities that are required for responding to his request after
avoiding and treating the physical and the psychological problems.
The parent should understand the Quranic verses in which Allaah The
Almighty Says )what means(:
·}Allaah does not charge a soul except ]with that within[ its
capacity.{]Quran 2:286[
·}Allaah does not charge a soul except ]according to[ what He has
given it.{]Quran 65:7[
By understanding these verses, parents can successfully compareresults
and judge whether or not they comply with their expectations of the
child.
Third: Was the father motivating?
This point is very important because the human soul likes praise, and
treating disobediencethrough encouragement is one ofthe most important
educational methods. The effects of this encouragement upon the child
include generating consciousnessof success in the work for which he
has been rewarded. Of course, this satisfies the child's motivations
and activates his learning habits in the future. The result would be
strengthening the child's confidence and encouraging him to be more
adventurous, creative and determined.
This method is very important in encouraging children, however, the
following issues should be observed:
·This should not be the only method, namely, the parents should not
use this method in cases when they see that there is a necessity for
punishment. Thereshould be a balance between reward and punishment.
·Motivation should be specific and precise, as we have mentioned.
·Parents should fulfill their motivational promises under all circumstances.
·Parents must implement their warnings if the child did not keephis promise.
·The motivation should not be exaggerated.
·Motivation should be using something loved and desired by the child.
Dear parent, you can also use some words to praise your child ‎when he
obeys you such as"I like the way you handled this","Iknow you well
‎and I am sure that you will behave ‎properly,"or"I think you can do
it".
Finally, dear father and mother do not forget when you ask your child
to arrange his room, for example, you should be specific and explain
things to him. Do notask your child to do anything thatexceeds his
abilities. Likewise, be specific in motivating your child.

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Prophet Musa and Fir’awn

Prophet Musaand his brother Harun had been called upon by Allahto
deliver a message to the leader of the Egyptians, Fir'awn (Pharaoh),
who considered himself a god and insisted that his subjects worship
him.
Prophet Musa told Fir'awn that he, Musa, was a messengerof the Lord of
the Worlds and that he had clear proof ofit. Therefore, Fir'awn should
let the people of Israel go with him. Prophet Musa showed Fir'awn the
staff that turned into a serpent andthe hand which turned shining
white when placed under his arm. Fir'awn consulted with allhis chiefs
and they decided that perhaps Musa was just a very good magician. They
called together all their best magicians to compete with Prophet Musa.
The magicians were promised a reward if they won.
The magicians went first in the contest and they were good, really
good. They made their ropes and sticks appear to run in front of their
audience. Prophet Musa was afraid that he couldn't surpass their
skills, but Allah told him not to be afraid. When Prophet Musa threw
down his staff, it ate up all that the magicians had made. When the
magicians saw this, they bowed down and proclaimed their belief inthe
Lord of Prophet Musa and Harun.
Fir'awn was not very happy about this turn of events. He threatened to
cut off the hands and feet of the magicians andto crucify them. But
the magicians would not change their opinion. They were convinced by
the clear proofs which Prophet Musa had shownto them and they told
Fir'awn that he could only end for them their life in this world. For
those who believe there would be another life after death, in gardens
beneath which rivers flow.
Following this there began another period of persecution against the
followers of Allah. Fir'awn had all of their sons killed. Prophet Musa
had to encourage the children of Israel to continue strong in their
belief in Allah and to prayto Allah faithfully.
Whenever good fortune befell the Egyptians, they took credit for it.
When misfortune came, they blamed Prophet Musa and his people. They
failed to see that everything, both good and bad, comes from Allah.
Allah sent all kinds of hardships against the Egyptians- famine, loss
offruits, floods, locusts, pests, frogs, and blood- as signs to them.
They would promise to free the people of Israel if Musa would pray to
his God for deliverance from the pestilence. But as soon as the
hardship had been removed, they would go back on their promise.
Finally Prophet Musa was instructed by Allah to lead the followers of
Allah away by night. When they came to the sea, the waters parted so
that they could pass to the other side without getting wet. However,
when Fir'awn and his armies pursued them, thewaters of the sea closed
in on them and they were all drowned. In this way did Allah punish
Fir'awn for leading his people away from Allah.
Insha Allah in the next issue we shall relate the conclusion of the
story ofMusa , when we tell whatbefell the children of Israel after
they left Egypt. You can read about Musa and Fir'awn in al-Quran
7:103-137; 20:49-79; 26:16-67; and 43:46-56.

