Summary of Qadr. Before discussing Qadr, remember these foundational points: Point 1: Recognize your limits—state, “I don’t know, and Allah knows best.” We lack the full picture, while Allah possesses complete knowledge. The Quran states: "And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little." [Surah al-Isra, 85]. The Prophet ﷺ emphasized humility in knowledge. Qadr relates to Ilm al-Ghayb (knowledge of the unseen) and should be accepted as such. Point 2: Allah is the King of Kings. We don’t question His will. He will judge us based on the revelations He provided. Point 3: Allah is All-Knowing and Wise. His actions have purpose, even if we cannot grasp them. Point 4: Allah is Just. No action, no matter how small, goes unaccounted for. Qadr: A Pillar of Iman Belief in Qadr, including its good and evil aspects, is essential for true faith. The Quran emphasizes predestination in multiple verses. What Is Qada’ and Qadr? Qada’ refers to Allah’s rulings, while Qadr involves His decrees regarding the timing and manner of events. The Pillars of Belief in Qadr 1. Knowledge (Al-Ilm): Allah’s knowledge encompasses all things. 2. Pre-Recorded (Al-Kitabah): Everything is recorded in the Preserved Tablet. 3. The Will of Allah (Al-Mashee’ah): Nothing occurs without His will. 4. Creation (Al-Khalq): Allah is the Creator of all things, including actions. Changes in Qadr Certain actions, like dua (supplication), can affect certain decrees (taqdeer muallaq). Events are recorded, but changes can occur based on conditions. Misunderstanding Qadr Questions of free will arise. We have the ability to choose, but Allah’s knowledge encompasses our choices. Practical Understanding of Qadr Qadr does not excuse sinful actions. Humans act with free will, while Allah’s knowledge of their actions is preordained. Conclusion Belief in Qadr should reinforce accountability for our actions, not serve as an excuse. We are responsible for our choices, subject to Allah’s omniscience and wisdom. Through understanding Qadr correctly, we can appreciate Allah’s justice and the importance of our actions in life. Understanding Qadr. Before diving into the intricate topic of Qadr, it is essential to establish some foundational concepts that will help in grasping this discussion thoroughly. Point 1: Recognize Your Limitations It is crucial to understand and acknowledge our limitations. An important phrase to internalize is, “I don’t know, and Allah knows best.” Our knowledge is limited, while Allah possesses complete awareness and understanding. > Quranic Reference: > "And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little." [Surah al-Isra, 85]. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasized that true knowledge entails acknowledging when one does not know something. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq remarked regarding the Quran, “Which earth would carry me and which sky would shelter me if I said about the book of Allah that which I did not know?” Qadr, or divine decree, falls within the realm of Ilm al-Ghayb (knowledge of the unseen). Such matters, as described in the Quran and Sunnah, should be embraced with unwavering belief. They possess significance and should not be interpreted through the lens of our worldly understanding. For instance, when Allah mentions trees in Jannah, it is a metaphorical reference—not to be directly compared to earthly trees. All matters of Ghayb should be interpreted based on the literal meanings unless authentic evidence suggests otherwise. It is also crucial to recognize the limitations of human perception when grappling with concepts of the afterlife or the unseen. Ibn Mas’ud narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ advised to refrain from rash judgment regarding companions of the Prophet, astrology, and discussions of Qadr without proper knowledge. Imam al Tahawi referred to Qadr as a secret of Allah not disclosed to any angel or prophet, warning that deep contemplation into it can lead to confusion and misguidance. In dealing with Qadr, one must eventually reach a point of acceptance: "سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا" - We Hear and We Obey. There will always be aspects beyond human comprehension, as they belong to the unseen.. Point 2: Allah's Sovereignty Allah, as the King of Kings, exercises His will freely. Humans should not question Allah, especially regarding matters He has not commanded us to inquire about. Instead, we are accountable based on the guidance He has provided. > Quranic Reference: > "Allah does whatever He intends." [Surah al-Baqarah, 253]. Point 3: Allah's Knowledge and Wisdom Allah's actions are always accompanied by wisdom, even if they elude our understanding due to our limited perspective. > Quranic Reference: > "He knows what is (presently) before them and what will be after them..." [Surah al-Baqarah, 255]. Point 4: Divine Justice Allah is inherently just. He does not wrong His creation, and every action is accounted for, down to the smallest deed. > Quranic Reference: > "Is not Allah the Most Just of judges?" [Surah at-Tin, 8] > Quranic Reference: > "So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it." [Surah al-Zalzalah, 7]. Qadr. A Fundamental Tenet of Faith The Prophet ﷺ articulated that true belief involves accepting both good and evil aspects of Qadr. He reiterated that what befell someone could not have missed them, and what missed them could not have befallen them. Ali reported that true belief encompasses four pillars: 1. Testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah. 2. Acknowledging Muhammad as Allah’s Messenger. 3. Believing in resurrection after death. 4. Accepting all aspects of Qadr. This belief is obligatory according to various verses in the Quran. > Quranic Reference: > "Indeed, all things We created with predestination." [Surah al-Qamar, 49] In a crucial hadith, Angel Jibreel questioned about faith, leading to the Prophet’s affirmation of belief in Allah, His angels, His Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and fate (Qadr) in both its good and evil aspects. Distinction Between Qada’ and Qadr Qada’ and Qadr are terms used to describe Allah’s decrees. - Qada’ typically refers to rulings or legislation. - Qadr emphasizes the measurement, evaluation, or decree of events. The terminology can vary in context, but fundamentally, Qadr encompasses Allah's preordained knowledge and the execution of His will upon creation. The Pillars of Belief in Qadr Scholars outline four fundamental levels of understanding Qadr. 1. Knowledge (Al-Ilm): Allah’s knowledge encompasses all actions, thoughts, and events, including those that could hypothetically occur. > Quranic Reference: > "And Allah's Knowledge encompasses all things." [Surah at-Talaq, 12] 2. Pre-Recorded (Al-Kitabah): Allah recorded all destinies in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz (the Preserved Tablet), detailing aspects of creation. > Quranic Reference: > "Indeed, We have brought the dead to life and recorded what they have put forth..." [Surah Ya Seen, 12] 3. Will (Al-Mashee’ah): Nothing occurs without Allah’s will—His will encompasses both good and evil. > Quranic Reference: > "And you do not will except that Allah wills." [Surah al-Insan, 30] 4. Creation (Al-Khalq): Allah is the creator of all things, including the actions and decisions of His creation. > Quranic Reference: > "Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is, over all things, Disposer of affairs." [Surah az-Zumar, 62]. Changes in Qadr Certain actions, particularly supplications (Dua), can influence elements of Qadr, reflecting Allah’s supreme authority over all matters. > Quranic Reference: > "Allah eliminates what He wills or confirms." [Surah ar-Rad, 39]. Conclusion In conclusion, the understanding of Qadr forms a significant basis of faith in Islam. It emphasizes Allah's ultimate control over all aspects of existence while also affirming human responsibility for choices and actions. Believers must navigate their lives with an awareness of this divine decree, accepting both the blessings and trials as part of Allah’s perfect wisdom.
Introduction
Before we even get into the topic of Qadr, I wish for you to internalize and solidify these points in your mind as a foundation even if you don’t take anything else from this article.
Point 1: Know your limitations. Learn to say, “I don’t know and Allah Knows Best”. We don’t even have a pixel whereas Allah has the complete picture.
وَمَآ أُوتِيتُم مِّنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًۭا
And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little.[Surah al-Isra, 85]
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘It is a sign of having knowledge that, when you do not know something, you say: ‘Allah knows better.’ [Bukhari]
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq said, “Which earth would carry me and which sky would shield me if I said about the book of Allah that which I did not know?"
Imam al-Sha’bi said: “Uttering ‘I don’t know’ is part of knowledge” [Darimi]
The matter of Qadr is from Ilm al-Ghayb. Ghayb refers to all knowledge that is beyond the reach of human perception. We can learn about it only if Allah reveals it to us. Matters of ghayb mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah need to be accepted and believed in without a shred of doubt. They have real meaning otherwise there was no point of Allah mentioning it to us. Just like Allah mentions trees in Jannah, it doesn’t mean that the trees of Jannah are exactly like the trees in the Dunya. It is just to give a general idea. All matters of ghayb should be interpreted based on the literal meaning of the text unless authentic evidence says otherwise. A very important point to remember is that we are limited by our nature. To apply the laws of this dunya to the hereafter or the ghayb is incorrect.
