Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree)
This is a discussion on Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) within the Aqeedah and Methodology forums, part of the Islamic Library category; Salam, Actually some of the points repeated are relevant to the points under discussion. When we raise a point, we can not ignore supporting evidences, ...
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10-02-2009, 02:03 PM
| #31 | |
| Banned Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 325 Gender:  Way of life: Muslim Thanks: 10
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|  Re: Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) Salam, Actually some of the points repeated are relevant to the points under discussion. When we raise a point, we can not ignore supporting evidences, though we posted it earlier as well. Actually you yourself have posted couple of time before the following. Quote:
wassalam | |
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10-03-2009, 12:49 AM
| #32 | |
| salafist  Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 950 Gender: Way of life: Muslim Thanks: 5
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| Re: Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) akhee Salman, try to be easy with him, he is not all that bad compared to actual revisionist modernist. Quote:
some of the things you stated and some were incorrect based on an incorrect analogy of how you applied an ayaah our creed is that we work for what we aspire to and Allah fulfills what we fell short in. the ayaah you posed in the beginning is incompatible to what Salman or others were talking about because the mushriks argument was that they were totally relying upon this argument as a validation of their neglect. This is different than someone accepting the decree of Allah. and Yes, ALlah did decree Michael Jackson to take drugs and die and He willed it. one of the mutazilah, they were a subsect or part of the qadariyyah as well, denied al-Qadr. Amr Ibnul-Ubayd said "if tabat ya da abi lahab" is part of the Qur'an, then Allah had no reason to punish Abu Lahab. In the ayaah, Allah declared Abu Lahab to already be in the fire before he died. Amr Ibnul-Ubayd rejected the concept of Allah's pre decree. so he said that if this ayaah is true, then Allah has no reason to punish Abu Lahab. It was the decree of Allah that Michael jackson die the way he did and everyone else for that matter. It does not mean that your fate is inescapable, but that whatever you do is already determined by default. lastly, it is not avisable to discuss this subject even among people who understand the proper Islamic creed because this is the most dangerous of all the creedal doctrines in Islam due to the ramifications it causes and due to the topic being most confusing of all.  | |
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10-03-2009, 04:14 AM
| #33 | |
| Banned Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 325 Gender: Way of life: Muslim Thanks: 10
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| Re: Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) Quote:
Well, do you agree with the following statement brother Salman has written in post 28? I quote; "....(Regarding Allah) recording of what you will do out of your free will and allowing that to happen, it is your choice only; Allah did not wrote down in sense of forcing you to do this. However, due to Allah's infinite and pre-eternal knowledge, He knew that you will make this choice and He knew the exact moment. Thus, He ordered the pen to write this down in the book. When the moment came, you made the choice and Allah Willed and Permitted you to exercise your choice and see the result of it." wassalam | |
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03-07-2010, 12:30 PM
| #34 | |
| Banned Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 325 Gender: Way of life: Muslim Thanks: 10
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| Re: Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) Quote:
 The entire system of Reward & Punishment rests on Man’s being responsible for his actions. Responsibility has to come from freedom of choice. No freedom of choice, no responsibility. That’s why the Quran says (in 16:75-76) “The subjugated and the free can never be equal. Subsequently, one will be answerable only for actions committed out of free will (16:106). Also (in 33/5): “you won’t be held answerable for (an unintentional) mistake - only for one which you make with your heart’s intention”. The same principle lies under the normal judicial law which distinguishes between intentional (cold-blooded) and unintentional (warm-blooded or accidental) murder, proposing different punishments for them (4:92-93). The Quran has resolved the problem of Freedom & Compulsion through the story of Man. When Adam (Man) was asked to explain; he responded with a regretful “O our Allah, we have done ourselves harm” (7:23). That is, Adam, by regreting and confessing to the disobedience, admitted the responsibility for the action. This gave him a chance of redemption. He was told not to worry (in 2:38): “ I will be giving guidance to you. Whoever follows it will become free of fear and grief”. This is the potential of regaining the lost Paradise. The Quran calls it ‘repentance to reform after having erred’ (16:119). “You will be held responsible (only) for actions committed by your heart (will)” (2:225). That is, one is not responsible for a forced action. The Quran says that the Devilish (Iblis) attitude of “I would not have sinned if You (Allah) had not wished so” is the line always taken by infidels and polytheists. They attribute their way of life to Allah’s will -- ‘we are what we are because Allah wills so’. As it is said in Sura An’aam: “When you question their (erroneous) way of life, the polytheists will say - ‘It is Allah’s will that we are, and our ancestors were, polytheists” (6:149). Allah rebuts that statement with: “Whatever you say (and follow) is nothing but pure conjecture (and ignorance)”. In Sura Zakhraf, it says that when you (the Prophet) question them, they say: ‘We would never have prayed to these idols if God did not will it”. Allah said, “this is just ignorance. They are nothing but conjectures.” (43:20). Sura Yaseen reports that when the rich are asked to let their wealth flown down to the poor, the infidels reply: ‘How can we enrich those who are poor by Allah’s will?”. The Quran’s response to that is : “surely, you are in grave ignorance!” (36:47). Therefore, your notion, 'ALlah did decree Michael Jackson to take drugs and die and He willed it' has no basis. You are (knowingly or unknowingly) trying to put responsibilty on Allah for someone else wrong doing. Wassalam | |
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03-08-2010, 10:59 AM
| #35 | ||
| salafist Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 950 Gender: Way of life: Muslim Thanks: 5
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| Re: Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) Quote:
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dear dear optimist. Allow me to set the stage, and then to explain the ramifications of the two extremes and how each extreme views the middle path as the other extreme. Only in this way I think you would really see the issue in a birds eye view. In the issue of al-Qadr, there are two philosophical groups who have strayed from the middle path of ahlu-sunnah in the doctrine of Qadr. In essence we have three distinct groups. we have 1. al-qadariyyah 2. ahlu-sunnah 3. al-jabariyyah What I will do is to explain the first and the third thought patterns and then elaborate a bit on the second one. al-Qadariyyah maintained that Allah does not know what is going to happen until it happens because IF He knows what happened before it happens, then people who believe that ARE LIKE, and then they quote the ayaah that you quote “I would not have sinned if You (Allah) had not wished so” Now, the jabariyyah fell to the opposite extreme. They maintained that NOT ONLY does Allah know everything that will happen, BUT LIKEWISE we are also compelled through His Knowledge to do what we do, THUS it is THESE people who represent the belief of the mushrikeen in the ayaah which you quote “I would not have sinned if You (Allah) had not wished so” SO if these are the two beliefs, where do the people of Allah and the people of the messenger of Allah fit in. They maintained a middle course, as usual, that they do not fall into one extreme in trying to escape from another extreme. They are balanced. They maintain Of course Allah has given the human the right of free will to choose what he chooses. There is no hindrance from anything to do that, thus this ayaah above is in refutation of those who completely deny the acquisition of free will. So when the Jabariyyah emerged as an innovated sect, the people of Islam and the Sunnah used this ayaah (that you are using to somehow prove we are wrong) in refutation to the Jabariyyah and many other ayaah which allude to the fact that Allah granted us the ability to choose our own actions. However, At the same time, the people of Allah and the Messenger of Allah also maintained that NOTHING escapes from His knowledge and His decree. Whatever happens is because Allah allowed for it to happen. The insurmountable ayaah that speak of this reality of Allah cannot be counted, and one of the proofs that the people of Islam used against the qadariyyah (the people who totally negated Allah having any knowledge of what will happen until it happens) is the ayaah where He says "We have created them and what they do" BOTH extremes, if people adopt them, will have to believe in kufr because their extremes ENTAIL certain ramifications. The only doctrine that does not entail kufr is the only doctrine whom Allah protected which is the doctrine of the people of Islam and the sunnah. Ramification of the Jabariyyah- The beliefs upon which the Jabariyyah maintain entail blasphemy. It entails that since Allah compelled them, then He has no right to punish them for what they did, and this is kufr. Allah blasted them in another ayaah by saying "So they may have no excuse against Allah....". Ramifications of the Qadariyyah- the ramifications of