Dought & clear, - Is man’s fate pre-destined or does he have freedom of will?.

Is our fate completely pre-destined? Some say we have a choice of
which path to choose but what you will find at the end of the path has
been chosen for you by Allah. I have also read that qadar was perhaps
created by Jahm b. Safwan, not Allah.
Where can I find the information in the Quran and if there is a set
destiny how much of it is chosen by God? Is there really a set day on
which I will have birth and another for earthly death, for whom I will
marry?
What if I did meet the man I am supposed to marry but I somehow choose
the wrong path (so I may believe) only to realize I did wrong. Will he
come in my path again or have I altered my destiny so that my
punishment may be that I can not have this person in my life?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Belief in al-qadar (the divine will and decree) is one of the pillars
of faith, because the Prophet(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said, when he answered Jibreel's question about faith: "(It
means) believing in Allaah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers and
the Last Day, and to believe in al-qadar (the divine decree) both good
and bad."
What is meant by al-qadar is that Allaah has decreed all things from
eternity and knows that they will happen at times that are known to
Him, and in specific ways, and that He has written that and willed it,
and they happen according to what He has decreed. [al-Qada'
wa'l-Qadarby Dr 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Mahmoud, p. 39].
Belief in al-qadar is based on four things:
1 - Knowledge, i.e., that Allaah knows what His creation will do, by
virtue of His eternal knowledge.
2 - Writing, i.e., that Allaah has written the destiny of all
creatures in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz.
3 - Will, i.e., that what Allaah wills happens and what He does not
will does not happen. There is no movement in the heavens or on earth
but it happens by His will.
4 - Creation and formation, i.e., that Allaah is the Creator of all
things, including the actions of His slaves. They do their actions in
a real sense, and He is the Creator of them and of their actions.
Whoever believes in these four believes in al-qadar.
The Qur'aan affirms these things in numerous verses, such as the
verses in which He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none
knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in the land and in
the sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in
the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in
a Clear Record"
[al-An'aam 6:59]
"No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed
in the Book of Decrees (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz) before We bring it into
existence. Verily, that is easy for Allaah"
[al-Hadeed 57:22]
"And you cannot will unless (it be) that Allaah willsthe Lord of the
'Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)"
[al-Takweer 81:29]
"Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine Preordainments
of all things before their creation as written in the Book of
DecreesAl-Lawh Al-Mahfooz)"
[al-Qamar 54:49]
Muslim (2653) narrated that 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Aas 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." He said: "And His
Throne was upon the water."
Hence it should be clear to you that the view that al-qadar was
invented by al-Jahm ibn Safwaan is a view that has no sound basis.
Al-qadar was not created, rather creation comes under the heading of
belief in al-qadar. Al-Jahm went to extremes in affirming the divine
will and decree, and claimed that people are compelled to do what they
do and have no choice. This is a false view.
The belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wa'l-Jamaa'ah is that a person has freedom
of will, and hence he will be rewarded or punished. But his will is
subject to the will of Allaah, and nothing can take place in the
universe that is not willed by Allaah.
What some people say, that we have the choice to follow whatever path
we want but at the end of this path you will find what Allaah has
decreed for you, is a correct view. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful"
[al-Insaan 76:3]
"And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?"
[al-Balad 90:10]
"And say: "The truth is from your Lord." Then whosoever wills, let him
believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve"
[al-Kahf 18:29]
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said,
explaining the view of Ahl al-Sunnah with regard to man's deeds:
People act in a real sense, and Allaah is the Creator of their
actions. A person may be a believer or a kaafir, righteous or immoral,
he may pray and fast. People have control over their actions, and they
have their own will, and Allaah is the Creator of their control and
will, as 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]
al-Waasitiyyah ma'a Sharh Harraas, p. 65.
Marriage is one of the things that Allaah has decreed. The person whom
you will marry is known to Allaah: He knows who he is, when he was
born, where and when he will die, how he will be towards you, and
other details. All of that is known to Allaah and He has written it in
al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the Book of Decrees), and it will inevitably come
to pass as Allaah has decreed.
If Allaah has decreed that you will marry one person, but you choose
someone else, then no matter how long it takes, you will marry that
person. But your marriage to someone else is also decreed, because
there is nothing that is not decreed by Allaah. It may be decreed for
a woman to marry So and so the son of So and so, and he comes to
propose marriage but she refuses him, and marries someone else, then
he (the second man) dies or divorces her, then she accepts the first
one. All of that is decreed, and it is decreed for her to marry So and
so the son of So and so after initially refusing him and after some
experience or trials etc.
It may be decreed for a woman that a righteous man will propose
marriage to her, but she will refuse him and he will never come back
to her, and she will marry and live with someone else who is more or
less righteous, according what Allaah has decreed.
Because man does not know what is decreed for him, what he must do is
to adhere to sharee'ah and abide by its commands and prohibitions, and
to seek the help of Allaah and pray to Him for guidance (istikhaarah)
concerning all his affairs, whilst implementing the means, one of the
most important of which is consulting sincere people who have relevant
experience.
If a righteous man proposes marriage to a woman, she should pray to
Allaah for guidance (istikhaarah) and agree to marry him. If things
then go smoothly, this is an indication that what is good for her is
to marry him.
In conclusion, man should study the sharee'ah of Allaah and follow the
commands of Allaah even if he feels reluctant, and avoid what Allaah
has forbidden even if he is attached to it. All goodness is to be
found in obeying sharee'ah. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Jihaad(holy fighting in Allaah's Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims)
though you dislike it, and it may be that you dislike a thing which is
good for you and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allaah
knows but you do not know"
[al-Baqarah 2:216]
He should not look at al-qadar as an excuse to ignore commands and do
forbidden things, rather he should look at it in a way that will make
him content with whatever painful experiences happen to him.
And Allaah knows best.