Ibn Mas’ud reported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When my companions are mentioned (with blame), hold back. When the stars are mentioned (for fortune telling), hold back. And when Qadr is mentioned (without knowledge), hold back.” [Tabarani]
Imam al-Tahawi said, “Qadr is Allah’s secret among His creation. He did not reveal it to an angel near to Him, nor to a Prophet sent by Him. Delving deep into it leads to failure, loss, and excessiveness.” [Sharh al-Tahawiyyah]
If you’re going to dig deep into the matter of Qadr, you will eventually find it difficult to go forward. There will come a point where you have to say “سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا” – We Hear and We Obey. There is always going to be some part of it that you will never completely completely understand and comprehend as it is from the matters of the Unseen.
Point 2: Allah is the King of Kings. He does whatever He wants. We don’t question Allah and especially on that which Allah hasn’t even tasked us to enquire about. Allah will ask us why we did or did not do something based on the revelation that He sent to us.
وَلَكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ
Allah does whatever He intends.[Surah al-Baqarah, 253]
Point 3: Allah is All Knowing and All Wise. Everything that Allah does has wisdom and a good end result in it, even if we cannot understand it because of our limited capabilities.
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ
“He knows what is (presently) before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. [Surah al-Baqarah, 255]
Point 4: Allah is the Most Just. He never wrongs the creation and His Promise is always true. Everything is accounted for and not even the smallest iota of an action that one might consider insignificant is left except that it is brought to account.
أَلَيْسَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَحْكَمِ ٱلْحَكِمِينَ
Is not Allah the Most Just of judges? [Surah at-Tin, 8]
فَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًۭا يَرَهُۥ
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍۢ شَرًّۭا يَرَهُۥ
So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it.
And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it. [Surah al-Zalzalah, 7]
Allah says:
لَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَهُمْ يُسْـَٔلُونَ
“He cannot be questioned as to what He does, while they will be questioned.” [Surah Al-Anbiya, 23]
And He says:
وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ تَقْدِيرًۭا
“He has created everything, and so He has assigned its Preordainment.” [Surah Al-Furqan, 2]
Qadr: A Pillar of Iman
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "No servant of Allah will truly believe until he believes in the good and evil of Qadar and until he knows that what has befallen him could not have missed him, and what missed him could not have befallen him.." [Tirmidhi]
Ali reported that the Messenger of Allah said, “A person will not truly believe unless he fulfils 4 things:
The belief in Qadr is obligatory as Allah stated in multiple ayat across the Quran;
إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقْنَهُ بِقَدَرٍۢ
Indeed, all things We created with predestination. [Surah al-Qamar, 49]
In the famous Hadith of Jibreel, we see Angel Jibreel enquiring, "Inform me about Iman (faith)." He (the Prophet ﷺ) answered, "It is that you believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Messengers and in the Last Day, and in fate (qadar), both in its good and in its evil aspects." [Muslim]
It was because of a clarification with regards to the understanding of Qadr that Ibn Umar Narrated the famous Hadith of Jibreel. At the time of Tabi’in, 2 men had come from Basra and on the way to Umrah, they met Abdullah Ibn Umar. One of the men said: ”Abu Abdur Rahman! There have appeared some people in our land who recite the Quran and pursue knowledge. And then after talking about their affairs, added: They (such people) claim that there is no such thing as Divine Decree (Qadr) and events are not predestined.”
He (Abdullah ibn Umar) 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 spent it (in the way of Allah), Allah would not accept it unless he affirmed his faith in Divine Decree.” At this point, Abdullah Ibn Umar narrated the famous Hadith of Jibreel that he had heard from his father, Umar ibn al-Khattab. [Muslim]
In another narration, Ibn Umar narrated from the Prophet who said: "There will be earthquakes and transformation (into animals) in my Ummah, and that is for those who deny Al-Qadar." [Tirmidhi]
Ibn al-Dailami said: “I went to Ubayy ibn Ka'b and said to him: “I am confused about Qadr, so tell me something by means of which Allah may remove the confusion from my mind.
He replied: “Were Allah to punish everyone in the heavens and in the earth. He would do so without being unjust to them, and were he to show mercy to them his mercy would be much better than their actions merited. Were you to spend in support of Allah’s cause an amount of gold equivalent to Uhud, Allah would not accept it from you till you believed in qadr and knew that what has come to you could not miss you and that what has missed you could not come to you. Were you to die believing anything else you would enter Hell.
He said: “I then went to ‘Abd Allah b. MAs’ud and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Hudhaifah b. al-Yaman and he said something to the same effect. I next went to Zaid b. Thabit who told me something from the Prophet to the same effect. [Abu Dawud]
Qadr is a pillar of Iman and without Qadr there is no Iman. This is clearly understood from the reports mentioned above.
What Is Qada’ and Qadr?
Allah’s decree is usually described with two words: Qada’ and Qadr.
The word Qada’ along with its derivatives appears more than 60 times in the Quran. It usually refers to rulings, ordainment, or legislation.
Allah says,
وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍۢ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى ٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ ٱلْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْۗ وَمَن يَعْصِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَلًۭا مُّبِينًۭا
It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should [thereafter] have any choice about their affair. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed into clear error. [Surah al-Ahzab, 36]
It also means conclusion or completion. Allah says,
هَلْ يَنظُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِى ظُلَلٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْغَمَامِ وَٱلْمَلَٓئِكَةُ وَقُضِىَ ٱلْأَمْرُ ۚ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ ٱلْأُمُورُ
Do they await but that Allah should come to them in covers of clouds and the angels (as well) and the matter is (then) decided? And to Allah [all] matters are returned. [Surah al-Baqarah, 210]
It also refers to creation or making. Allah says,
فَقَضَىٰهُنَّ سَبْعَ سَمَوَاتٍۢ فِى يَوْمَيْنِ وَأَوْحَىٰ فِى كُلِّ سَمَآءٍ أَمْرَهَا ۚ وَزَيَّنَّا ٱلسَّمَآءَ ٱلدُّنْيَا بِمَصَبِيحَ وَحِفْظًۭا ۚ ذَلِكَ تَقْدِيرُ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْعَلِيمِ
And He completed them as seven heavens within two days and inspired in each heaven its command. And We adorned the nearest heaven with lamps and as protection. That is the determination of the Exalted in Might, the Knowing. [Surah Fussilat, 12]
The main meaning that we are looking at in our context refers to Allah’s Decision or Decree. Allah says:
بَدِيعُ ٱلسَّمَوَتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَإِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمْرًۭا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ
Originator of the heavens and the earth. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, "Be," and it is. [Surah al-Baqarah, 117]
The word Qadr and its derivatives appears more than a hundred times in the Quran. Linguistically, Qadar comes from the root word ‘qadara’ which means to evaluate, plan, or measure. And likewise we get the word Qadr that is synonymous with Qadar and means to decree, amount, or ordainment. Allah says:
وَإِن مِّن شَىْءٍ إِلَّا عِندَنَا خَزَآئِنُهُۥ وَمَا نُنَزِّلُهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِقَدَرٍۢ مَّعْلُومٍۢ
And there is not a thing but that with Us are its depositories, and We do not send it down except according to a known measure. [Surah al-Hijr, 21]
The Divine Names al-Qadir (Most Able), al-Qadeer (All-Powerful) and al-Muqtadir (Omnipotent) are all derived from this root.
The meaning most relevant to our context is Allah’s predestining everything for His creation as per His Knowledge. Allah says,
إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلَقْنَهُ بِقَدَرٍۢ
Indeed, all things We created with predestination. [Surah al-Qamar, 49]
Technically Qadr means Allah's decree (in Lahw al-Mahfouz) of all things from eternity, and His Knowledge that they will come to pass at the times that are known to Him, and in the specific manner that He has decreed and willed. They will happen the way they are meant to and the way they are created. Qada’ (decision) is the implementation of Allah’s decree.