this group is actually worse than the Jabariyyah. When a person maintains that the human action is totally severed from the knowledge and decree of Allah, it by default necessitates that you are implying that Allah is ignorant and this is kufr that negates Islam, making the person an apostate. This is why the qadariyyah, due to this theory, maintained that Allah does not know what will happen until it happens. This is why the suraah of Abu Lahab annihilates the people who think along the lines that you have put forward in this post because in the soorah, Allah has affirmed a reality through His knowledge and decree BEFORE it has happened. That is why Amr Ibnul-Ubayd said arrogantly and boldly "If Allah said this, He has no reason to punish Abu Lahab" NOW, the problem that we have in todays time, with all extremists groups and ideas, is that each extreme, labels or views those who adopted the middle path, as the other extreme. example in our islamic history in terms of the doctrine of the Attributes of Allah, there are three groups 1. ahlu-kalaam (people of theosophical dialectic) 2. ahlu-sunnah (people of the prophetic sunnah and methodology) 3. ahlul-mujjassimah (anthropomorphists) The mujjassimah accused the ahlu-sunnah of being like the atheist negative theologies of the ahlul-kalaam. Likewise, the ahlul-kalaam maintained that ahlu-sunnah were mujjassimah. Thus the people of Islam an the Sunnah were always on the receiving end of receiving false charges against them do to the extremism of these sects Again in the issue of faith 1. khawaarij 2. ahlu-sunnah 3. murjia the khawaarij of our times accuse ahlu-sunnah of being murjia and the murjia of our time accuse ahlu-sunnah of being like khawaarij Now, with you on the issue of al-Qadr, in the past we had 1. qadariyyah 2. ahlu-sunnah 3. jabariyyah the jabariyyah have accused the ahlu-sunnah of going to the extremes with the qadariyyah, and the qadariyyah have accused ahlu-sunnah of going into extremes in believing like the jabariyyah, which you have practiced and demonstrated above in this post of yours. When you disagree that Allah did not decree for Michael Jackson to take drugs and die, you have by default admitted that something has fallen beyond the realm of Allah's knowledge in spite of Allah informing you "NOTHING escapes His knowledge" Our creed is 1. He knows ALL Things 2. He Knows EVERYTHING that came before 3. everything that WILL come after 4. and Knows what would have been, had He allowed it to happen. Thus, Ahlu-sunnah affirm the supreme mastery and Godhood for Allah that both extremes have subtracted from His Divinity. So our belief is exonerated and pure from the deficiency of the defunct extremes. We affirm the supremacy of Allah's knowledge while acknowledging the people as responsible for their own actions, and this is the creed sent down to by Allah azawajaal. the jabariyyah affirmed the supremacy of Allah's knowledge but denied their being mukalif (accountable) for their actions, which is kufr. The Qadariyyah affirmed the mukalif (accountability) of people to such an extent, that their affirmation led to the denial of Allah's supremacy in Knowledge, which is kufr. We, the people of Islam are absolved from the blasphemies of what the people do and what they attribute to us Now, IF you still maintain the premise of the people of qadr, then I ask you, was Allah lying to us when He decreed Abu Lahab to go in the fire during the lifetime of Abu Lahab. If you recanted from this belief, then don't worry about answering this question.
__________________  ابو نعيمة علي البريكي قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : « طلب العلم فريضة على كل مسلم » قال أبو عمر : هذا حديث يروى عن أنس بن مالك ، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من وجوه كثيرة ، كلها معلولة ، لا حجة في شيء منها عند أهل العلم بالحديث من جهة الإسناد | ||
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03-08-2010, 01:37 PM
| #36 | ||
| Banned Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 325 Gender: Way of life: Muslim Thanks: 10
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| Re: Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) Quote:
 Simply you are complicating things. Man is capable of exercising his free will and Allah knows what decisions Man is going to take. Simple. It is erroneous to believe that Allah can know Man’s future only if the future is pre-determined. This conclusion has a basic flaw. The question of Allah’s knowledge is linked with the problem of TIME. Simply, put there is a basic difference between Allah’s knowledge and that of Man. The Quran cites the division of ‘Earth time’ into ‘day and night’ as among His great signs; also mentions the Sun and the Moon as instruments of calculation of time. This ‘time’ splits, for us earthly beings, into past, present and future. In the absolute sense, as you are aware, these divisions of time do not exist. As Bergson says: past, present and future are simply knots of human convenience on the thread of time. Time to Allah is an indivisible whole and, and since we humans are incapable of perceiving this as an indivisible whole, no example may explain it. However, one may try to explain it, to a limited extent, with reference to SPACE. Sitting inside a house we have no knowledge of the events outside (invisible). But, for someone on the roof of the building, those events are visible. Allah is, in the Quranic words, “Knower of the visible as well as the invisible, i.e., what is invisible to Man is visible to Allah. TIME for Him is one continuous Present. In simpler words, Man is capable of exercising his free will and to change his decisions. Allah knows what decisions Man is going to take. When I say Allah did not make any prior decree or prior will for Michael Jackson to take drugs and die, I am not by default assume something has fallen beyond the realm of Allah's knowledge. You are trying to link Allah's knowledge with pre-determination. Allah need not pre-determine something for Him to know the future. You are unnecessarily complicating things. Quote:
I agree with you if you say whatever happens is because Allah allows it to happen. There is a big difference when you say Allah ‘allow it to happen’ and ‘pre-determined it to happen’. Just one example is enough to clear the point. In the Battle of Uhud the Muslims suffered setback and Allah says about this “Those of you who turned their backs on the day when the two host met, surely it was Satan who sought to make them stumble because of certain doings of theirs.”(3:155). And also Afterwards, when Muslims pondered upon the setback with ‘ How did it happen?’, Allah’s reply to that was: “Tell, (them O Prophet!), that was from your own selves.” (3:165). But at the same time Allah says in the very next Ayat 166 وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ فَبِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ “And that which befell you, on the day when the two host met, was byفَبِإِذْنِ اللَّهِGod's command”(3:166). Ponder here, an action that Allah referred as Satan diverted their attention is termed by Allah as happened by Allah’s IZN. This does not mean Allah let it happen whimsically without any reason. It only means that the cause is triggered by man and Allah just let the calamity to happen. Allah says “No calamity befalls you but by Allah’s Izn.”(64:11), but the Quran announces: “There is no calamity but brought upon you by your own hands” (42:30) In this regard, two ‘verses’ from Sura An-Nisa are quite significant. Talking about the ‘reverse’ mentality of a certain group of the Prophet’s era, the Quran says: “when they are in a pleasant situation, they attribute it to Allah, but blame the Prophet for their troubles. Tell them “everything is from Allah” (‘s law) 4:78. Further, it says: “What is (wrong) with them? They don’t try to understand. Remember, the pleasantness you get is from Allah and your troubles are from you yourselves” (4:79). We may think there is an apparent contradiction here. One verse says the good and the bad all come from Allah, whereas the very next verse appears to say the good is from Allah but the bad is from Man. This should be understood in this way; i) All events- good or bad - occur according to natural (Allah’s) laws (كل من عند الله). ii) Allah’s Law - if followed - shall bring good to you - ما اصابك من حسنة فمن الله but iii) If you follow the path of your own choice (other than Allah’s), the natural result will be trouble. ما اصابك من سيئة فمن نفسك Simply put, then, all events (actions) bear results pre-determined by Allah’s law. If one follows the natural (Allah’s suggested) course, one benefits. Otherwise (when one defies the divine law) the natural consequence is tragedy. By the way, again, do you agree with the statement of brother Salman in post 28? I quote; "....(Regarding Allah) recording of what you will do out of your free will and allowing that to happen, it is your choice only; Allah did not wrote down in sense of forcing you to do this. However, due to Allah's infinite and pre-eternal knowledge, He knew that you will make this choice and He knew the exact moment. Thus, He ordered the pen to write this down in the book. When the moment came, you made the choice and Allah Willed and Permitted you to exercise your choice and see the result of it." If you accept the above statement of Salman we are talking the same thing. It is only that Michal Jackson, being a free willed man, made a choice to take up drugs and simply Allah willed and permitted it to happen. Allah did not make any prior decree/ prior will/ predetermination (even though Allah had prior knowledge) for Michal jackson to make such a choice. Do you agree? | ||
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03-08-2010, 07:41 PM
| #37 |
| Full Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Posts: 319 Gender: Way of life: Muslim Thanks: 46
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| Re: Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) Salam Thank you for the informative post bro boriqee. I sometimes commit sins and then think ''well it's ok because Allah(swt) decreed this for me, so I should not feel too bad about it.'' My thoughts were almost identical to those of ''al-jabariyyah'' and I am glad that I read your post. May Allah(swt) bless you.
