Crescent Magazine: Certainty for those confused about Qadr

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Bismillah-ir-Rahmaan ar-Raheem

Qadr is one of the pillars of Islam. Qadar means that Allaah has decreed everything that happens in the universe according to His prior knowledge and the dictates of His wisdom. The stronger the belief in it, the stronger one's faith. Therefore, clarity on this matter is essential, and obligatory on every Muslim. No Muslim should have any doubt about it. What follows is a very brief, concise and comprehensive message about Qadr. This is only a part from the upcoming tafseer of surat-ul Qadr. May Allah assist me to complete it, and accept it making it a reason for peace in my grave.

[13/02/1438 corresponding to 14/11/2016]

Our Attitude:

Irrespective of whatever the case is, Qadr should not become an excuse for laziness for performing good deeds:

عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ جَالِسًا وَفِي يَدِهِ عُودٌ يَنْكُتُ بِهِ فَرَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ مَا مِنْكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ إِلاَّ وَقَدْ عُلِمَ مَنْزِلُهَا مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَالنَّارِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَلِمَ نَعْمَلُ أَفَلاَ نَتَّكِلُ قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ ‏.‏ اعْمَلُوا فَكُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ قَرَأَ ‏{‏ فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى * وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى‏}‏ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ ‏{‏ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَى‏}‏`

'Ali reported that one day Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was sitting with a wood in his hand and he was scratching the ground. He raised his head and said:

There is not one amongst you who has not been allotted his seat in Paradise or Hell. They said: Allah's Messenger. then, why should we perform good deeds, why not depend upon our destiny? Thereupon he said. No, do perform good deeds, for everyone is facilitated in that for which he has been created; then he recited this verse: "Then, who gives to the needy and guards against evil and accepts the excellent (the truth of Islam and the path of righteousness it prescribes), We shall make easy for him the easy end.But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need. And denies the best [reward]. We will ease him toward difficulty." (al-Layl 92: 5-10)
[Agreed upon, the version is of Saheeh Muslim]

The Confusion:

Narrated `Abdullah bin Mas'ood: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), the truthful and the one declared as truthful said,

"(The matter of the Creation of) a human being is put together in the womb of the mother in forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick blood for a similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.

Then Allah sends an angel who is ordered to write four things. He is ordered to write down his (i.e. the new creature's) deeds, his livelihood, his (date of) death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched (in religion). Then the soul is breathed into him.

One of you keep performing the deeds of the people of Paradise until he is a foot away from it. But then the written word overtakes him and he begins to perform the deeds of people of Fire. Consequently, he enters into it. And one of you keep performing the deeds of the people of Fire until he is a foot away from it. But then the written word overtakes him and he begins to perform the deeds of people of Paradise. Consequently, he enters into it." [Agreed upon, the version is of Saheeh Bukhari]

From this narration, people get confused on mainly two matters relating to Qadr:

1. The narration shows that the tadqeer is written after approx. four months. But was not taqdeer written 50,000 years before the creation itself?

2. This narration clearly implies that there is no free will, because whatever we do or try, at the end of the day only that will happen what is written.

Answer:

The more one read on this matter, the more will be the increase of confusion. This is why Imam at-Tahawi (rahimahullah) said in aqeedah al-Islamiyyah:

وأصل القدر سر الله تعالى في خلقه ، لم يطلع على ذلك ملك مقرب ، ولا نبي مرسل ، والتعمق والنظر في ذلك ذريعة الخذلان ، وسلم الحرمان ، ودرجة الطغيان ، فالحذر كل الحذر من ذلك نظرا وفكرا ووسوسة ، فإن الله تعالى طوى علم القدر عن أنامه ، ونهاهم عن مرامه ، كما قال تعالى في كتابه : لا يسأل عما يفعل وهم يسألون ( الأنبياء : 23 ) . فمن سأل : لم فعل ؟ فقد رد حكم الكتاب ، ومن رد حكم الكتاب ، كان من الكافرين

So far as the creations are concerned, the truth about the Divine Decree is a secret. Neither an angel close (to Allah) nor a Prophet raised (among a people) has had any knowledge of it. An in-depth inquiry and an intellectual exercise over it are a recourse to disappointment, a ladder to loss and steps leading to rebellion. Therefore, one may remain watchfully on guard against indulgence in it: whether it is by way of ponder, an exercise of the intellect, or a suggestion of doubt. For Allah has concealed the knowledge of Decree from mankind and has forbidden them to objectivize it. He said in his book: "He is not questioned for what He does, (but) they shall be questioned." Therefore, whoever asked, 'Why did He do that?' rejected and ordinance of the Book. And whoever rejected an ordinance of the Book became an infidel. End quote.