Imam Ibn Hajr says that as per the Shariah - Qadr refers to Allah having the Knowledge about the decree regarding everything before even creating them, then brought into existence that what is in His Knowledge, and that which comes about into existence is from His Knowledge and Will.
Everything happens with the Knowledge, Will, Power, and Execution of Allah. Imam Ahmad said that Qadr is from the Qudrah (Ability) of Allah. Nothing happens without the Permission or Decree of Allah. It is also from the matters of the unseen and a test of our faith. Imam Ahmad also called it one of the secrets of Allah. This is why we will not delve too much into the matter. We will try to see and limit ourselves to only that which has been explained from the Quran and the Sunnah. As for the rest, we simply believe in it and submit as is the practice of the successful generation of the salaf.
Just like the linguistic usage of Iman and Islam - when Islam and Iman are mentioned together in the same place, then Islam refers to the outward actions and iman refers to the inward beliefs. When they are used individually, they can be used interchangeably. The same happens with Qada’ and Qadr. When they are stated together, then it refers to that which Allah has eternally pre-ordained (in due measure) pertaining to His creation.
A second explanation is that Qada’ comes before Qadr. Qada’ is the Knowledge of Allah that was prescribed before creation and it is preserved in the Lahw al-Mahfouz. When it manifests into reality, it is known as Qadr. Imam Ibn al-Hajar says in al-Fath, “The scholars said the divine decree (Qada’) consists of the entire and complete judgment forever, and the divine measurement (Qadar) consists of the particulars of the judgment and its details.”
Qada = Qadr + Qadr + Qadr.....
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as said, “Nothing can change the Divine decree except dua”. [Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi]
A third explanation is the exact opposite of the last opinion. Qadr comes before Qada’. Qadr is the Knowledge of Allah that was prescribed before creation and it is preserved in the Lahw al-Mahfouz. When it manifests into reality, it is known as Qada’. This was the position of Sheikh Ibn al-Uthaymeen among other scholars.
Qadr = Qada + Qada + Qada.....
End of the day, it is just a semantic difference that doesn’t change anything in terms of our belief and understanding. Moving forward we will use the term Qadr to refer to both terms and meanings.
The Pillars of Belief in Qadr
To make the understanding of Qadr easy, scholars divided it into 4 levels:
1. Knowledge (Al-Ilm)
The belief that Allah’s knowledge encompasses everything, every matter, major or minor, and the time frame of everything that happens in this universe. Allah’s Knowledge encompasses all of His actions and actions taken by His slaves.
Allah knows everything that has happened, that is happening, that is going to happen, and even that which did not happen, if it had happened (hypothetically) with no end. Multiverse, parallel universes, throw everything into the mix and nothing is outside the Knowledge of Allah.
Allah’s Knowledge is Perfect. It is unlike his creation. His Knowledge is not preceded by ignorance and it is not followed by forgetfulness. It was always perfect. Allah says:
وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ أَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عِلْمًۢا
“And that Allah’s Knowledge encompasses all things.” [Surah al-Talaq,12]
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ
“He knows what is (presently) before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. [Surah al-Baqarah, 255]
قُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْعِلْمُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ نَذِيرٌۭ مُّبِينٌۭ
Say (O Prophet), "The knowledge is only with Allah , and I am only a clear warner." [Surah al-Mulk, 26]
هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَدَةِ ۖ هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
He is Allah , other than whom there is no deity, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. [Surah al-Hashr, 22]
لَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْهُ مِثْقَالُ ذَرَّةٍۢ فِى ٱلسَّمَوَتِ وَلَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَآ أَصْغَرُ مِن ذَلِكَ وَلَآ أَكْبَرُ إِلَّا فِى كِتَبٍۢ مُّبِينٍۢ
Not absent from Him is an atom's weight within the heavens or within the earth or (what is) smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register. [Surah Saba, 3]
Also with regards to what would have happened if another instance of it occurred, Allah mentions how the disbelievers on the Day of Judgement would say that they will be good and believe only if they were to to given another chance and sent back:
بَلْ بَدَا لَهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ ۖ وَلَوْ رُدُّوا۟ لَعَادُوا۟ لِمَا نُهُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَذِبُونَ
But what they concealed before has (now) appeared to them. And even if they were returned, they would return to that which they were forbidden; and indeed, they are liars. [Surah al-An’am, 28]
Note: We might see at times that Allah is Speaking to what we perceive as inanimate objects. It needs to be understood that this perception is because of our limited senses and knowledge. Allah is the Creator, the All Knowing and the Most Powerful. We need to know our limitations and humble ourselves when it comes to dealing with the King of Kings.
Our Sheikh, Ibrahim Nuhu حفظه الله said, “Appreciate the Knowledge of Allah. Allah commanded the pen to write everything before the creation even came into existence. Allah Knows what His Creation will choose. Allah is not forcing you to choose anything, we choose what we want based on our own free will. Then there is the other decree where we have no choice or will and that is in matters like when it will rain etc.
Remember that the keys of the unseen lie with Allah alone. Knowledge is of 2 types: That which is the gayb - that is the unseen and that which is apparent and can be seen and felt by us. Allah tells us that He is the Owner of the Unseen. How then would be his authority over the seen which even we, the slaves of Allah can interact with. Allah told us that He has Knowledge of ALL that is in the lands and in the seas. Forget the seas, just look at the multitude of creation around you in the land you are living. Even the smallest of ants, Allah knows everything about it. All of these are under the caretaking of Allah.
That is why the first pillar of Qadr is the Knowledge of Allah and only after that comes the writing down of the Qadr by the pen. The third pillar is the Will of Allah based on which the Qadr comes into action. The fourth pillar is the creation that was Created based on the Will of Allah.”
2. Pre-Recorded (Al-Kitabah)
The belief that Allah recorded everything in a Book or Tablet that He kept with Himself, called 'Al-Lawh Al-Mahfooz' (The Preserved Tablet). In it, Allah wrote everything about creation, their livelihood, provisions, ages, and deeds, etc in this preserved book. Nothing is missed in this record.
It is referred to by many names in the Quran like: Al-Kitab (The Book), Imamun Mubeen (Clear Book), Kitabun Mastur (Inscribed Book), Umm al-Kitab (Mother of the Book), and Ad-Dhikr (The Supreme Reference)
Ubadah ibn as-Samit said, “O my little son, you will never find the taste of Iman’s reality until you know that whatever caught you would not have missed you and what missed you would never have caught you. I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) say: “Indeed the first thing which Allah created was the pen and He told it to write. It asked: ‘O my Lord, what should I write?’ He said: Write the destiny of everything until the Final Hour comes.” O my little son! I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) say, “Whoever dies believing in other than this is not a true follower of mine.” [Abu Dawud]
Note: Based on this we learn that the first things that Allah created in order were: The Pen -> Throne -> Water -> Preserved Tablet
Imam Ibn Abil-‘Izz said, “The Pen referred to in these ahadith is the first, best and most glorious Pen. Many commentators on the Quran are of the opinion that it is the Pen by which Allah swears in the ayat: “Noon. By the Pen, and by what they write.” (Surah al-Qalam, 1-2) The second pen is the pen with which the revelations that are sent to prophets and messengers are written. Those who write with this pen are the governors of this world.All other pens are in the service of their pens. During the Ascension, Allaah’s Messenger heard the sounds of these pens (Bukhari) which record the things that Allaah reveals that He will do concerning this world above and the lower world.” [Sharh al-Tahawiyyah]
Abu Darda narrates that the Prophet of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah has already predestined five things for all people: age, sustenance, deeds, place of burial and final salvation or condemnation. [Ahmad]
Abdullah b. 'Amr b. al-'As reported: I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: “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.” [Muslim]
Sheikh Ibrahim Nuhu gives an example, “There is no leaf that falls except Allah knows where it will fall, why it will fall and even how it will fall. Go to the deepest and darkest depths of the ocean and bury a grain of rice there. How many layers of darkness cover it? The lower you go, the darker it gets. Despite all this, the grain is as though it is right in front of Allah. Let it sink in - Allah Hears, Sees and Knows everything about His slaves and creation. All of this to the most minute of details is recorded by Allah.”