__________________ "Gold is the money of kings; silver is the money of gentlemen; barter is the money of peasants; but debt is the money of slaves." |
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03-08-2010, 09:31 PM
| #38 | ||||||||||||||
| salafist Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 950 Gender: Way of life: Muslim Thanks: 5
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| Re: Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) Quote:
that is a conjuring of your own making. The whole thing was put into abc for you. apparently, others understood what you were incapable. The fact that something so elementary above coupled with the response you should not have replied with, yet did, only astounds me on how your brain operates brother, no pun intended. Quote:
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SECONDLY, we do not say that The ONLY way for God to know what will happen is through the decree, NO. RATHER the way the issue is articulated is that the reason upon which the decree exist and is based is due to Allah's knowledge. Your statement which insinuates upon our view that He can know man's future ONLY if the future is pre-determined is an error because you have viewed the qadr of Allah to be something separate from Allah's Knowledge. [quote] This conclusion has a basic flaw[/QUOTE] of course it has a basic flaw, because for one, we never made that conclusion to begin with and secondly, it was your deduction in how you understood our articulation of the creed concerning al-qadr. Quote:
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Secondy, With the issue of time, Allah is not bound or affected by it because as you have stated so wonderfully, these are the experiences of the human experiential interpretation of reality. HOWEVER, Allah is He who does as He wills. When the day of Judgment comes, the messenger of Allah said that on that day, Allah will become angry unlike ever before. Thus we cannot assume an absolute reality to the issue of time in spite of hte fact that I concur to your view on time. Likwise, when Allah said that He spoke to Musa (alaihi salam), He spoke to Musa at a specific point in time at a specific location. When we trample our viewpoint of time upon the Majesty of Allah, this is just as wrong as denying something He affirms for if we view time in the manner you proposed above upon Allah, then it is pretty much interpreting that the event of speaking to Musa happened in eternity and this is the same problem that the ahlul-kalaam among the ash'aris ran into with regards to Allah's speech, and thus in order to preserve their Aristotelian ethics, they had to transform Allah's literal speech into a doctrine called kalaam nafis, where Allah does not actually speak, rather His speech subsist within His Self (His essense) and when He wishes to articulate, he extracts it from his kalaam bank within Himself and then forms it in a way that humans can understand. They had a whole can of worms on this issue for they reason, just as you have done here, that by affirming that Allah actually speaks, then you are 1. constricting His speech into time and locality 2. insinuating that His speech is created because speech is words and letters and voice, which are things of creation, and Allah is above that. All of this shows, that if we stick to the reported way of the people who understood Islam best, which is as was intended, then we would not be discussing this issue right now simply because Islamic doctrine is tawqeefiyyah, meaning it is not subject to human understanding. Our creed, the prophetic creed is a creed upon which Allah's sending it down upon is obligatory upon the servants to accept it at face value with no addition of human conjecture. Quote:
the fact that you literally affirmed in the beginning that "Allah knows what man is going to do" IS the affirmation of His qadr. basically, due to your misunderstanding and unnecessary additional topics, these misconstruences on your part has caused you to affirm and deny the same thing. your case is exemplified in the formula that "you affirm His knowledge of what will be done, but deny the actual matter that Allah vested His Knowledge of what will happen, in" Quote:
another misunderstanding. It seems as if you have understood His pre-determination AS an "enforcement" That is WRONG absolute. the actuality of al-Qadr/pre-determination is NOT an absolute engraving of what is going to happen, RATHER, His qadr is His exact articulation of His Knowledge of what will happen simply because He knows what will happen. The only reason why people get confused and interpret His qadr as some kind of "setting things in stone" is because they perceive things based on a temporal existence in which they live in. Quote:
Alla of this would be applicable HAD we adopted the view of the jabariyyah that we are compelled to do what we are doing. However, since we do no adopt such a madhaab, then none of this has made a difference for us because we already, naturally, understand this and what your talking about. Quote:
of course. His statement is the living testimony and personification of everything I have brought forth in the last post and this post. Quote:
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__________________ ابو نعيمة علي البريكي قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : « طلب العلم فريضة على كل مسلم » قال أبو عمر : هذا حديث يروى عن أنس بن مالك ، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من وجوه كثيرة ، كلها معلولة ، لا حجة في شيء منها عند أهل العلم بالحديث من جهة الإسناد | ||||||||||||||
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03-09-2010, 04:25 AM
| #39 | |
| Banned Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 325 Gender: Way of life: Muslim Thanks: 10
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| Re: Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) Quote:
Before I make any further comments, can you tell me, in the given example of Michal Jackson, what was Allah’s knowledge and what was Allah’s Decree? I am sorry I can not understand when you say "His Decree takes residence IN His knowledge". I expect from you to explain to me through examples. I await. Thanks | |
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03-10-2010, 01:52 AM
| #40 | |
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| Re: Issues Related to Qadr (Divine Decree) Quote:
 A Refereed Study The Meaning of al-Qadaa’ and al-Qadar: Al-Qadar is “the ability of Allaah ”, where He knew, wrote, willed and created all things in due proportion and according to a precise measure. Allaah knew that all things will happen before bringing them to existence and in accordance with pre-destined proportions and measures which Allaah had written in a Book called al-Laouh ul Mahfoudh (the Preserved Tablet). Al-Qadaa’ is the perfectly precise execution and accomplishment of all things pre-destined to occur, in accordance with Allaah’s previous Knowledge, Writing and Will. When mentioned separately, Qadaa' and Qadar are synonymous but when mentioned together, Qadaa' stands for the pre-destination of events, and when the pre-destined matter takes place - it is called Qadar. Al-Qadar is an Article of faith: Yahya bin Ya'mur (a famour Tabi'ee and a narrator of Hadeeth) set out on a pilgrimage to Macca along with Humaid b. Abdur Rehman Himyari, and said, "Should we meet one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allaah, we will ask him about Taqdeer (Qadar)." Incidentally they met Abdullah, the son of Umer ibn Khattab ? and said to him, "O Abu Abdar-Rehman, there have appeared in our land who recite the Holy Qur'aan and peruse knowledge…. They claim that there is no such thing as Divine Decree and events are not pre-Destined". He (Abdullah ibn Umer) said, "When you happen to meet such people tell them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. And verily they are in no way responsible for my (belief)". Abdullah ibn Umar swore by Him (the Lord) (and said): If any one of them (who does not believe in the Divine Decree) had with him gold equal to the bulk of (the mountain) Uhud and then, it (in the way of Allah), Allah would not accept it unless he affirmed his faith in Divine Decree". He further said: My father, Umar ibn al-Khattab, told me: "One day we were sitting in the company of Allah's Messenger (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes, his hair extraordinarily black….. He (the inquirer) said: Inform me about Eeman (faith). He (the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam)) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Apostles, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth." …. After