The confusion or doubt or discussion that Imam at-Tahawi is renouncing is discussion without knowledge. This is what Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu anh) described here:

"The Messenger of Allah came out to us while we were discussing about Al-Qadar. He became angry such that his face became red, as if a pomegranate was bursting through his cheeks. He said: 'Is this what I ordered you to do?' - or: 'Is this what I have been sent to you with? The people before you were only ruined when they differed about this matter. I order you [I order you] to not debate about it.'" [Jami' at-Tirmidhi]

The type of debate or discussion which is hated in the shari'ah is discussion without knowledge of rules. Rules of knowledge are like rules of driving, if you donot follow them it is necessary that you'll end up in an accident!

The answer to first question lies in another narration which is its complete version with the addition:

فِيمَا يَبْدُو لِلنَّاسِ

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: A person performs the deeds which to the people appear to be the deeds befitting the dweller of Paradise, but he is in fact one of the denizens of Hell. And verily a person does an act which in the eyes of public is one which is done by the denizens of Hell, but the person is one among the dwellers of Paradise. [Saheeh Muslim]

As for the second question, we are going to share the types and categories of Qadr that will make every aayah and hadith on the matter of Qadr absolutely clear. And the reader will be himself able to place the qadr in the correct category without any mess or confusion (because of the knowledge of the categories), insha'Allah.

The types are further divided into three categories for simplification:

I. When (the time it happens)

II. How (the way it happens)

III. Why (the reason it happens)

I. When (the time it happens):

There are narrations that mention that taqdeer was written fifty thousands years before creations, and others like the previous one which mentions it being destined in the womb, etc. So, how do we reconcile between these and what is our belief about it? The answer is simple, that Allah chose multiple times for wisdom which he alone knows for writing and informing the angels.

1. Taqdeer al-Azli (تقدير الازلي or al-Shamil li jamee' al makhlooqaat, or kitabat al awla):

The taqdeer includes everything to happen. And this is the Taqdeer that was first written fifty thousand years before the creation of heavens and earth. This taqdeer has everything written in Lawh al Mahfooz (the preserved tablet), and the pen has dried and so there will be no change in it. The prophet said:

كَتَبَ اللَّهُ مَقَادِيرَ الْخَلاَئِقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ - قَالَ - وَعَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ

Allah ordained the measures (of quality) of the creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, as His Throne was upon water. [Saheeh Muslim]

2. Taqdeer al-Meethaqi (تقددير الميثاقي):

This occurred at the creation of our father Adam (alayhis-salaam). Allah says:

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَا ۛ أَن تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَٰذَا غَافِلِينَ

And (remember) when your Lord brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed (or from Adam's loin his offspring) and made them testify as to themselves (saying): "Am I not your Lord?" They said: "Yes! We testify," lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection: "Verily, we have been unaware of this." [al-A'raaf 7:172]

This is the reason of our innate nature and recognizing the existence of Allah is, in fact, instinctive, uncomplicated and natural. It is in the innate nature of man to acknowledge a supreme power who is controlling the affairs of the universe.

And the noble prophet said:

" خلق الله آدم ثم خلق الخلق من ظهره ، ثم قال : هؤلاء للجنة ولا أبالي ، وهؤلاء للنار ولا أبالي " قال : فقيل : يا رسول الله فعلى ماذا نعمل قال : على موافقة القدر "

Allah created Adam and then created the creation from him and then said: These are for the Paradise and I do not care, and these are for the Fire and I do not care. He: So I was told: O Messenger of Alah, for what should we then act? He replied: To come in line with the destiny. [Narrated by Imam Ahmad and authenticated by shaikh Albani]

3. Taqdeer al-Umri (تقدير العمري):

This occurs at the creation of baby in the womb of the mother after approx. four months have passed. Here four things are written: Deeds, livelihood, time of death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched (in deeds).