Allah says:
إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَىٰ وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُّبِين
Indeed, it is We who bring the dead to life and record what they have put forth and what they left behind, and all things We have enumerated in a clear register. [Surah Ya Seen,12]
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ فِى كِتَبٍ ۚ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌۭ
Are you (Prophet) not aware that Allah knows all that is in the heavens and earth? All this is written in a Record; this is easy for Allah. [Surah al-Hajj, 70]
The Prophet ﷺ said: Verily, Allah Almighty created His creation in darkness and He cast over them His light. Whoever is touched by that light is guided, and whoever misses it is astray. Thus, I say the pens have been dried upon the knowledge of Allah. [Tirmidhi]
The provision, life span, deeds, and ultimate fate in the Hereafter of every human being are written by the angels as soon as the soul is blown into the fetus. Our destiny was decreed for us even before we were born.
The Prophet ﷺ said: The creation of each one of you is in his mother’s womb for forty days or nights, then as a clot for a similar period, then as a piece of flesh for a similar period, then the angel is sent to it to announce four decrees. He writes his provision, his life span, his deeds, and whether he is blessed or damned. Then, he breathes the soul into it. Verily, one of you acts with the deeds of the people of Paradise until he is not but an arm’s length away from it, yet the decree overtakes him, he acts with the deeds of the people of Hellfire and thus enters Hellfire. And one of you acts with the deeds of the people of Hellfire until he is not but an arm’s length away from it, yet the decree overtakes him, he acts with the deeds of the people of Paradise and thus enters it. [Bukhari]
As a side note, there are 4 types of Pens:
Having understood these points, we can look into a quick summary on the types of Qadr. A lot of it is terminology from different scholars that can be used interchangeably. The main point is understanding the concept.
Types of Qadr - Based on Recording
Allah Decreed destinies and not just a destiny. We learn from this that there are different records of decrees or destinies. There is a qadr that is recorded in the Preserved Tablet and cannot be changed. Then we have the daily decree, the yearly decree, the decree given to the angels, and the decree revealed at different special times etc. We also learn from the Sunnah how things like dua and evil eye can change a decree. This is different from the first decree that can never be changed. Rather, the change in the decree because of a dua or something similar is itself already recorded in the Preserved Tablet already.
Allah says:
هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَاب
It is He who has sent down to you, (O Muhammad), the Book; in it are verses (that are) precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation (from truth), they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation (suitable to them). And no one knows its (true) interpretation except Allah . But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it. All (of it) is from our Lord." And no one will be reminded except those of understanding. [Surah Aal Imran, 7]
The different types include:
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim listed only four types. He did not include the life-time decree of the covenant aka taqdeer al-Meethaqi. Likewise, our Sheikh Maqsoodul Hasan Faizi also listed just 4.
The significance of the different levels of decrees is that the changes in the record which Allah speaks about are in some books and not others. The record in the Preserved Tablet is fixed and not subject to any change whatsoever because it is based on Allah’s eternal knowledge. However, changes may occur in the books handled by the angels, as He says:
يَمْحُوا۟ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيُثْبِتُ ۖ وَعِندَهُۥٓ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَبِ
Allah eliminates what He wills or confirms, and with Him is the Mother of the Book. [Surah ar-Ra’d, 39]
Sheikh Bilal Philips further explains, “Writing of the Decree is an expression of Allah’s all-encompassing knowledge. Allah has no need to record the decree as He does not forget. He did so and informed human beings about it in order to make them more aware and accepting of the Decree.”
How does it occur?
3. The Will of Allah (Al-Mashee’ah or al-Iradah)
This is the belief that nothing, whether related to Allah’s actions or actions taken by His slaves, can occur without His Will. His Will and His Preordainment power effectively covers everything. Whatever He wills, will occur, and whatever He does not will, will not take place. Far above Allah is from the need to compel anyone to do anything. Allah’s Will is always paired with His Justice and His Wisdom.
Allah says:
وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمً
And you do not will except that Allah wills. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. [Surah al-Insan, 30]
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَلَمِينَ
And you do not will, except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds. [Surah al-Takweer, 29]
Likewise natural phenomena like the movement of the planets, social phenomena like wars, peace etc, as well as matters of guidance and misguidance - nothing happens except by the Will of Allah. Allah says:
وَلَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَا ٱقْتَتَلُوا۟ وَلَكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْعَلُ مَا يُرِيدُ
And if Allah had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He intends. [Surah al-Baqarah, 253]
وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَآ إِلَيْهِمُ ٱلْمَلَٓئِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَىْءٍۢ قُبُلًۭا مَّا كَانُوا۟ لِيُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ
And even if We had sent down to them the angels (with the message) and the dead spoke to them (of it) and We gathered together every (created) thing in front of them, they would not believe unless Allah should will. But most of them, (of that), are ignorant. [Surah al-An’am, 111]
It is important at this point to understand the Iradah (Will) of Allah. Different scholars might use different terminologies to refer to the same concept. It is of 2 types:
There is nothing that can happen except that Allah has to have Willed it. Anything and everything be it the good or the bad befalling the creation is perfectly Planned by Allah to the last degree. Allah Creates, Owns, and Administers the creation. We are completely dependent on Allah for everything while He is free from us. We praise Allah and His Actions in all conditions and yet, we cannot praise Him enough for what His Majesty deserves. Allah is the Master of the slave as well as the slave's actions. Allah sets the Qadr in motion and when the time comes, the Qadr comes into effect.
4. Creation (Al-Khalq)
The belief that Allah created all creation, all what they possess of attributes, and all their actions. Nothing that takes place in this world except that Allah has created it (including evil).
Allah says:
اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكِيل
Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is, over all things, Disposer of affairs. [Surah az-Zumar, 62]
وَٱللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
While Allah created you and that which you do? [Surah al-Saffat, 96]
The Messenger of Allah said, “Indeed, Allah is the Creator of every craftsman, and of whatever he crafts.” [Khalqu Af’al il’Ibad]
Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Allah said, 'Spend (O man), and I shall spend on you." He also said, "Allah's Hand is full, and (its fullness) is not affected by the continuous spending night and day." He also said, "Do you see what He has spent since He created the Heavens and the Earth? Nevertheless, what is in His Hand is not decreased, and His Throne was over the water; and in His Hand there is the balance (of justice) whereby He raises and lowers (people). [Bukhari]
This is a continuation of a series titled -'It Is Written: Understanding Qadr'. Read Part 1 here
Changes in Qadr
We learn from multiple instances from the Sunnah that due to certain actions, an element of qadr can be changed. Remember, this is the taqdeer muallaq or Iradah Shari’yyah that is being referred to. Allah says,
يَمْحُوا۟ ٱللَّهُ مَا يَشَآءُ وَيُثْبِتُ ۖ وَعِندَهُۥٓ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَبِ
Allah eliminates what He wills or confirms, and with Him is the Mother of the Book. [Surah ar-Ra’d, 39]
That which is Written in the Preserved Tablet will never change.
As for some other things, Allah has made means (or causes) for other other things to happen. If the means are satisfied, the ends (or results) follow. Allah’s Qadr includes both the means and the end. It specifies that one result will occur because its corresponding means was fulfilled and vice versa.
When a means is fulfilled, it only changes that which Allah would otherwise have decreed that that means not been fulfilled. End of the day, both were recorded by Allah.
Ex: A person is born. If he fulfils the means (like giving charity), he will love for 70 years. If he does not fulfil the means, he will live for 50 years. Only one of the two possible scenarios is decreed to happen and is recorded in the Preserved Tablet.