the inquirer left, the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) said, "He was Gabriel (the angel). He came to you in order to instruct you in matters of religion." [Saheeh Muslim (english trans.) vol.1, Hadeeth # 1] A Refereed Study The Four Aspects Of Qadar: In order to correctly understand the issue of Qadar, the following four terms need to be studied in detail:- 1. Al-Ilm (Knowledge) 2. Kittabah (Writing) 3. Mash’eeah (Will) 4. Al-Khalq (Creation) Sheikh ul-Islaam, Ibn Taimeeyah has summerized these ranks in his famous book on the creed (Aqeedah) of the Ahlus-Sunnah, “Al-Aqeedah al-Wasitiyyah”. A Refereed Study The First Aspect of Qadar - Knowledge Al-Ilm [Allaah’s Knowledge] In this regard it is essential to believe that... 1. Allah knows everything about His Creation, even before He created them 2. Allah alone chooses on whom to bestow guidance, the choice being related to his Knowledge 3. Allah knows the outcome of His choice Allah’s Knowledge compasses everything. He knew what had occurred and what will occur, and all that did not occur. He knew everything about His creation even before He created it. In His Eternal Knowledge is the provision, life-spans, sayings, moves and deeds of His creation; and knows who among them is obedient or disobedient, and who will be among the people of al-Jannah (Paradise) or the people of an-Nar (Hell-Fire). The following Qur'aanic verses further emphasize this point “Verily Allaah is the All-Knower of everything.” [Soorah al-Anfaal (8):75] “And that Allaah surrounds (comprehends) all things in His Knowledge.” [Soorah at-Talaq (65):12] “With Him alone are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is on the earth 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.” [Soorah al-An'aam (6): 59] Allah knows that the disbelievers (Kuffar) on the Day of Judgement will wish to return to the life of this world, so that they may do deeds of righteousness. However Allaah knows that even ….“if they were returned (to the world), they would certainly revert to that which they were forbidden. And indeed they are liars” Soorah a-Anaam (6):28 Allah says about the disbelievers who do not tolerate listening to His Guidance, that was brought to them by the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam): “Had Allaah known of any good in them, He would have made them listen, and even if he makes them listen they would have turned away, averse (to the truth).” [Soorah al-Anfaal (8):23] And the people of al-Jannah (Paradise) and an-Naar (Fire) are known to Allaah: Ali (May Allah be pleased with him) narrated that one day the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) was sitting with a wooden stick in his hand with which he was scratching the ground. He raised his head and said, “There is none of you, but has his place assigned either in the Fire or in Paradise.” They (the Companions) inquired, “O Allaah’s Messenger! Why should we carry on doing good deeds, shall we depend (upon Qadar) and give up work?” The Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) said: “No, carry on doing good deeds, for everyone will find it easy (to do) such deeds that will lead him towards that for which he has been created”. Then he (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) recited the verse: “As for him who gives (in charity) and keeps his duty to Allaah and fears Him, and believes in al-Husna {1} . We will make smooth for him the path of Ease (goodness) [Soorah al-Lail (92):5-7] [Sahih Muslim (english trans.) vol.4, no.6400] Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) was asked about the children of the Mushrikeen (polytheists) whereupon he said: “Allaah alone knows what they would be doing (were they to live).” [Sahih al-Bukhari (english trans.) vol.8. no.596 and Sahih Muslim (english trans.) vol.4, no.6433] Commenting on this Hadeeth, Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taimeeyah said: “Allaah knows who among them will be a Kaafir or a Mu’min once they reached the age of puberty.” [Reported in al-Fatawa, vol.4, p.246] He also said, “It cannot be ruled out whether a particular child from the children of the Mushrikeen will be in the Hell or Paradise. As it is mentioned in many Hadeeth, that on the Day of Judgment they will be subjected to trials in which they will be ordered to comply with or abstain from certain commands. Those who will obey will enter al-Jannah and those who disobey will enter an-Naar…” [Reported in al-Fatawa, vol.4, p.303 & vol.24, p.372] Allah alone knows the actions of all children, if they were to live and grow up, as the Messenger of Allaah explained, “No child is born except on Fitrah (Islaam). It is his parents who make him a Jew or a Christian, just as you help the animals give birth to their young ones, do you find any deficiency in them before you mutilate them (cut their ears after birth) yourselves?” The Companions said, “What do you think about the one who dies in infancy”. The Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) said, “Allaah knows what they would be doing (were they to live)” [Sahih al-Bukhari (english trans.) vol.8, no.597 and Sahih Muslim (english trans.) vol.4, no.6428] Allah knew that from the offspring of Aadam there would be Prophets, Messengers and righteous people. None knew this, not even the angels, as Allaah says: “And (remember) when your Rabb said to the angels: ‘Verily! I am going to place (mankind) generation after generation on earth.’ They said: ‘Will You place therein those who will make mischief and shed blood, while we glorify you with praises and thanks (Exalted be You from that which they associate with You as partners) and sanctify You.’ He (Allaah) said, “I know that which you do not know’.” [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 30] Allah knows who deserves Guidance and who does not, as He says: “Have you seen him, who takes his own lust (vain desires) as his ilah (god), and Allah (knowing him as such) left him astray, and sealed his hearing and his heart, and put a cover on his sight; Who then will guide him after Allaah? Will you then not remember.” [Soorah al-Jathiyah (45): 23] Most of the Mufasireen (Scholars of Tafseer) have explained this verse to mean that, Allaah knows in advance, that the condition of such a person suit his Dhalal (misguidance) and demand it. Allaah, in His Foreknowledge knows all of the sayings and actions of such a person (even before this person was created). Allaah, the Most High, puts things in its proper and suitable place for he knows who is not worthy of being guided. And so the above verse confirms both the Qadar (pre-destination) and the Hikmah (wisdom). Similarly Allah knows who is suitable to bear and deliver His message, as He says: “Thus We have tried some of them with others, that they might say, ‘Is it these (poor believers) that Allah has favored from among us? Does not Allah know best those who are grateful?” [Soorah al-An'aam (6): 53] Had their hearts been grateful, submitting and loving as the hearts of the poor believers, Allaah would have favored them too. But the favors of Allaah only suit their proper places (which Allaah knew in his Foreknowledge). The choice is always linked to His Knowledge, as He says, “Allaah knows best with whom to place His Message.” [Soorah al-An'aam (6): 124] “And your Rabb creates whatsoever He wills and chooses. No choice have they (in any matter). Glorified be Allaah and Exalted above all that they associate as partners (with Him). And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal, and what they reveal.” [Soorah al-Qasas (28): 68-69] “And indeed We have bestowed aforetime on Ibraheem his (portion of) guidance, and We were well-Acquainted with him (as to his belief in Tawheed, etc.).” [Soorah al-Anbiyaa' (21): 51] Not only is Allah all-Knowing and all-Wise about His choice, but also of the Consequences and the Noble aims of His Commands and Legislation, as He says: “Jihaad (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 that is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know.” [Soorah al-Baqarah (2): 216] This verse calls upon Muslims to abide by the command of Allaah although it may be difficult for them, and that they should accept his Qadaa'. A Refereed Study The Second Aspect of Qadar - Writing Al-Kitabah (The Writing) * Al-Kitaabah means that Allah wrote everything about His creation; their livelihood, provision, life-spans, deeds, etc. All this is written in Umm al-Kitaab (lit. Mother of all books [1]), also known as al-Lauhul