Prophet Musa and the Bani Israel

When Prophet Musa(alayhis salam) and his people fled from the
Egyptians, their trialswere far from over. After they had safely
crossed the sea, they came upon some people who were worshiping idols.
The children of Israel asked Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) to make an
idol for them, and he had to remind them of all that Allahhad done for
them. How could he make another god for them when their Allah was the
only true god?
Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) was summoned byAllah to Mount Sinai and
he put his brother Harun(alayhis salam) in charge while he was gone.
When he arrived atthe appointed site, he asked to see Allah. Allah
said He could not show Himself directly to Prophet Musa (alayhis
salam), but Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) should look towards the
mountain, and if the mountain remained in one piece, then Musa would
see Allah. When Allah showed His glory onthe mountain, it became like
dust, and Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) fell down in a faint. When
hehad recovered his senses,he asked Allah's forgiveness and declared
his unquestioning belief in Allah. Then Allah spokewith Prophet Musa
(alayhis salam) and gave him tablets containing His commands and
explaining all things. Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) was to carry the
tablets back to his peopleand convey to them the words of Allah. He
spent forty days on the mount, communing with his Lord.
Meanwhile, the people ofProphet Musa (alayhis salam) gathered
togetherall their jewelry and gold which they had carried from Egypt.
They melted it down and made it into the form of a calf, which they
wished to worship. When Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) returned from the
mountain with his tablets, he was angry and grieved to see the golden
calf. Thinking thatHarun (alayhis salam) hadapproved the actions of
the Israelites, an angry Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) grabbed his
brother by the hair and dragged Harun towards him. Harun hastily
explained that the people had not listened to him and had even
threatened to kill him when he opposed their activities. At this
Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) prayed to Allah for forgiveness for both
himself and his brother. He also prayed for mercy for those who
repented of their evil deed in making the golden idol.
The ultimate destination of the people of Israel was the land of
Canaan. Continuously they rebelled against Allah, and continuously
Allah forgave them. When theywere thirsty, Allah commanded Prophet
Musa (alayhis salam) to strike a rock and from it sprang twelve
springs of water, one for each of the tribes of Israel. When they were
hot, Allah provided clouds to cover the sun. When they were hungry,
Allah provided manna and salwa. Yet they were never grateful.They even
complained about the sameness of the diet and asked for more variety.
At last they came to the land of Canaan. But because the people of
Canaan were very strong-looking, the Israelites were afraid to invade
their land. There were only two men who were willing to join Prophet
Musa (alayhis salam) and Harun (alayhis salam) in an attempt to drive
the Canaanites out. They counseled that if the proper gates were
attacked, they could easily gain entrance. And once they were inside,
they would easily be victorious if only they would put their trustin
Allah. But the people of Israel would not budge. They told Prophet
Musa (alayhis salam) and Harun(alayhis salam) to go withtheir Lord and
fight, while they, the people, would sit and watch. At this Prophet
Musa (alayhis salam) gave up trying to persuade his rebellious people.
And Allah decreed that because of their behavior, the children of
Israel would be condemned to wander inthe wilderness for forty more
years, before they would be allowed to enter the land of Canaan.
You can read about the story of Prophet Musa (alayhis salam) and his
people in the wilderness in al-Quran 2: 51-61; 5: 23-29; 7: 138-162;
and 20:80-98.