Allah did not inform the angels of all of these details. That is why we see from the Quran and Sunnah that the records that are with the angels might initially have a certain decree, but once a certain means is fulfilled, they are ordered to change it by Allah. The fulfilment of the means, the change in decree and the final decree are all recorded in the Preserved Tablet already.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Medication is part of Qadr, it benefits with Allah’s Permission.” [Tabarani]
Commenting on this Imam Ibn al-Qayyim beautifully said, “Some people think that seeking treatment does not benefit a person because it has already been destined whether or not he will be cured. Since sickness happens by Allah’s decree, they think that it cannot be thwarted or stopped. The Prophet ﷺ refuted this most convincingly by indicating that medication, ruqyah, and preventive measures are all part of Allah’s Qadr, and none of them violates it. Rather, His Qadr can be thwarted by His Qadr.
Once, Umar ibn al-Khattab departed for Syria and when he arrived, they found that a plague had broken out, so Umar announced that they would return to Madinah. On hearing this, Abu Ubaidah bin al-Jarrah said to Umar, "Are you running away from Allah's Qadr?" Thereupon 'Umar said: "O Abu 'Ubaidah! Had it been someone else to say this, "Yes, we are fleeing from the Qadr of Allah to the Qadr of Allah.” [Bukhari]
Some of the things that can have an impact on this Qadr include:
1. Dua
Allah says:
وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ
And when My servants ask you, (O Muhammad), concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be (rightly) guided. [Surah al-Baqarah, 186]
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Nothing can change the Divine decree except dua. [Ahmad, Ibn Maajah, and Tirmidhi]
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever has the gate of dua opened to him, has the gates of mercy opened to him. Allah is never asked for anything that He gives which is more beloved to Him than being asked for good health and well-being. Dua is beneficial with regard to what has been decreed and what has not been decreed. So, O slaves of Allah, you must make dua.” [Tirmidhi]
The Prophet ﷺ said, “Nothing increases one’s life-span except good deeds, and nothing repels Divine Decree except dua. And very, a person may be deprived of sustenance due to a sin that he does!” [Ibn Majah]
He ﷺ also said, “No precaution can protect against the decree of Allah. Dua is beneficial with regard to what has been decreed and what has not been decreed. The dua meets the calamity that has been decreed and wrestles with it, until the Day of Resurrection.” [Tabarani]
Abu Uthman Al-Hindi witnessed Umar ibn Al-Khattab performing Ṭawaf around the House and he was weeping, saying: “O Allah, if You have written me among the blessed, then affirm it therein. And if You have written me among the sinful and the damned, then wipe it away and affirm me among the blessed. Verily, You wipe away and affirm whatever You will, and with You is the Mother of the Book.” [Jami’ al-Bayan]
Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud used to supplicate: “O Allah, if You have written me among the damned, then wipe it away from me and affirm me among the blessed.” [al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr]
Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajr said, "Repelling an affliction with du'a (supplication) is like repelling an arrow with a shield. It is not a condition for belief in al-Qadr (divine decree) that you do not carry arrows nor seek protection with a shield." [Badhl al-Ma'un]
There is no doubt that dua affects what had been written and ordained, but the change in what is already written, is, itself, written and ordained. So, the dua does not bring a new decree other than that which has already preceded. Allah, the one who ordained tests and trials, is the one who ordained warding them off by dua or by other means. So al-Qada' and Qadr encompass them all.
Think of what has been Written as a milestone that has a few checkboxes or conditions to be completed before that milestone can be achieved. We have the complete free will to do all that is required or not to achieve it. If we do complete check all the boxes, the milestone occurs. If we don't, then the onus is on us. Likewise making dua to Allah is also one of the checkboxes that we need to continue doing for the milestone to occur etc.
Ex: Diseases and injuries etc are preordained. An ill person calls upon Allah to cure his illness. The illness is written; his invocation (supplication) is also written, and because of his invocation, Allah had ordained and written that he will be cured. So everything is linked to its causes, which are themselves created and written.
Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked, “Can provision increase or decrease?
He replied: Provision is of two types:
Similarly the life span of Dawood was extended by sixty years and Allah made it one hundred years, after it was originally forty. This is as ‘Umar said: “O Allah, if you have decreed that I am to be doomed, then erase that and make me one of those who are to be blessed, because You blot out whatever You will and confirm whatever You will.”
Ex: Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: Allah then placed between the two eyes of every human a flash of light showing their Iman and showed them all to Adam. Adam was awed by the sight of all these countless numbers of beings with flashes of light between their eyes so he asked Allah, “O Lord, who are they?” Allah told him that they were all of his descendants. Adam then began looking closely at one whose flash of light amazed him, then he asked who he was and Allah said, “That is a man called Dawud from the last of the nations among your descendants.” Adam then asked how old he was and when Allah informed him that he was sixty, he said, “O Lord, increase his age by taking forty years from my age.”
But when Adam’s life span reached its end and the angel of death came, he said, “Is there not forty more years of my life still remaining?” The Angel replied, “Did you not give them to your descendant Dawud?” Adam denied that he had done so and his descendants denied their promise to Allah. Adam later forgot his covenant to Allah and so did his descendants and they all feel into error.” [Tirmidhi]
So we see here once again, that everything was recorded by Allah and this was done 50,000 years before creation itself. The fact that Prophet Adam would give some of his years to Prophet Dawud was recorded already in the Preserved Tablet. It was the action of Prophet Adam out of his own free will that caused it to be set into motion. The first instance is that of Qadr Qawniyyah and the second is that of Qadr Shari’yyah.
2. Good Relations
The Prophet ﷺ said: Whoever is pleased to have his provision expanded and his lifespan extended, then let him keep good relations with his family. [Bukhari]
Ibn Umar said: Whoever fears his Lord and maintains family ties, his life will be prolonged, his wealth will be enriched, and his family will love him. [Adab al-Mufrad]
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah explained that there are two types of provisions and life terms: The unchanged record written in Umm Al-Kitaab and another, subject to increase and decrease, made known to the angels by Allah.
In the angels’ books, the life terms increase or decrease, and similarly in the case of provisions as a result of particular deeds. Thus, Allah instructs the angel to write the provisions and life term of one of His creatures such that if the person joins family ties, Allah commands the angel to increase his sustenance and life term by specified increments. The angel does not know the actual outcome of the extension in the life term, or the total amount of increase in provisions. Only Allah knows the outcome.” [Al-Fatawa]
Imam Ibn Hajrr explained the changes in the record as: “For example, the angel is instructed that the age of a person is one hundred years if he joins family ties and sixty years if he severs them. In the foreknowledge of Allah, it is already known whether he will join or sever the family ties. Whatever is in Allah’s knowledge is not subject to extension or delay. It is what is in the angels’ knowledge which may increase or decrease. This is what is referred to in Allah’s statement: “Allah erases what He wills and confirms what He wills. For the Mother of the Book is with Him.” (Surah ar-Ra‘d, 39) The erasure and confirmation is relative to the knowledge of the angels. What is recorded in Umm Al-Kitaab is relative to Allaah’s eternal knowledge which is unchangeable.” [Fath al-Bari]
3. Shooting Stars
This is an example of something that does not have any effect on the Qadr.
Imam Ibn Muflih said: “And as for the actions of disbelievers and from resembling them is when one closes his eyes upon the shooting star and makes a wish in his heart. This is baseless, rather it is Kufr (disbelief) for that (action) originates from the belief that the existence of stars affects the Qadr (decree) of a person and that the star holds the knowledge of what is in the heart of the one wishing upon it so reflect for this (belief upon stars) is heresy..” (abridged) [al-Adab al-Shariyyah]
What If One Dislikes Something That Happens With Him?
Answering this question, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim رحمه الله said, "If a disliked Qadr crosses a person, then he has six considerations:
1. The first consideration is of Tawheed, and that Allah is the One who destined it for him, Willed it for him, Created him. Whatever Allah wants occurs and whatever Allah does not want does not occur.
2. The second consideration is of justice, and that it will occur with Allah’s Command. It is just in fulfilling Allah’s Justice.
3. The third consideration is of mercy, and that Allah’s Mercy in what has been destined is generally from Allah’s Anger and Recompense, His Mercy is present but hidden and not apparent.
4. The fourth the consideration of wisdom, that Allah’s Wisdom necessitated this destiny. Allah did not destine this in vain or command it for no reason.
5. The fifth consideration is of praise, that all complete praise is for Allah, the Most High, for this destined Qadr from whichever way you look at it.