Mahfoudh (the Preserved Tablet) “Do you not know, that Allah knows all that is in the heaven and in the earth? Verily! It is all in the Book. Verily! That is easy for Allah.” [Soorah al-Hajj (22): 70 ] {The above verse combines the two aspects of Qadar - Knowledge and Writing} * The Qur'aan itself is written in al-Lauh al-Mahfoudh, as Allah says: “Indeed this Qur'aan is in Ummul Kitaab before Us, Exalted and full of Wisdom.” [Soorah az-Zukhruh (43): 3 ] and “Nay! This is a Glorious Qur'aan, (inscribed) in al-Lauh al-Mahfoudh (the Preserved Tablet).” Soorah al-Buruj (85): 22 * Even the minutest detail has been recorded in the Preserved Tablet, as Allah says: “And nothing is hidden from your Rubb (so much as) the weight of an atom on the earth or in the heaven; whatever is less or greater than that except that it is (written) in a Clear Record.” [Soorah Yunus (10): 61] * Everything was written fifty thousand years before the creation of the heaven and earth, as the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) said: “Allah had written the ordained measures (and their due proportions) of the creation, fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth as His Arsh (Throne) was on water.” Sahih Muslim (english trans.) vol.4, no.6416. This Hadeeth indicates that the Arsh of Allah was created before the writing in the clear Book took place. * Allah ordered al-Qalam (the pen) to write all the records till the Day is established, of all pre-ordained measures: Narrated Abee Hafsaa: Ubadah Ibn as-Samit said to his son - O son! You shall not get the true sense of Eeman (faith) until you acknowledge that what has befallen you was not to escape you (or miss you), and what missed you was not to befall you; I heard the Prophet saying: “(As soon as Allah created the Pen, He commanded it saying, ‘Write’. It said, ‘What should I write, my Rabb (Lord)?’. Allah said, ‘Write the record of all preordained matter until the commencement of the Hour’.” Furthermore, Ubadah Ibn as-Samit said, “O my son! I have heard Allah’s Messenger saying, ‘He who dies believing in other than this is not from me (i.e. is not on the Prophet’s way of belief).” Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan at-Tirmidhi and Musnad Ahmed bin Hambal * These records are perfect and have missed nothing. Allah, the Exalted has said referring to the answer of Moosa to the Pharaoh: “He (the Pharoah) said, ‘What about the generations of old?’ He (Moosa) said, ‘The Knowledge thereof is in a record with my Rabb, He is neither unaware not does He forget’.” [Soorah Ta-Ha (20): 51-52] * All our deeds have been pre-recorded in the Preserved Tablet. Whatever the Pen wrote is certainly to be executed. The Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) said to Abu Hurairah, “The Pen has turned dry after writing what you are going to confront.” [Saheeh al-Bukhari vol.4, p.9, no.13] Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajar commented: “This means that the pen has turned dry after writing the predestined matters. Execution of all matters is in accordance with what the Pen wrote in the Preserved Tablet.” [Fath al-Bari, vol.9, p.119] * When Umer ibn al-Khattab was asked about the verse: “When your Lord drew forth from the Children of Adam from their loins, their descendants (offspring), and made them testify concerning themselves, (saying): "Am I not your Lord (Who cherishes and sustains you)?" They said: "Yes! we testify to it" That was in case you should say on the Day of Judgment: "Certainly we were unaware of all this." [Soorah al-A'raf (7): 172 ] He said: When Allah’s Messenger was asked about then I heard him say: [Allah created Aadam, He passed His Hand over his back, and brought forth from it his offspring, saying: ‘I have created these for Paradise and they will do the deeds of Ahlul-Jannah’. He then passed His Hand over his back and brought forth from his offspring saying: ‘I have created these for Hell, and they will do deeds of Ahlun-Naar. Sheikh al-Albani commented that on the Hadeeth in which the Prophet said, that Allah said, “I have created these (men) for Paradise……I have created these (men) for Hell.” The Sheikh said: “Many people may understand that these Hadeeth indicate that man has no choice with respect to his deeds, while others may think that being from the people of Paradise or the people of Hell, is an arbitrary matter or just sheer luck…It us known that Allah is Perfect in His Names and Attributes, ad that: ‘There is nothing like unto Him’ (Soorah ash-Shura 42:11) It is in accordance with Allah’s Knowledge, Wisdom and Justice that He chose people for Paradise or Hell-Fire. He Knew that those who were chosen for paradise will obey Him when they are commanded to do so, and those created for Hell will disobey Allah’s commandments…(therefore Allah’s choice is in accordance with what Allah’s Knowledge and this has already been written)... Eeman (belief) necessitates the admittance to Paradise, and Kufr (disbelief) necessitates punishment in the Hell. Both Eeman and Kufr, are matters of choice for mankind. Allah, the Exalted does not force anyone to adopt either choice, as He says: ‘Then whosoever wills, let him believe, and whosoever wills let him disbelieve.’ [Soorah al-Kahf (18): 29] Because His choice is all-Just and Wise, Allah, Exalted be He, cannot be questioned about it.” [Sheikh al-Albani in Silsilatul Ahadeeth as-Saheehah, vol.4, p.76-80] {Note: Some of these points have already been discussed under Knowledge} A Refereed Study * The Pen mentioned above was the first to be created, but there is evidence in the Hadeeth for the presence of more than one Pen. One of the Hadeeth that mentions the pre-recording in the plural form is mentioned below: Jabir reported that Suraqah bin Maalik came and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Explain our Deen to us as if we have been created just now. Whatever we do today, is it because of the fact that the pens have turned dry (having written the records) and the destinies have begun to operate? Or is it something that just happens (without pre-destination)?” Thereupon, the Messenger said, “Nay! Surely it is because of what has been recorded by the pens after they have dried and the destinies have begun to operate” Saheeh Muslim vol.4, no.6402 & 6403. See the Explanation of al-Aqeedah at-Tahawiyyah, p.267-268 Other Writings of Taqdeer: There is evidence from the Qur'aan and Sunnah, that apart from the writing of Taqdeer that Allah commanded on al-Laauh al-Mahfoudh (The Preserved Tablet) there are other writings of Taqdeer, among them are:- 1. The Taqdeer al-Umuri (Covering the person’s life span): The Person’s livelihood, life-term, deeds and his status in the Hereafter (wretched or blessed) are written while in the mother’s womb at an early stage of his development. This is confirmed in the Hadeeth related by Abdullah bin Masood who said, that the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) said: “The creation of everyone of you is collected for the first forty days in his mother’s womb in the form of a Nutfah after which it turns into a Alaqa for an equal period. Then it becomes a Mudhqah for a similar period and then Allah sends an angel with four words recording: the person’s provision, his life term, his deeds, or whether he will be of the wretched or the blessed (in the Hereafter).” Sahih al-Bukhari vol.8, p.387, no.593 and Sahih Muslim vol.4, p.1391, no.6390 2. The Annual Taqdeer: This Taqdeer takes place on the night of decree (Lailat al-Qadr), Allah, the Exalted says: “Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainment” Soorah ad-Dukhaan (44): 4 Also Ibn Abbas said: “On the night of Decree, everything that occurs over the whole (coming) year from the matters of death, births, provisions, and the rain would be recorded from the Record of the Mother of the Book; it would even be said that such and such a person would perform Hajj.” {2} 3. The Daily Taqdeer: It directs the pre-ordained Taqdeer according to its previously appointed terms and on its specific times. Allah says: “Whosoever is in the heavens and on the earth ask of Him (for their needs). Everyday He has a matter to bring forth.” [Soorah ar-Rehman (55): 29] The Prophet said explaining the verse: “Everyday Allah has a matter to bring forth, that He may forgive a sin for someone, relief the hardship of someone, lift (in honor) some and lower (in disgrace) others.” Sunan Ibn Majah and Abee ‘Aasim in “as-Sunnah” no.301 and authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Majah no.202 What is the relation between all of the levels of the written