Narrated `Abdullah bin Mas'ood: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), the truthful and the one declared as truthful said,

Then Allah sends an angel who is ordered to write four things. He is ordered to write down his (i.e. the new creature's) deeds, his livelihood, his (date of) death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched. Then the soul is breathed into him." [Agreed upon]

4. Taqdeer al-Hawli (تقدير الحولي):

A manager gives year plan to the laborers to work accordingly. Allah is incomparable and above any similarity, but it is helpful in explaining Allah's wisdom. Allah informs the noble angels what is to be done the upcoming year. This is the yearly taqdeer which occurs in Layl -atul- Qadr (the night of decree). Allah stated:

إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَاهُ فِي لَيْلَةٍ مُّبَارَكَةٍ ۚ إِنَّا كُنَّا مُنذِرِينَ

Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind].

فِيهَا يُفْرَقُ كُلُّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ

Therein (that night) is decreed every matter of ordainments. [ad-Dukhan 44:3-4]

And Allah also said:

تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِم مِّن كُلِّ أَمْرٍ

Therein descend the angels and the Ruh [Jibrael (Gabriel)] by Allah's Permission with all Decrees. [al-Qadr 97: 3-4]

Scholars mention in tafseer of these ayaat that all what is going to happen in the upcoming year will be decreed including who will take birth and who will die, victory and loss, rain and provision, and even who will perform Hajj is written. This was narrated by Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas and others in Zad al Maseer of Ibn al Jawzi, tafsir ibn Kathir, etc.

5. Taqdeer al Yawmi (تقدير اليومي):

This taqdeer incudes the daily qadaa' (rulings and decrees) of Allah. Whatever is already now comes into action. Allah states:

يَسْأَلُهُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۚ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِي شَأْن

Whosoever is in the heavens and on earth begs of Him (its needs from Him). Every day He has a matter to bring forth! [ar-Rahman 55:29]

Scholars wrote in tafseer of this aayah examples such as giving honour to some, disgrace to some, life to some, death to some, laughter to some, cry to some, etc. Read tafseer as-Sa'adi for more details.

What follows is the brief of what was mentioned above:

Al Azli	Al Meethaqi	Al Umri	Al Hawli	Al Yawmi
Written first	Written at creation	Written for lifetime	Written yearly	Written daily
General and includes all creation	Specific for the humans	Specific to all humans	Written what will happen in the upcoming year	Written what will happen in the upcoming day
Fifty thousand years before the creation	At the creation of Adam.	In the mother’s womb after four months approx.	In the night of the Decree every year	Everyday
Neither does any angel nor any prophet knows		The angels know
Includes generally everything	Part of taqdeer al Azli	Part of taqdeer Al Meethaqi	Part of taqdeer Al Umri	Part of taqdeer Al Hawli
Fixed, without any change		Changes according to reasons and conditions pre fixed in taqdeer al Azli
Proof of knowledge, power and ability of Allah		Proof of the wisdom of Allah
This is what is in the umm-al kitab (Al-lawh al mahfooz or The Preserved Tablet)		This is what is in the books of the angels with them.

II. How (the way it happens):

There some ayaat and ahaadith that Allah does not changes his mind, and that his decisions must come true. But there are others which mention that qadr can be changed through Dua, etc. So, is Allah's decree fixed or not? The answer is that there are elements in Taqdeer which are fixed and others which are not. This category is divided into two types:

1. Taqdeer Mubram (تقدير مبرم):

This is the fixed one, and there is no change, omission, etc. This is inevitable and unavoidable, and this is the Taqdeer al-Azli, the one written in Lawh al Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet).

2. Taqdeer Muallaq (تقدير معلق):

This is the one that changes according to conditions. And this is the taqdeer which the angels have in their hands. So Allah may stipulate: Write the age of so and so that if he tells the truth, he will this long. And if he lies, he will live that long. And in the knowledge of Allah and in the lawh al Mahfooz, it is already written whether he tell the truth or lie. So, this is how the change happens in taqdeer, and this is meaning of Allah's statement:

لِكُلِّ أَجَلٍ كِتَابٌ* يَمْحُو اللَّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيُثْبِتُ وَعِنْدَهُ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ.