6. The sixth the consideration of servitude of worship, and that a person is purely a slave of Allah from every point of view. The regulations of his Master apply to him and are carried out due to him being his master’s possession and His slave. So Allah disposes him under His destined rulings just as Allah disposes him under rulings of the Deen, therefore, the slave of Allah has to conform and proceed with these rulings." [Al-Fawaid]
Misunderstanding Qadr
The Question of Free Will
- Do we have free will?
- Can we choose whatever we want to do? Or does Allah control us?
- Does Allah decide everything for us?
Remember the difference between the Wills that we highlighted earlier.
Everything Is Written
On the authority of Abdullah ibn Masood, who said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he is the truthful, the believed, narrated to us, “Verily the creation of each one of you is brought together in his mother’s womb for forty days in the form of a nutfah (a drop), then he becomes an alaqah (clot of blood) for a like period, then a mudghah (morsel of flesh) for a like period, then there is sent to him the angel who blows his soul into him and who is commanded with four matters: to write down his rizq (sustenance), his life span, his actions, and whether he will be happy or unhappy (i.e., whether or not he will enter Paradise). By the One, other than Whom there is no deity, verily one of you performs the actions of the people of Paradise until there is but an arms length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him, and so he acts with the actions of the people of the Hellfire and thus enters it; and verily one of you performs the actions of the people of the Hellfire, until there is but an arms length between him and it, and that which has been written overtakes him and so he acts with the actions of the people of Paradise and thus he enters it.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
In another narration, Ali reported: “We were in a funeral in the graveyard of Gharqad when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to us and we sat around him. He had a stick with him. He lowered his head and began to scratch the earth with his stick, and then said: ‘There is not one amongst you whom a seat in Paradise or Hell has not been allotted and about whom it has not been written down whether he would be an evil person or a blessed person.’
A person said: ‘Allah's Messenger, should we not then depend upon our destiny and abandon our deeds?’ Thereupon he ﷺ said: ‘Acts of everyone will be facilitated in that which has been created for him so that whoever belongs to the company of the blessed will have good works made easier for him and whoever belongs to the unfortunate ones will have evil acts made easier for him’. He then recited this verse (from the Qur'an): "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 and who is miserly and considers himself above need, We shall make easy for him the difficult end" (Surah al-Layl, 5-6). [Bukhari]
Based on this and similar other narrations, some people misunderstand and believe that whatever that they are going to do is caused by what has already been written in Al-Lawh al-Mahfudz - they confuse 'causation' with 'association'. What we are going to do will match what has already been written but it's not a matter of causation - what we do is out of our own willingness and ability and we do have full responsibility on whatever choice we make. What Allah has recorded is His Knowledge of what we will choose.
Allah says,
إِنَّ هَذِهِۦ تَذْكِرَةٌۭ ۖ فَمَن شَآءَ ٱتَّخَذَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِۦ سَبِيلًۭا
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا
Indeed, this is a reminder, so he who wills may take to his Lord a way. And you do not will except that Allah wills. Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. [Surah al-Insan, 29]
Allah says,
لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلْعَلَمِينَ
For whoever wills among you to take a right course. And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds. [Surah al-Takweer, 28-29]
If Allah Willed, He could have removed our wills and just forced everyone to be believers. However, His Wisdom has decreed to maintain choice of belief and action for us. It needs to be understood here that Allah’s Will is like an umbrella. Even though it encompasses our will and prevails over it, it does not block our freedom of choice.
It is clear even from our own observations that no one is forcing us to do anything. We do what we want, when we want, and how we want. This is the reason a person is held accountable and rewarded or punished for his choices. If there was no free will, then what is even the point of everything in the first place?
An example to make this clear: Imagine a final examination. Everyone gets an equal chance to participate and write whatever he wishes based on their preparation and choice - but the questions are set. The teacher, because he/she has taught the students throughout the year knows which one would pass and which one would fail even before the exam is over.
Can we say that the student had no choice? Never. He failed because of his own doing and lack of study.
Can we say that the teacher failed the student? Never. The teacher had taught all the students the same, and gave them all the notes. It was the students choice to not study and hence face the consequences of his actions and fail the exam.
If this is the case with us then what about Allah, the All Knowing and All Wise?
Allah knows that “A” has the ability to do something and that he will do it. He, furthermore, rewards him when he does that act. He knows too that “B” can do it but will not do it, so He will punish him for not doing it. Allah punishes him because he does not do the things that he actually has the ability to do. Allah knows that in advance. Obviously, He does not punish anyone for not doing the things that they were not capable of performing, nor does He enjoin such things upon such people.
Allah says,
أَيْنَمَا تَكُونُوا۟ يُدْرِككُّمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ وَلَوْ كُنتُمْ فِى بُرُوجٍۢ مُّشَيَّدَةٍۢ ۗ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌۭ يَقُولُوا۟ هَذِهِۦ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌۭ يَقُولُوا۟ هَذِهِۦ مِنْ عِندِكَ ۚ قُلْ كُلٌّۭ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ ۖ فَمَالِ هَٓؤُلَآءِ ٱلْقَوْمِ لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ حَدِيثًۭا
مَّآ أَصَابَكَ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍۢ فَمِنَ ٱللَّهِ ۖ وَمَآ أَصَابَكَ مِن سَيِّئَةٍۢ فَمِن نَّفْسِكَ ۚ وَأَرْسَلْنَكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولًۭا ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدًۭا
Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, "This is from Allah "; and if evil befalls them, they say, "This is from you." Say, "All (things) are from Allah ." So what is (the matter) with those people that they can hardly understand any statement?
What comes to you of good is from Allah , but what comes to you of evil, (O man), is from yourself. And We have sent you, (O Muhammad), to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allah as Witness. [Surah an-Nisa, 78-79]
In the first ayah, Allah expresses that both good and evil come from Him. This refers to things like victory, defeat, fertility, drought, rain etc. All of these arise from Allah’s Will and Creation. In the second ayah, “good” refers to Allah’s favours on us, whereas “evil” refers to the evil outcome of our sins that we chose to commit.
Allah says with regards to those who do good:
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِنَ ٱلصَّلِحَتِ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌۭ فَلَا يَخَافُ ظُلْمًۭا وَلَا هَضْمًۭا
But he who does of righteous deeds while he is a believer - he will neither fear injustice nor deprivation. [Surah TaHa, 112]
Allah says with regards to those who do evil:
وَمَآ أَصَبَكُم مِّن مُّصِيبَةٍۢ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُوا۟ عَن كَثِيرٍۢ
And whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much. [Surah ash-Shura, 30]
Even here we see that Allah either punishes, as is His Right, and even now He is ready to forgive. SubhanAllah!
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “If Allah were to punish the people of His heavens and earth He would not then be unfair to them. And if he were to show mercy to them, His mercy would surely exceed their deeds.” [Ahmad]
Why Does Allah Permit What He Hates?
When Allah commands us to do something, He has also given us the choice or will to obey or disobey. We cannot say that Allah should Will for us to do only good and not create something that He does not love. Why?
1. Allah does not benefit when we perform a good deed nor is he harmed when we sin. It is completely for our own selves that we do something that is good or stay away from that which is bad.
2. Allah may prevent us from doing some acts that are legislated as good. When He does, this prevention might appear to harm us, but in the long term there is always a greater benefit and good based on Allah’s Ultimate Wisdom.
3. There are some things like worshipping Allah alone, good manners etc that Allah loves, wills and creates because they are inherently good.
4. There are some things that Allah does not like but allows them to happen. He will and creates them because of an indirect benefit and greater good based on His Ultimate Wisdom.
Ex: Allah loves for the Believers to be victorious. But during the Battle of Uhud, when they archers disobeyed Allah, they were punished with a humiliation. Allah loves for the disbelievers to lose, but he Willed for them to emerge ahead here. In the end we see that till date, 1400 years later as well we are learning, taking lessons ,and deriving a greater benefit from that punishment.
The vast deviation in the Ummah happened because of misunderstandings regarding Qadr. This dates all the way back to the time of the Sahaba.