Taqdeer? * Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taimeeyah and Ibn Qaiyyim al-Jawziyyah, may Allah be pleased with them both, stressed that the Taqdeer in the Preserved Tablet is a general and comprehensive one that covers everything, while the other writings of Taqdeer are special and specific details for the Taqdeer of the Preserved Tablet. {3} The writing of the Preserved Tablet is Preserved, i.e. is not subject to any change whatsoever because it is based on Allah’s Knowledge [Ibn Taimeeyah in al-Fatawa, vol.8, p.840] In other books (or writings), however changes may occur, as in the case of the books handled by the angels, as Allah says: “Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills); and with Him is Ummul Kitaab (the Preserbved Tablet).” [Soorah Ar-Ra'd (13): 39] Also the Messenger of Allah said: “He who loves that his sustenance be expanded, and his life term prolonged, should join the tie of kinship.” [Saheeh al-Bukhari vol.8, p.11-12, no.15 and Saheeh Muslim vol.4, p.1359-1360] Sheikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taimeeyah explained that: “Provisions and life terms are of two kinds: ·The unchanged record written in Ummul Kitaab ·That made known to the angels by Allah (these records being subject to increase or decrease). This is why Allah says, “Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills); and with Him is Ummul Kitaab (the Preserbved Tablet).” [Soorah Ar-Ra'd (13): 39] In the angel’s books, both the life span and provisions increase and decrease due to specific reasons. Thus, Allah commands the angel to write the provision and life span of one of His slaves. If the slave joins the tie of kinship, Allah commands the angel to increase the slave’s sustenance and life term {4} by specific increments. The angel does not know the actual outcome of extension in the life term, or that related to the increase in provisions. He (Allah) knows the out come (i.e. the pre-appointed term which is not to be prolonged nor delayed.” [al-Fatawa, vol.8, p.517 and p.540] Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajar said: “For example, to say to the angel that the age of such and such person is hundred years if he joins the tie of his kinship, and sixty years if he severs it. In the Foreknowledge of Allah it is known whether he will join or sever the tie of kinship; and whatever is in Allah’s Knowledge is not subject to extension or delay. However, the angels knowledge is the one subject to the increase or decrease. This is what is referred to in Allah’s saying: “Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills); and with Him is Ummul Kitaab (the Preserbved Tablet).” [Soorah Ar-Ra'd (13): 39] Therefore the blotting and confirming is relevant to the knowledge of the angels, but what is recorded in Ummul Kitaab is relevant to Allah’s Knowledge, where there is absolutely no blotting…” [Fath ul-Bari, vol.10, p.430] Some important points of this section are:- * That Allah commanded the pen to write everything in minute details on al-Lauhul Mahfoudh (the Preserved Tablet). What is written on it will never change. * It is in the Foreknowledge of Allah that who from His creation will be obedient to Him and who will be the disobedient, accordingly He termed them as Ahlul-Jannah and Ahlul-Nar, all this being written on al-Lauhul Mahfoudh. * There is evidence of writings other than the one on al-Lauhul Mahfoudh, these are however subject to change. A Refereed Study The Third Aspect of Qadar: The Will of Allah Al-Mashee’ah : The Will of Allah * It is essential to believe that Allah has willed everything that goes on in the universe. His Will and His pre-ordaining power effectively covers everything. Whatever He Wills, will occur and whatever He does not Will, will never take place. * Speaking about the people of the Book, Allah warned the Prophet not to follow their desires and commanded him to follow what Allah has brought down to him, the Qur'aan. And said, “If Allah willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you.” [Soorah al-Maaidah (5): 48] Had Allah wished to have us follow one Book, one legislation and one Messenger, at all times and all places, He would have done that. But Allah willed to test his slaves with trials that distinguish between the obedient and the disobedient. He is all-Just and all-Wise in His Mashee’ah. * A number of Qur'aanic verses, refer to the Mashee’ah of Allah, among them… The Prophet Ibraahim’s sayings to his people, “I fear not those whom you associate with Allah in worship (Nothing can happen to me) except when my Rabb (Allah) wills something. My Rabb comprehends in His Knowledge everything.” [Soorah al-An'aam (6): 80] The Prophet Shuaib said: “And it is not for us to return to it (your religion of Kufr) unless Allah, our Rabb should will. Indeed our Rabb comprehends all things in His Knowledge. In Allah (alone) we put our trust.” [Soorah al-A'raf (7): 89] The Prophet Ibraahim’s saying: “Enter Egypt, if Allah wills, in security.” [Soorah Yusuf (12): 99] The Prophet Moosa said to al-Khidr: “If Allah wills, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in ought.” [Soorah al-Kahf (18): 69] The Prophet Muhammed (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) said: “And never say of anything that ‘I shall do such and such tomorrow’, except (with the saying) - ‘If Allah wills!’.” [Soorah al-Kahf (18): 23-24] Allah said about the people of al-Jannah (Paradise), “Abiding therein for all the time that the heavens and the earth endure, except as your Lord wills, a gift without an end.” [Soorah Hud (11): 108] Allah gives power to whom He wills, lifts up in honor or degrades and He alone gives victory or defeat to whom He wills, as He said: “Say (O Muhammed (salallahu alaihi wa salalam), O Allah! Possessor of the Kingdom, You give the kingdom to whom You will, and take the kingdom from whom you will; You honor whom You will, and You humiliate whom You will. In your Hand is the good. Verily! You are able to do all things.” [Soorah al-Imran (3): 26] If Allah wills, He can prevent anything from taking place: “But if it had been Allah’s will, He Himself could certainly have punished them (i.e. the Kuffar). But He (lets you fight) in order to test you, some with others. But those who are killed in the Way of Allah, He will never let their deeds be lost.” [Soorah Muhammed (47): 4] "And such We have appointed for every Prophet an enemy, devils among mankind and jinn, inspiring one another with adorned speech as a delusion (or by way of deception). If your Rabb had so willed, they would have not done it, so leave them alone with their fabrications.” [Soorah al-An'aam (6): 112] “If we had willed, We would have given each person his guidance.” [Soorah As-Sajdah (32): 13] "What Allah does not will shall never take place: “Say (O Muhammed (salallahu alaihi wa salalam), If Allah has so willed, I should not have recited it to you nor would He have made it known to you.” [Soorah Yunus (10): 16] If Allah wills, He can seal the heart from guidance. Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin al-‘Aas said, that he heard Allah’s Messenger saying, “All the hearts of the offspring of Aadam are between two fingers of Ar-Rehman’s Fingers, as one heart. He turns it (in any direction) as He wills. Then Allah’s Messenger said, “O Allah! The Turner of the hearts, turn our heart towards Your obedience.” [Saheeh Muslim vol.4, p.1397, no.6418] Man’s will is true and real, but it does not escape Allah’s will, as He says: “And they will not receive admonition unless Allah wills.” [Soorah al-Muddaththir (74): 56] “And you cannot will unless Allah wills. Verily! Allah is ever all-Knowing, all-Wise.” [Soorah al-Insan (76): 30] * The above evidences from the Qur'aan and Sunnah confirm the absolute Mashee’ah (universal will) of Allah, as well as the will of humans, and that the later is not independent from Allah’s will. Allah tells us that everything in the Universe is by His will, and what He did not will, would not take place. He also confirms that if He wills, the outcome would be different from what exists. If He wills He would not be disobeyed, and that He would have gathered His creation on guidance - making them one nation. This is because, He is the only Owner and the only Rabb, as He says: “Verily, your Rabb creates whatever He wills and chooses.” [Soorah al-Qasas (28): 68] “And We cause whom We will, to remain in the wombs for an appointed term.” [Soorah al-Hajj (22): 5] “To Allah belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth, He creates what He wills. He bestows female (offspring) upon whom He