Why Allaah creates mentally disabled people.

Why has Allah created mentally Disabled people
Praise be to Allaah.
One of the basic principles of Islam is to believe in the wisdom of
the Lord in what He creates and commands, and in what He wills and
decrees, in the sense that He does not create anything in vain and He
does not decree anything in which there is not some benefit for His
slaves. So everything that exists is His will and decree. Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"Allaah is the Creator of all things"[al-Ra'd 13:16]
His perfect wisdom decrees that He creates opposites, so He has
created angels and devils, night and day, purity and impurity, good
and ugly, and He has created good and evil. He created His slaves with
differences in their bodies and minds, and in their strengths. He has
made some rich and some poor, some healthy and some sickly, some wise
and some foolish. By His wisdom, He tests them, and He tests some by
means of others, to show who will be grateful and who will be
ungrateful. Allaah says (interpretation of the meanings):
"Verily, We have created man from Nutfah (drops) of mixed semen
(sexual discharge of man and woman), in order to try him, so We made
him hearer and seer.
Verily, We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or
ungrateful"[al-Insaan 76:2]
"Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is
best in deed"
[al-Mulk 67:2]
When the sound believer sees disabled people, he recognizes the
blessing that Allaah has bestowed upon him, so he gives thanks for His
blessing, and He asks Him for good health. He knows that Allaah is
Able to do all things.
People are incapable of comprehending Allaah's wisdom. He cannot be
questioned as to what He does , while they will be questioned.
Glorified and exalted be He. Whatever you understand of His wisdom,
believe in it, and whatever you cannot understand, say, "Allaah knows
best and is most wise, and we know nothing except that which You have
taught us, and He is the All-Knowing, Most Wise."
Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Barraak.

Dought & clear, - Is this expression correct?.

Is there anything wrong with this expression: "If we knew what was
going to happen in the future we could have saved ourselves a lot of
trouble"?.
Praise be to Allaah.
What this expression means if that if a person knew what was going to
happen to him, which is a matter of the unseen, he would have been
able to avoid the problems and evil that have befallen him. This is in
accordance with the Muslim's belief ('aqeedah), and there is nothing
wrong with it, because the unknown is something that is known only to
Allaah. If it were the case that people could see the unseen and know
of events before they happen, they would have achieved everything good
and avoided everything bad. They would look at the causes of good
health, wealth and happiness and they would pursue them, and they
would look at the causes of poverty, disease and death and they would
avoid them. But this is something hypothetical and impossible. The
point is that man is incapable and weak and must submit to the fate
that Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, has decreed for him.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say (O Muhammadصلى الله عليه وسلم(: 'I possess no power over benefit
or hurt to myself except as Allaah wills. If I had the knowledge of
the Ghayb )Unseen(, I should have secured for myself an abundance of
wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a
bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe'"
[al-A'raaf 7:188]
It says inTafseer al-Qur'aan il-'Azeem(3/524):
The best comment concerning this is what was narrated by al-Dahhaak
from Ibn 'Abbaas: "If I had knowledge of the unseen I would have
acquired a lot of good" i.e., wealth. According to another report: "If
I knew the unseen I would have known what would make a profit and what
would not, and I would have made a lot of money and poverty would not
have come my way."
Ibn Jareer said: Others said: What that means is: If I had knowledge
of the unseen I would have prepared for the year of drought (by
setting side something) from the year of plenty, and I would have
known when prices were about to go up or down, so I would have saved
for myself from the times when prices were low for the times when
prices were high.
'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Zayd ibn Aslam said: "and no evil should have
touched me" I would have avoided evil before it happened. End quote.
Shaykh al-Sa'di said inTafseer al-Kareem al-Rahmaan(p. 311): "If I had
the knowledge of the Ghayb (Unseen), I should have secured for myself
an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me" means: I
would have done the things that I know would have resulted in good and
benefits for me, and I would have avoided everything that could lead
to evil and negative consequences, because I would have known about
things before they happened, and I would have known what they would
lead to.
But – because of my lack of such knowledge – bad things may happen to
me, and I may miss out on good things. This is the clearest evidence
that I have no knowledge of the unseen.
And Allaah knows best.

Dought & clear, - Meaning of belief in al-Qadar (the divine will and decree).

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.