With this regards people are of 3 types:
1. Those who believe Qadr not to be in existence where Allah forces them to do everything - Jabariyyah
2. Those who believe that a person creates his own deeds/qadr. Allah doesn't know till it actually happens - Qadariyyah
3. Those who believe in the Qadr as Allah prescribed - Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah.
Ahlus Sunnah believe that every person has free choice. We know naturally that no one is forcing us to do anything. Ex: Coming for a class.
In some other things, we have no control over and this is part of Qadr. Ex: The place you were born. If we are denying qadr then it's as though we are saying that we have a Lord who does not know.
As highlighted above, there developed 2 extreme groups who misunderstood the concept of human will and Qadr of Allah. The first group, called the Jabriyah believed in blind compulsion that stripped away from man all capability or will. As per them, man is completely like a puppet. This is a huge accusation and injustice against the Justice of Allah. What is the point of working hard and striving in worship if one is already condemned? This is completely incorrect. We need Allah to Help and Guide us or else our efforts would be in vain. A person needs to not only strive hard, but needs Allah's Help as well to succeed.
The second group, called the Qadariyah went to the other extreme and exaggerated man's power and will, restricting the Will of Allah altogether. They believed that man creates his own actions and wills and that Allah, Most High does not know about people's actions until they occur. The Prophet called them the “Zoroastrians of this Ummah,” because they claim that Shaitan “creates” evil and harmful things, making shaitan a “creator” besides Allah.
The first group negated the Justice of Allah whereas the second group negated the Power and Knowledge of Allah. The misunderstanding of will can be easily cleared by these 2 ayat.
Allah says:
لِمَن شَاءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ
وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ
“For whoever wills among you to take the right course.” [Surah at-Takweer, 28] This clearly affirms will to humans.
“And you do not will unless Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.” [Surah at-Takweer,:29] This clearly affirms will to Allah.
Just to make the understanding of this clear, think of the Will of Allah as His Permission. So, when Allah Wills for something to happen it means He Permits it to take place. Hence, when a person does something irrespective of it being good or bad, it cannot happen without Allah’s Permission. End of the day, the person did that action with his own free will and without any coercion. Why would Allah allow evil to happen? This we tackle in the next section of Evil.
Another example that we can look at here is that of the disbelievers. Allah did not create disbelievers. Sheikh Ibrahim Nuhu explains, “Allah Created people and gave them the choice to do what they want. If anyone goes to Hell, then this is because of their absolute choice based on their deeds. Allah doesn't want anyone to go to Hell.
This is why Allah did not leave us solely to our Aql. He sent to us no less than 124,000 Messengers and even more Prophets calling us to Allah and reminding us to do what needs to be done. Not everyone can decide what needs to be done. They need guidance. That's why Allah sends these Messengers to guide us. What is written in the Preserved Tablet is the Knowledge of what we are going to choose.
This is why this hadith is very important to show that Allah wants to show mercy and grant Jannah for everyone. Abu Hurairah reported: Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Everyone of my Ummah will enter Jannah except those who refuse". He was asked: "Who will refuse?" He (ﷺ) said, "Whoever obeys me, shall enter Jannah, and whosoever disobeys me, refuses to (enter Jannah)". [Bukhari]
Allah says,
سَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوا۟ لَوْ شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ مَآ أَشْرَكْنَا وَلَآ ءَابَآؤُنَا وَلَا حَرَّمْنَا مِن شَىْءٍۢ ۚ كَذَلِكَ كَذَّبَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ حَتَّىٰ ذَاقُوا۟ بَأْسَنَا ۗ قُلْ هَلْ عِندَكُم مِّنْ عِلْمٍۢ فَتُخْرِجُوهُ لَنَآ ۖ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَإِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا تَخْرُصُونَ
Those who associated with Allah will say, "If Allah had willed, we would not have associated [anything] and neither would our fathers, nor would we have prohibited anything." Likewise did those before deny until they tasted Our punishment. Say, "Do you have any knowledge that you can produce for us? You do not follow except assumption, and you are not but falsifying." [Surah al-An'am, 148]
Allah says,
فَمَن يُرِدِ ٱللَّهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُۥ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُۥ لِلْإِسْلَمِ ۖ وَمَن يُرِدْ أَن يُضِلَّهُۥ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُۥ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًۭا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۚ كَذَلِكَ يَجْعَلُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلرِّجْسَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ
So whoever Allah wants to guide - He expands his breast to (contain) Islam; and whoever He wants to misguide - He makes his breast tight and constricted as though he were climbing into the sky. Thus does Allah place defilement upon those who do not believe. [Surah al-An’am, 125]
Ibn Abbas said, “It means that Allah opens up one’s heart for the acceptance of Tawheed and belief in it.” [Tafsir Ibn Kathir] On the other hand, whomever He wills to lead astray, He would make his heart closed from knowing Allah and loving Him. “This is a just punishment for those who do not give Allah His just due, and those who deny Allah’s favors. Allah shuts the door of His Guidance to them and that is why their chests become constricted.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said, “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. If it is asked, ‘What is the fault of the one who is not suitable for it?’ The answer is that his greatest fault is that he chose not to be suitable. He favored the ways that displease Allah and followed his desires instead of working to receive Allah’s pleasure. Is there any sin greater than this?” [Shifā’ al-‘Alīl fī Masā’il]
Everyone has a will and a choice. We are not like puppets that have no will. How do we understand the difference between our will and the Will of Allah? Ex: Zayd is a free agent with a will of his own. Divine Books and Messengers from Allah have reached him. He knows that he is legislated to do certain actions. This leads him to make a decision of submitting or rebelling from what is legislated. Here the decision is attributed to Zayd.
What then is attributed to Allah? Allah has the Knowledge of Zayd's decision, it is Written by Allah that Zayd will make this decision, Allah Willed that Zayd will make this decision, and Allah Created Zayd's action.
The actions done by a mature person are based on his free will. He has a will and he has an ability to implement his will. If human beings had no free will, punishment for disobedience would be unjust. Similarly, obedience would be meaningless. Thus, humans have a choice, but their actions are pre-ordained by Allah. However, He does not compel them to act. If humans were compelled, they would have no will or ability to act. All of this is unfair and against the Sunnah of Allah.
Our actions are very important and are a defining factor. How do we understand Allah’s Control over everything and our deeds? Here is a bad example (as nothing can compare to Allah). A car manufacturer built a car with all of its features. The car can speed up, slow down, turn right, turn left, make a U-turn, and go reverse and many other features. So when someone drives that car, we say the ability to move it forward or backward is completely “made” by the manufacturer but who takes the decision when to move, stop or make a turn is the one driving it and not the manufacturer. Likewise, all our “features” were made by Allah but the actions are done by us. This is what is meant by “Allah created our deeds”, which rationally confirms that there is no coercion involved.
The Prophet ﷺ said: Be mindful of Allah and He will protect you. Be mindful of Allah and you will find Him before you. If you ask, ask from Allah. If you seek help, seek help from Allah. Know that if the nations gather together to benefit you, they will not benefit you unless Allah has decreed it for you. And if the nations gather together to harm you, they will not harm you unless Allah has decreed it for you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried. [Tirmidhi]
Notice that in this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ informed us that the decree has already been made. The pages have been dried. Even so, the Prophet ﷺ prescribed action: to be mindful of Allah and to seek help from Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “If you were to rely upon Allah with reliance due to Him, then He would provide for you just as he provides for the birds. They go out in the morning with empty stomachs and return full.” [Tirmidhi]
Umar said: “Let not one of you refrain from working for his provision, supplicating to Allah to provide while he knows that the sky does not rain gold and silver.” [Ihya Ulum al-Din]
Ibn Taymiyyah writes: “The servant has two states of being in relation to what is decreed: a state before the decree and a state after the decree. It is a duty upon him before the decree to seek refuge in Allah, to depend upon Him, and to call upon Him. If the result of the decree is not from his actions, then he must be patient over it and satisfied with it. If it was the result of his actions and it is a blessing, he praises Allah for that. If it was the result of sin, then he seeks forgiveness from Him for that.” [Majmu’ al-Fatawa]
Before the decree takes place, we should seek refuge in Allah, pray and supplicate to Him, rely upon Him, and put in the work necessary to achieve a good outcome. After the decree is fulfilled, we have to accept it and move on. If it was a calamity unrelated to our actions, such as a natural disaster, then we accept it as part of the trials of life and continue to persevere in our faith. If it was a blessing, we praise Allah and continue to be grateful. If it was the result of our good deeds, we praise Allah for facilitating our good deeds. If it was the result of our sins, we seek forgiveness from Allah and do what needs to be done to make amends. At every point in time, the believers respond to the decree with action.