wills, and bestows male (offspring) upon whom He wills, or He bestows both males and females, and He renders barren whom He wills. He is all-Knowing, all-Able.” [Soorah ash-Shura (42): 50] “Allah guides to His Light whom He wills.” [Soorah an-Nur (24): 35] “Verily! Allah does what He wills.” [Soorah al-Hajj (22): 14 ] “And whomsoever Allah wills to guide, He opens His breast to Islam, and whomsoever He wills to send astray, He makes his breast closed and constricted, as if he is climbing up to the sky.” [Soorah al-An'aam (6): 125] Ibn Abbas said: “It means that Allah opens up one’s heart for the acceptance of and belief in Tawheed.” See Tafseer Ibn Katheer for the quoted verse On the other hand, whomsoever He wills to lead astray, He would make his chest strictly closed from knowing Allah and loving Him. “This is a Just punishment for those who do not properly estimate Allah, and those who deny Allah’s favors. Allah shuts the doors of His Guidance to them and this is why their breasts become confined and restricted.. The Guidance is a favor from Allah; He makes it settle in the person who is suitable to recognize it and give thanks to his Creator, by obeying Him and worshipping Him alone.” [Shifaa’ul Aleel, vol.1, p.274-278] Understanding Mashee’ah (Will) and Iradah (What Allah wants): In order to understand correctly the relation between Mashee’ah and Iradah, two terms need to be explained; ? Al-Iradah al-Kawniyyah ? Al-Iradah ash-Shariyyah 1. Al-Iradah al-Kawniyyah or the Universal will: It is the will (Mashee’ah) of Allah in which His intention is carried out. It is not necessary that all actions of His creation are liked by Him, rather many of their acts are disliked by Him, but He willed for them to pass. This is Al-Iradah al-Kawniyyah. For Example: Allah created Shaitaan, yet He hates him. Likewise, He created the Kuffar, but He hates them. Whatever Allah permits to exist, does not mean that He loves them. This is Al-Iradah al-Kawniyyah (or Universal will). Under this will, Allah may decree to pass things which He does not command His slaves to follow (like Kuffr and disobedience). 2. Al-Iradah ash-Shariyyah or Judicial will: It is that which is in accordance with Allah’s legislation. It is related to what Allah likes, whether it takes place or not. For Example: The acts of obedience from the angels, prophets and believers are loved by Allah and are passed by His Universal will. Under Al-Iradah ash-Shariyyah it is not necessary that His commands will be executed. The Kuffar rebel against Al-Iradah ash-Shariyyah. A Refereed Study Mashee’ah or Al-Iradah al-Kawniyyah Al-Iradah ash-Shariyyah Pertinent to Allah’s creation and command Pertinant to Allah’s Lesiglation and Sharee’ah (commands and ordinances) Allah passes what He wills. It is not necessary that He likes what He creates, or what is being carried out. Shaytaan is created ans Allah hates him and his followers. He hates and dislikes their deeds too. But they take place because He willed so. He does not command his slaves to follow what He dislikes. It is only that which Allah loves and likes.. No creature can escape this Universal will of Allah His legislative commands are rebelled against by the Kuffar and the disobedient. He loves righteousness but not everybody complies * The relation between Al-Iradah al-Kawniyyah and the Al-Iradah ash-Shariyyah is clear from the following verse: “And He likes not Kuffr for His slaves.” [Soorah az-Zumar (39): 7 ] So it is obvious that Allah does not like or love Kuffr, yet it exists. This deals with Al-Iradah ash-Shariyyah. It is linked to the Al-Iradah al-Kawniyyah by the fact that Allah willed for Kufr to take place. What He likes or dislikes, is different from His will (Mashee’ah). * The True believer follows, does not dispute and submits to the legislative commands of Allah. This is the right of Al-Iradah ash-Shariyyah upon every slave of Allah. In the light of Al-Iradah al-Kawniyyah and Al-Iradah ash-Shariyyah, let us examine the response of Umer Ibn al-Khattab when he was blamed for deciding not to enter ash-Shaam (Greater Syria) because of a sudden outbreak of plague. He was told: Are you running away from something which Allah has ordained? Omer replied: “Yes! We run away from that Allah has ordained (in the case of plague) to another thing which Allah has ordained.” * Therefore if someone is touched by hunger, thirst or cold, all of which are preordained by Allah, all are from the Qadar; the response would be to eat, drink and put on clothes, thus checking the Qadar with Qadar to the best of his ability. He checks the fire with water or soil until it is extinguished. He extinguishes the Qadar of Allah (fire) with another Qadar of Allah (water). Similarly with illness, he checks it with another Qadar, medicine. And if an enemy of Islaam plots against the Muslims, then this too is by the Qadar of Allah. It is incumbent, however on every Muslim to check this Qadar with another Qadar which Allah loves, and it is the Jihaad by the hand (by enlisting in the Muslim army) or by spending wealth (to support the Muslim soldiers). * In the case, where the Divine decree is to pass and it cannot be checked. The slave of Allah must totally submit and recognize the Might of Allah in His Rulings, Justice in His Decree and Wisdom behind His Decision. That whatever befalls him is not to miss him, and whatever missed him is not to befall him. Examples of such a case would be an accident causing the death of someone close, sudden loss of wealth or any other calamity; where one is totally incapable of averting the harm and thus can only be patient. “And Verily, when We cause man to taste of Mercy from Us, he rejoices thereat, but when some ill befalls them because of some deeds which their hands have sent forth, then verily man (becomes) ingrate!” [Soorah ash-Shura (42): 48] * Finally, Allah clarified that misfortunes and calamities are linked to their causes from evil deeds and wrong doings. Allah had decreed that calamities befall someone because of his wrong doings. However, what reaches man of good, its causes are limitless. The Favor of Allah could be because of some action of His slave, or simply due to Allah’s Mercy. It is incumbent for the slave to be thankful to Allah and seek for His forgiveness. “Whatever of good reaches you (victory, provisions, health, etc.) is from Allah, but whatever calamities (fear, stress, illness, etc.) befall you is from yourselves.” [Soorah an-Nisaa' (4): 79] "And whatever of misfortunes befall you, it is because of what your hands have earned.” [Soorah ash-Shura (42): 30] “Say, O Muhammed (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) All things are from Allah, so what is wrong with these people that they fail to understand any word?” [Soorah al-A'raf (7): 78] Some important points of this section…. ·All matters are under the Mashee’ah (will) of Allah. All happens if Allah wills, otherwise it could never happen ·Man’s will is true and real, but it does not escape Allah’s will2. Allah guides whom He wills and misguides whom He wills, the choice being decided by His Foreknowledge and Wisdom. ·Both Iradah al-Kawniyyah and Iradah al-Sharri’yyah are part of Allah’s Wisdom. Every thing that Allah does (Universal will) or commands His slaves (Judicial will) is for a good reason and according to His Wisdom, whether we are able to understand them or not. As He says: “Is not Allah the Best of Judges?" [Soorah at-Tin (95): 8] ·Allah loves those who do good, act justly and follow His way, “Say (O Muhammed (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) If you (really) love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you.” [Soorah al-Imran (3): 31] ·Allah dislikes what He has prohibited of bad deeds and sayings: “If you disbelieve, surely Allah does not need you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves, and if you are grateful, this pleases Him.” [Soorah az-Zumar (39): 7] The Fourth Aspect of Qadar: The Creation Al-Khalq : The Creation * Allah is the soul creator of everything, including man’s deeds. There is no single atom, static or in motion but that Allah has created it, as He says: “Verily! Allah is the Creator of everything, and He is the Wakil (Guardian, Trustee, etc.) over all things.” [Soorah az-Zumar (39): 62] “That is Allah, your Rabb, the Creator of everything.” [Soorah Ghafir (40): 62] “Say (O Muhammed (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) that Allah is the Creator of everything, and He is the One, the irresistible.” [Soorah Ar-Ra'd (13): 16] The rank of Al-Khalq includes the Actions of Allah and the actions of His