United States of Islam

by: Zeemad Khan

The Sixth and last article of faith in Islam is to believe in Fate, whether good or bad, which Allah has measured and ordained for all creatures according to His previous knowledge and as deemed suitable by His wisdom. This subject is misunderstood by many Muslims and has also taken many Muslims away from the Straight Path. It is important to know that to believe in Al-Qadar (Predestination) is an obligation but not to delve too deep into it as the secret of this knowledge rests with Allah (SWT) Alone just like the knowledge of The Ruh (The Spirit).

There are four levels of Belief in Fate:

1) The Knowledge of Allah (SWT) encompasses everything (He knows everything) and His Knowledge is Eternal. He knows what has happened and what will happen and how it will happen. Allah (SWT) is never forgetful of what He knows nor does He gain new knowledge.

2) Allah (SWT) has recorded in Al-Lawh al-Mahfoodh (The Preserved Tablet) whatever is going to happen until the Day of Judgment as Allah states: “Know you not that Allah knows all that is in the heavens and on the earth? Verily, it is (all) in the Book (The Preserved Tablet). Verily, that is easy for Allah.” (Al-Hajj: 70).

3) Everything that is in the heaven and the earth has been willed by Allah (SWT) and nothing can happen except by His Will. This means that whatever Allah (SWT) Wills will come to pass and if He does not Will it, then it will not happen.

4) Everything we do whether publicly or secretly is known to Allah (SWT) as He says in the Qur’an: “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian) over all things. To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. And those who disbelieve in the Ayat (signs, verses, proofs, revelations, evidences, etc.) of Allah, such are they who will be the losers.” (Az-Zumar: 62-63) Allah (SWT) has also mentioned this in many other verses such as: “To whomsoever among you who wills to walk straight. And you cannot will unless (it be) that Allah wills, the Lord of the Worlds.” (At-Takweer: 28-29); “…….If Allah had willed, they would not have fought one against one another, but Allah does what He likes.” (Al-Baqarah: 253); “…..And if Allah had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them alone with their fabrications.” (Al-An’am: 137); “While Allah has created you and what you make (Man’s Free Will).” (As-Saffaat: 96).

Allah (SWT) has given man the power of free will by which he performs his deeds. Therefore, the sinner has no excuse in Allah’s (SWT) Divine Decree, because the sin is committed by his free will, and the sinner does not know what Allah (SWT) has decreed for him, for no one knows Allah’s Decree before it takes place. Allah (SWT) says: “….No person knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no person knows in what land he will die. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower, All-Aware (of things).” (Luqman: 34). So, it would not be possible for the person who committed the sin to present an excuse that is not known to him. Allah (SWT) says: “Those who took partners (in worship) with Allah will say: ‘If Allah had willed, we would not have taken partners (in worship) with Him, nor would our fathers and we would not have forbidden anything (against His Will).’ Likewise belied those who were before them, (they argued falsely with Allah’s Messengers), till they tasted Our Wrath. Say: ‘Have you any knowledge (proof) that you can produce before us? Verily, you follow nothing but assumption and you do nothing but lie.’” (Al-An’am: 148).

It is recorded in the Saheehayn (al-Bukhaari & Muslim) regarding the people who use The Divine Decree of Allah (SWT) as an excuse: “Why did you not perform deeds of obedience, assuming that Allah has decreed them upon you, since you did not know the difference between good deeds and sins? That is why, when Prophet Muhammad told his Companions that everyone’s position in paradise or hell has been assigned, they said: ‘Should not we rely on this and stop working?’ He said: ‘No, work and everyone will be directed to what he is created for.”‘

For example if you were travelling to Makkah and there are two roads that may take you there. You are told by a truthful person that one of these roads is dangerous and difficult; the other is easy and safe. Any sane person would take the easy and safe path. It would be dim-witted of you to take the first road and say that it was decreed upon me. If you did that, then people would call you insane. Another example would be if you are presented with two jobs, and one of them has a high salary than the other, you would definitely take the one with the higher salary. So think about it, why would you choose something that is lower in the Hereafter and use Allah’s (SWT) Divine Decree as an excuse? If you get a sickness, you would be going to every doctor looking for a cure; you would bear the pain resulting from the medicine or even if it meant a surgical procedure. So, if your heart is spiritually sick with sins, then why not do the same?

Evil should never be attributed to Allah (SWT) as Allah’s (SWT) Mercy and Wisdom are faultless. In Muslim it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “And evil is not attributable to You (Allah).” However, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to Al-Hasan, to whom he was teaching the supplication of Qunoot: “And protect us from the evil of what You decreed.” (Recorded in at-Tirmidhi and others). Now it is important to know that the evil in Allah’s (SWT) decree is not pure evil. It is rather evil in one respect and good in another, or it is evil in one case and good in another. So, corruption caused in a land due to drought, or disease, or poverty is evil, but it is good in another respect. Allah (SWT) says: “Evil (sins and disobedience to Allah) has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds), that He (Allah) may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allah, and begging His Pardon). (Ar-Room: 41).

Al-Qadar (Predestination) gives us a peace of mind and comfort, no matter what calamities befall us, we remain steadfast and we are satisfied with Allah’s (SWT) Decree. Any good that comes to us, we should thank Allah (SWT) and if any bad comes to us, we should persevere and be patient and ask Allah (SWT) to remove it from us. Allah (SWT) says: “No calamity befalls on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in the Book of Decrees (The Preserved Tablet) before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah. In order that you may not grieve at the things that you fail to get, nor rejoice over that which has been given to you. And Allah likes not prideful boasters.” (Al-Hadeed: 22-23).

For more information on this subject, please refer to the book by Dr. ‘Umar S. Al-Ashqar – “Divine Will and Predestination – In the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah.”

Remember my brothers, that Allah (SWT) does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. Obey Allah (SWT) by following the Qur’an and obey His Messenger, Muhammad (PBUH) by following his Sunnah (what he said, what he did, and what he approved of). That indeed is the Straight Path.