Ultimately, we have a choice to make in this life. We can choose to worship the Creator and do good deeds, or we can choose to ignore the signs of His power in creation. The Prophet ﷺ said: “None will enter Paradise but that he will be shown the place he would have occupied in Hellfire if he had done evil, so that he may be more thankful. None will enter Hellfire but that he will be shown the place he would have occupied in Paradise if he had done good, so that it may cause him sorrow.” [Bukhari]
Each one of us has a place in Paradise and a place in Hellfire. Wherever we end up, we will be shown what could have been if we had taken a different path, to either reward us with gratitude or to punish us with regret. Imagine, for a moment, that you jumped out of a plane with a parachute. You have two inescapable destinies ahead of you. You will pull the parachute and live, or you will fail to do so and die. Both of these possibilities have been decreed for you. There is no third option. There is no getting back to the safety of the plane. It is up to you to make the choice and fulfill the destiny you desire.
We do not use the Qada and the Qadar of Allah as an excuse for us to abandon following His commandments and avoiding His prohibitions. Rather, we are obligated to believe in and know that with Allah lies the proof (eliminating all excuses) by His revealing of the Books and His sending of the Messengers. We need to learn and act.
Allah says:
رُّسُلًۭا مُّبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ حُجَّةٌۢ بَعْدَ ٱلرُّسُلِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًۭا
“In order that mankind shall have no excuse (i.e. proof) against Allah after the (coming of) Messengers.” [Surah al-Nisa, 165]
And Allah says:
ٱلْيَوْمَ تُجْزَىٰ كُلُّ نَفْسٍۭ بِمَا كَسَبَتْۚ لَا ظُلْمَ ٱلْيَوْمَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَرِيعُ ٱلْحِسَابِ
“This Day every person will be recompensed for what he earned. There will be no injustice (upon anybody in their judgement) on that Day.” [Surah Ghafir, 17]
This ayat indicates that every servant possesses actions and things he earns – he will be recompensed for his good deeds with reward and for his bad deeds with punishment. This will occur by the Divine Execution (Al-Qada) and Decree (Al-Qadar) of Allah.
Allah’s Justice and Human Capacity
It is impossible and against the Sunnah of Allah that He would task us to do something and not guide us how to do it or make it out of our capacity. It would also be unjust to punish us for something that we were not informed about or that was not in our control and capacity. Indeed Allah is Most Just.
Allah Says:
رُّسُلًۭا مُّبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ حُجَّةٌۢ بَعْدَ ٱلرُّسُلِ ۚ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًۭا
“Messengers are bearers of good news as well as warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah after the Messengers” [Surah an-Nisa, 165]
Messengers were also sent down because of the same Qadr. Allah clearly states that His punishments are not cruel but just, since He has already warned His creatures and sent them guidance, and defined the paths of that which is good and that which is bad. It removed the excuse of disobeying Allah.
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
“Allah has not given any soul a responsibility, except that He has given it the ability (to carry out that responsibility).” [Surah al-Baqarah, 286]
وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍۢ
(Allah) has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty.[Surah al-Hajj, 78]
And Allah says:
فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا ٱسْتَطَعْتُمْ
“So fear Allah as much as you are able to.” [Surah at-Taghaabun, 16]
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Allah, the Most High, has overlooked my follower's mistakes and forgetfulness, and what they are forced to do against their will." [Ibn Majah].
Allah conveyed His Commandments to His slaves and did not require them to do that which is beyond their capacity. We know that Allah did not command or forbid except that which can be acted upon or abandoned. He did not force anyone to commit acts of disobedience nor did He compel anyone to abandon obeying Him.
A person is always seeking what is convenient or best for him. No one of sane mind would abandon what brings material benefit to him by saying that Qadr forced him to take this course of action. Therefore, why would one use Al-Qadr as an excuse for abandoning what brings benefit to him in matters of religion and not do the same for matters of life?
If someone is being attacked, does he just sit there and get attacked because it is already written - or does he defend and exert every opportunity to protect himself? It doesn’t make sense that one refuses Qadr as an excuse for whoever attacked him, and at the same time use Al-Qadr as his excuse for abandoning Allah’s rights to him?
Belief in Al-Qadr, as explained above, does not provide an excuse for mankind to sin or abandon what they are obligated to do.
To summarize,
Practical Understanding Of Will & Qadr
A thief was brought before Umar Ibn al-Khattab who ordered that the thief’s hands be cut. So the thief said, “Wait, O Leader of the Believers. By Allah, I did not steal except by Allah’s Will and Decree. The thief was truthful in his statement but before him was Umar ibn al-Khattab, who said, “We are not cutting your hands except with the Will and Decree of Allah.” Then he ordered the cutting by the Decree of Allah. So Umar used the same argument against him which the thief used as a proof. Both of these things were recorded and known by Allah. [Minhaj al-Sunnah]
In another instance, Umar departed for Syria and when he arrived, they found that a plague had broken out, so Umar announced that they would return to Madinah. On hearing this, Abu 'Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah said to 'Umar, "Are you running away from Allah's Qadr?" Thereupon 'Umar said: "O Abu 'Ubaidah! Had it been someone else to say this, "Yes, we are fleeing from the decree of Allah to the decree of Allah. Do you not see that if you had camels descending in a valley with two fields, one of them fertile and the other barren, you would graze in the fertile field by the decree of Allah or you would graze in the barren field by the decree of Allah?” [Bukhari]
It is reported in the Sahihain upon the Prophet ﷺ who said: “Prophets Adam and Musa had a dispute. Musa said: ‘You are Adam whom Allah created with His Hand, into whom He breathed by His Spirit, to whom He made the Angels prostrate, and whom He taught the names of everything, so why have you expelled us and yourself from Al-Jannah(the Paradise)?’ Adam replied, ‘And you are Musa whom Allah favored with His Message and His Words, have you not found that it had been written on me before I was created?’ He (Musa) said: ‘Yes, indeed”‘ Then he (Rasool Allah ﷺ) said: “So Adam got the better of Musa in the argument.”
Here, Prophet Adam had sincerely repented to Allah and Allah had Accepted his repentance. Prophet Adam knew that Allah had Accepted his repentance and hence he was not justifying his sin. Therefore, Prophet Musa was blaming Prophet Adam for that which resulted from the actions of the sin. Prophet Adam reminded Prophet Musa rightfully that disasters should be accepted without objection as they are from the Decree of Allah.
Al-Qadr is a matter of Allah’s Knowledge. No one can uncover his own Qadr except after it occurs. One’s intention to perform a deed precedes the action itself. He does not know what Al-Qadr holds for him. Therefore, Al-Qadr is not a valid excuse for sinning and abandoning the commandments of Allah.
Sheikh Ibrahim Nuhu said, “A person cannot know what the Qadr of Allah is till that thing has happened. Wasting time to figure that out is sheer stupidity as we will never find the answer to that before it occurs. Also, using Qadr to justify one's actions is wrong. If this was the case, then every sinner will use it as an excuse. Qadr can be used to explain a sin only once the person is talking about something done in the past for which he has sincerely repented. What happens when one repents to Allah? That sin is removed completely. We cannot blame someone for something that they have repented from and become righteous.”
So, the only time you can use the “It was Qadr” card is when you have completely repented to Allah for that deed and someone is rubbing it in your face or trying to make an issue by digging up something that was buried years ago. Let's say a person committed a sin years back but has now repented for it and has made amends for it. Now if a person comes and tells you that you were a sinner etc then you can say that it was part of your qadr.