When Imam Ahmed was asked about Qadr, he said: “Qadr is the power of Allah (swt).”
It is the foreknowledge or ‘the decree,’ and Qadha is ‘the implementation of that decree’ in real time. Consequently, Qadha and Qadr are interlinked and cannot be separated.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “Allah (swt) recorded the measurement of all matters pertaining to creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth.” (Muslim)
According to a Hadeeth, as soon as the soul is blown into the fetus, the angels write down the lifespan, provision, deeds, as well as fate in the Hereafter for each human being.
Belief in Qadr is a prerequisite of Iman
In the Hadeeth of Jibril, the Prophet (PBUH) asked him: “What is Iman (belief)?”, and the Prophet (PBUH) responded: “Iman is to believe in Allah (swt), His angels, His books, His messengers, the Day of Judgement and the Qadr, the good of it and the evil of it.” (Bukhari and Muslim)
Abu Hafsa narrated: Ubadah ibn As-Samit (rtam) said to his son: “O son, you will not taste true faith, until you know that whatever has come to you would never have missed you and that whatever has missed you would never have come to you. I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: ‘The first thing that Allah (swt) created was the pen. He commanded it to write. It said: ‘My Lord, what shall I write?’ He said: ‘Write down what has been ordained for all things, until the establishment of the Hour.’ O Son, I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: ‘Whoever dies believing otherwise does not belong to me.’”
Belief in al-Qadr comprises four things:
- Knowledge: Allah knows all things, (whether it is related to His actions or the actions of His slaves.) (At-Talaq 65:12)
- Pre-recording: Allah (swt) has pre-recorded everything in a tablet called Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet). (Ya-Seen 36:12)
- The Will of Allah (swt): And you do not will [anything] except that Allah, Lord of the worlds, wills. . (Al-Takweer 81:29)
- Creation: Allah (swt) is the Creator of all things. (Az-Zumur 39:62)
Two Types of Decree
- In Surah Ad Dukhan, Allah (swt) tells us that the annual decree takes place on Lailat-ul-Qadr (The Night of Decree) when Allah (swt) informs His angels what He has decreed for each individual for the coming year. It includes death, provision, rain, and what actions people will do.
- The daily decree refers to the real-time execution of the decrees. “Whoever is within the heavens and earth asks Him; every day He brings about a matter.” (Ar-Rahman 55:29)
Freedom of Choice vs. Qadr
But if matters are pre-determined, how can we have free will? Why are we rewarded or punished if we have no control?
Allah (swt) knows what choices we are going to make, but he allows us to choose ourselves. We decide and act because Allah (swt) did not decree effects without causes. The result depends on our efforts. The Prophet ( PBUH) and the Sahabah pursued the means and strove to the utmost. When Suraqah ibn Malik (rta) asked the Prophet (PBUH) why we should strive when the pens have dried, and the decree has been issued, the Prophet (PBUH) replied: “Strive, for each person will be facilitated to do his deeds.” (Muslim)
We must believe in Qadr, but it is not permissible for us to use Qadr as an excuse for not striving.
Does Dua affect Qadr?
Salman al-Farsi (rta) narrated from the Prophet (PBUH): “Nothing repels Divine Decree except Dua, and nothing increases one’s lifespan except good deeds.” (Tirmidhi)
Dua was also decreed by Allah (swt) as a part of a person’s Qadr. Allah (swt) knows that a person will make Dua, and as a result, a pre-ordained calamity will be averted.
In Surah Al Qamar, the Quran informs us how Nuh (as) made Dua against his people, as a result of which Allah (swt) fulfilled the predestination of punishment by the flood. (Al-Qamar 54:9-12)
The Prophet (PBUH) used to make the following Dua in the Witr prayer: “…bless me in what You have given me. And save me from the evil that You have decreed for me. Verily You decree (all things), and none can decree against You…” (Tirmidhi)
As the Arabs say: “Be realistic in everything, except in Dua (where you can) ask (for) the impossible!” Remember that everything in life is prewritten, but with Dua, it can be rewritten.
How does belief in Qadr help us?
- It safeguards against Shirk.
- It ensures peace of mind- nothing that is meant for you will ever get away.
- It motivates us to strive for righteous deeds, relying on Allah (swt) alone for the results.
- It keeps the believer humble, knowing that whatever he has achieved is due to the will of Allah (swt).
- It helps us face life’s trials with courage and Tawakkul, knowing that everything is in Allah’s (swt) control.
Remember, to understand Qadr, we must rely on the Quran and the Sunnah, not on our rational assessment, because certain concepts of Qadr cannot be comprehended by our limited intellect.
Abu Hurairah (rtam) said: “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) came out, when we were debating about Qadr. He became so angry that his face turned red, as if a pomegranate had been squeezed over his face. He said: ‘Is this what you have been commanded to do? Is this why I was sent to you? Those who came before you were destroyed when they debated about this matter. I urge you not to dispute about it.’” (Tirmidhi)
As Imam Shafii said: “If you knew how Allah (swt) manages your affairs for you, your heart would melt out of love for Him.