For every term is a decree. Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills). And with Him is the Mother of the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz). [ar-Ra'ad 13: 38-39]

And from the reasons of the change in Allah's decree or increase in life-span is righteousness with the parents, and being good with relatives. This is due to the hadith:

'Salman (radiyallahu anh) narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

"‏ لاَ يَرُدُّ الْقَضَاءَ إِلاَّ الدُّعَاءُ وَلاَ يَزِيدُ فِي الْعُمُرِ إِلاَّ الْبِرُّ ‏"‏ ‏

"Nothing turns back the Decree except supplication, and nothing increases the life-span except righteousness." [Jami' at-Tirmidhi]

And in Bukhari and Muslim, Anas b. Malik (radiyallahu anh) reported:
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

"‏ مَنْ سَرَّهُ أَنْ يُبْسَطَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقُهُ أَوْ يُنْسَأَ فِي أَثَرِهِ فَلْيَصِلْ رَحِمَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

He who is desirous that his means of sustenance should be expanded for him or his age may be lengthened, should join the tie of relationship. [Agreed upon]

And also:

"‏ تَعَلَّمُوا مِنْ أَنْسَابِكُمْ مَا تَصِلُونَ بِهِ أَرْحَامَكُمْ فَإِنَّ صِلَةَ الرَّحِمِ مَحَبَّةٌ فِي الأَهْلِ مَثْرَاةٌ فِي الْمَالِ مَنْسَأَةٌ فِي الأَثَرِ ‏"‏ ‏

"Learn enough about your lineage to facilitate keeping your ties of kinship. For indeed keeping the ties of kinship encourages affection among the relatives, increases the wealth, and increases the lifespan." [Jami' at-Tirmidhi]

Therefore, it may happen that, for example, brother Hamza goes back home for vacation and looks his father having pain in the leg. So, he takes some olive oil and begins to massage his leg. Allah may be pleased and remove a calamity that may be fixed to come, or may increase the age, and so on.

Taqdeer al Mubram includes everything including the conditions, and what would actually happen finally. But Taqdeer al-Muallaq is depended on the fulfillment of the condition.

III. Why (the reason it happens):

Disasters happen, babies and children die, rapes, murder and what not happens. How is it that we do not attribute this to Allah, when he is the one who decreed it to happen?

Actually, this question and its type is not coming new from the Atheists and Agnostics, but is centuries old coming all the way from philosophers, and deviant Muslim sects.

There are Muslims who look around the situation and ask: Why did Allah will for the ummah to not be victorious and to lag behind undeveloped?

But the answer to this is: Allah did not will this ummah to not be victorious. In-fact, Allah's 'will' (iraadah) can be divided into two categories.

1. Iraadah Kawniyyah Qadriyyah (إرادة كونية قدرية):

This is the one which comes with the meaning of 'wish'. And this type has two pillars:
(i) It must happen.
(ii) It may be something that Allah likes, and could be something that He does not likes.

And example of this type is the statement of Allah about Nooh (alayhis-salaam):

وَلا يَنْفَعُكُمْ نُصْحِي إِنْ أَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَنْصَحَ لَكُمْ إِنْ كَانَ اللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُغْوِيَكُمْ هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُون

"And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allah's Will is to keep you astray. He is your Lord! and to Him you shall return." [Hud 11:34]

2. Iraadah Deeniyyah Shar'iyyah (إرادة دينية شرعية) :

This is the one which comes in the meaning of likeness. And this type has two pillars:

(i) It may happen, or may not.
(ii) It must be something that Allah likes and is pleased with.