creatures. The Actions of Allah are true and real. They conform to what is entailed by His Names and Attributes. They influence all of creation in accordance with His Knowledge, Mashee’ah, and Ability. Nothing moves, no matter how small it is, except by His Mashee’ah, Knowledge and Ability. Whomsoever He guides, there is none who can misguide, and whomsoever He misguides, none can guide. The Verse “Guide us to the Straight Path.” (Soorah al-Faatihah : 5) confirms that guidance is sought from the One Who is Able to give it. It belongs to Him; if He wills, He gives it, and if He wills not, He holds it. Guidance is knowing the truth and executing it. Allah, alone, is able to make someone knowledgeable about the truth, seek it, and work by it. This Guidance is something that even Prophets [1] and most righteous people cannot offer. “Certainly, you (Muhammad (salallahu alaihi wa salalam)) guide not whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills.” [Soorah al-Qasas (28): 56] In all of His actions there is perfect wisdom. He does not do anything in vain nor is His action devoid of any meaning. Allah's Actions are Real, All-Wise and All-Just. His creatures, and their deeds, are His creation. The slave of Allah Has real ability, will, choice and action. Man’s ability to move and to believe are actions that are truly attributed to him. These actions are created by Allah. Man’s movement, standing, sitting, etc. are real actions which Allah decreed, set under His ability, willed, and created them for him. Man’s will and actions are next to His. This is the moderate and straight way of relating the Actions of Allah to those of His Creation. This is the course of As-Salaf us-Salih. It stands against two extremes. The first which claimed that pre-destiny deprived man from his ability and choice. According to this claim, man has no will and no real action, and that he is just like a feather in the wind. This group is known as Al-Jabriyyah [2] . The Other group totally denied Al-Qadar and claimed that man creates his own actions by his ability and by his will, and thus making creators other than Allah! That is why the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) called them the “Majoos (Majians) of this Ummah”, because the Majoos claim that Satan “creates” evil and harmful things, making Satan a “creator” besides Allah. This group is known as Al-Qadariyyah [3]. F O O T N O T E S [1] Prophets and their followers explain and proclaim the Message. This guidance is known as the guidance of Irshad. Allah’s guidance is known as the guidance of Tawfeeq: opening one’s heart to receive the truth. [2] This is the concept of Al-Jabriyyah (from Arabic Jabr, ‘Compulsion’) who maintained determinism against free will. These are the followers of Jahm bin Safwan (d.128H/745). Their doctrine is that salvation was pre-determined and that man, in effect, could not work either for, or against his salvation. [3] Abu Dawood related on the authority of Abdullah bin Umar that the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) said: “AI-Qadariyyah are the Majoos of his Ummah, if they become ill do not visit them, and when they die do not witness them (their funerals)” Sheikh Al-Albani said that the Hadeeth is Hassan (authentic) by way of its combined narrations. See At-Tahawiyyah, P. 273 and As-Sunnah by Abee ‘Aasim V.1/149. The medium course is that of Ahlus-Sunnah, the followers of As-Salaf us Salih: Whether a Muslim does good deeds like prayer and charity, or does a bad deed; he is indeed the doer of these deeds because he acted by his will. That is what Allah and His Messenger confirmed. Nevertheless, if you want to know how the Muslim’s deeds are part of Al-Qadar and the Mashee’ah of Allah, then ask the question: What made them do these deeds? The answer: By their ability and will. That is why they deserve either reward for the good deeds, or punishment for the evil ones. Everyone agrees to this. The next question is: Who is the Creator of their ability and will? Certainly, Allah. Consequently their deeds are the creation of Allah. Remember that Allah brought to existence their deeds as well as all the means that made these deeds manifested.” [1] The Verse: “You cannot will, unless Allah wills.” (Soorah al-Insan (76):30), is a confirmation of man’s will and that it is under Allah’s will. Also it is a response against the above two extremes. Furthermore, the verse: “And You (Alone) we worship and You (Alone) we seek for help.” (Soorah al-Faatihah:5), confirms the slave’s own actions of worship, and that it occurs only after Allah’s help. If Allah does not help him and make him able and willing to do the worship, the slave would not be able to perform it. The verse is one more response against the concept of the Jabariyyah and Al-Qadariyyah. “He (Abraham) said (to his people: Do you Worship that which you (yourselves) carve? While Allah has created you and what you make” [Soorah as-Saffat (37): 95-96] The Ranks of Al-Qadar Together The belief in Al-Qadar can only be accomplished when all four ranks of Al-Qadar are realized, because they are firmly interrelated. As Confirmed in the Qur'aan and Sunnah, Allah encompasses all creation, past, present, and future ones. He knows all about their entities, their deeds, their descriptions, etc. He recorded all of this in the Preserved Tablet in countless texts. All of Allah’s Creation is under His will, nothing escapes it. Whatever He wills, comes into being, and whatever He does not, would not. The slaves of Allah have will, abilities, and choices, all of which are created by Allah. Everything occurs according to the Foreknowledge of Allah; it is recorded, and follows a course that is linked to specific causes that are part of Al-Qadar. Allah gave the believers means, ways, and various kinds of assistance and kept them away from impediments that may have weaken the strength of their belief, as the Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) said: “Carry kn doing (good) deeds, for everybody will find easy to do such deeds as will lead him to his destined place for which he has been created. So, he who is destined to be among the happy (in the Hereafter), will find it easy to do the deeds characteristic of such people...” [Part of an authentic Hadeeth collected by Al-Bukhari in his Saheeh, V.6, Hadeeth #472] Allaah forsake the wicked and the evil ones and left them to themselves and did not help them because they turned away from Him. The Believer’s stand towards Al-Qadar has two levels: First: Before the Taqdeer takes place he should seek the help from Allah, depend upon Him, and supplicate to Him. Second: After the Taqdeer takes place if the Taqdeer is different from what he had worked for (lawful and good), he should be patient and accept the Taqdeer. If the Taqdeer is a favor that conforms with what he had set up and worked for, then he should be grateful to Allah and should praise Him for it. If he commits a sinful deed, he should ask Allah’s forgiveness and repent. The Believer’s stand towards the Commands of Allah, has two levels: Before Execution: a determination to fulfill the command and to seek Allah’s help for its execution. After Execution: seeking Allah’s forgiveness due to any shortcomings in the execution, and praising Allah for all of His favors: “So be patient (O Muhammad sallalahu alaihi wa salallam). Verily, Allah’s Promise is True, and seek forgiveness for your fault” [Soorah Ghafir (40): 55] "But if you persevere patiently, and have Taqwa (be pious), then verily this is from the great matters which you must hold on with all your efforts.” [Soorah al-Imran (3): 186] The Prophet (salallahu alaihi wa salalam) said “Cherish that which benefits you (in the Hereafter) and seek Allah’s help, and do not despair (or lose heart); and if anything befalls you (calamity, misfortune, or trouble) do not say, ‘If I had done such and such, then such and such would have occurred, but rather say: Allah did that what He had preordained to do, because the word “if” is an opening for Satan’s actions .” Shaikh ul Islam Ibn Taymeeyah in Al-Fatawa, V. 8., P.6 ________________________________________________ this whole extract should keep you busy for the next two weeks to thoroughly reflect.
__________________ ابو نعيمة علي البريكي قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم : « طلب العلم فريضة على كل مسلم » قال أبو عمر : هذا حديث يروى عن أنس بن مالك ، عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم من وجوه كثيرة ، كلها معلولة ، لا حجة في شيء منها عند أهل العلم بالحديث من جهة الإسناد | |
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