And example of this type is the statement of Allah about Nooh (alayhis-salaam):

وَاللَّهُ يُرِيدُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَيُرِيدُ الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الشَّهَوَاتِ أَن تَمِيلُوا مَيْلًا عَظِيمًا

Allah wants to accept your repentance, but those who follow [their] passions want you to digress [into] a great deviation. [an-Nisaa 4:27]

And from this categorization, we can easily get our answers and digest them. Allah willed us to lag behind temporarily through his iraadah kawniyyah for some wisdom which He knows best. Apparent wisdom is that Islam is rising in other places in response to the suffering in some places. However, our attitude should be not to become lazy since that is the iraadah of Allah, rather: "Perform good deeds, for everyone is facilitated in that for which he has been created." [Agreed upon]

Similarly, disasters and tyrants rulers come under the category of iraadah kawniyyah (i.e. it happens because Allah wills so although he does not likes), and the wisdom is known to Allah alone. But these are signs to turn back to Allah:

وَلَنُذِيقَنَّهُم مِّنَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَدْنَىٰ دُونَ الْعَذَابِ الْأَكْبَرِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

And verily, We will make them taste of the near torment (i.e. the torment in the life of this world, i.e. disasters, calamities, etc.) prior to the supreme torment (in the Hereafter), in order that they may (repent and) return (i.e. accept Islam). [as-Sajdah 32:21]

And one of the reasons for deviation of the early sects was inability to differentiate between 'iraadah kawniyyah' and 'iraadah deeniyyah'.

Imam Ali ibn Al Izz said in his commentary of Aqeedah at-Tahawiyyah:

It is the belief of Ahlus-Sunnah that everything that happens is by Allah's and by His decree. The Qadariyyah and the Mu'tazilah have opposed them in this. They asserted that Allah wished belief (and faith in Him) from the disbeliever, but it was the unbeliever who wished to be an unbeliever. The disbeliever's will overcame the will of Allah. But this is a most fallacious belief. Furthermore, this is not supported by evidence. Indeed, this opinion is in opposition to the available evidence. Allah said:

وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَآتَيْنَا كُلَّ نَفْسٍ هُدَاهَا وَلَٰكِنْ حَقَّ الْقَوْلُ مِنِّي لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ

And if We had willed, surely! We would have given every person his guidance, but the Word from Me took effect (about evil-doers), that I will fill Hell with jinn and mankind together. [as-Sajdah 32:13]

He also said:

فَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ ۖ وَمَن يُرِدْ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّمَاءِ ۚ

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. [al-An'aam 6:125]

The clue to the error here is in equating Allah's Will and Desire with His Love and Approval. The Jabariyyah and the Qadariyyah failed to distinguish between the two. And, as it should happen, as they proceeded in their arguments, they disagreed between themselves. The Jabariyyah said: "Everything is by the Will and Decree of Allah." To their contrast, the Qadariyyah said: "Sins are neither approved by Allah nor loved by Him. They are neither by His Will nor His Decree. They are altogether out of the range of His Will and creation."

Allah's book however, as well as the Prophet's suunah and a person's incorrupt nature point to the difference between the Will and Approval. As for the Will of Allah, we have already stated evidences from the Book. As for His Approval and Love, here are a few. Allah said:

وَاللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفَسَادَ

And Allah does not like corruption. [al-Baqarah 2:205]

and,
ۖ

وَلَا يَرْضَىٰ لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ

And He does not approve for His servants disbelief. [az-Zumar 39:7]

End quote from [1].

Perfect your belief:

Belief in al-Qadar is based on four pillars:

1. Knowledge (علم): The belief that Allah 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. Written (كتابة): The belief that Allah has written that in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (the Book of Decrees).

3. Will (المشيئة): The belief that whatever happens only happens by the will of Allah – whether that has to do with His actions or the actions of created beings, whether good or bad.

4. Creation (خلق): The belief that all things that happen are created by Allah in their essence, their attributes and their movements.

All the sects deviated on one of the four things. They either denied Allah's knowledge (and this sect is almost non existent except in some of the extreme rawafid), or they denied it being written (like Susan and his early followers) or Allah's will being in no control (like the Qadariyyah) or that the deeds are not created (like some of the Mu'tazilah).

This is all we wanted to share, and what Allah made easy for us. We conclude by asking Allah's help and guidance that we die on this deen free from trials of faith. Wa sallillahumma wa sallim 'ala nabiyyina Muhammad.

References:

The Fundamentals Of Islamic Creed, [Commentary of Aqeedah at-Tahwiyyah], trans. Syed Iqbal Zaheer,
Insaan ki Takhleeq aur Taqdeer ki Kismien - Shaikh Shams uz Zaman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCYA-MZazN4
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