What Is the Meaning of Fate and Destiny (Qadar)?
ما معنى القضاء والقدر؟
Fate and predestiny are a pillar of faith. (He has created everything, ordaining it precisely.) [Al-Furqan 25:2] The meaning of Destiny and Predestination is Allah’s Knowledge of the measures of all things before they exist, His recording of them, His Will and His creating them, and their taking place as Allah has ordained them.
القضاء والقدر من أركان الإيمان، قال الله تعالى: (وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ فَقَدَّرَهُ تَقْدِيرًا) [الفرقان 25: 2]، ومعنى القضاء والقدر هو علم الله مقادير الأشياء قبل وجودها وكتابته ومشيئته وخلقه لها، ووقوعها كما قدرها الله عز وجل.
1. His Knowledge Before Anything Exists | ألم تعلم أن الله يعلم ما في السماء والأرض
The first part of the scholar’s definition is Allah’s knowledge. Do you not know that Allah fully knows whatever is in the heavens and the earth? Surely it is all written in a Record (22:70). Ibn Kathir explains that Allah tells of the perfection of His knowledge of His creation: He encompasses what is in the heavens and the earth, nothing the weight of an atom escapes Him, and He knew all beings before they existed and wrote that in His Book, the Preserved Tablet.
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۗ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ فِي كِتَابٍ (سورة الحج: 70)
الجزء الأول من تعريف القضاء والقدر في الجواب هو علم الله تعالى. قال تعالى: (ألم تعلم أن الله يعلم ما في السماء والأرض إن ذلك في كتاب) (الحج 22: 70)، قال ابن كثير: يخبر تعالى عن كمال علمه بخلقه، وأنه محيط بما في السماوات وما في الأرض، فلا يعزب عنه مثقال ذرة في الأرض ولا في السماء ... وأنه تعالى علم الكائنات كلها قبل وجودها، وكتب ذلك في كتابه اللوح المحفوظ.
2. Written Fifty Thousand Years Before the Heavens | كتب الله مقادير الخلائق
The second part is the writing. The Prophet said: Allah wrote the measures of creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and His Throne was over the water (Sahih Muslim 2653). Allah says: Indeed, We have created everything, perfectly preordained (54:49), and Ibn Kathir explains that the imams of the Sunnah prove with this verse Allah’s decree that precedes His creation: His knowledge of things before they are, and His writing of them before He brings them into being.
إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَاهُ بِقَدَرٍ (سورة القمر: 49)
الجزء الثاني هو الكتابة. قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: "كتب الله مقادير الخلائق قبل أن يخلق السموات والأرض بخمسين ألف سنة، قال: وعرشه على الماء" (صحيح مسلم 2653)، وقال تعالى: (إنا كل شيء خلقناه بقدر) (القمر 54: 49)، قال ابن كثير: ولهذا يستدل بهذه الآية الكريمة أئمة السنة على إثبات قدر الله السابق لخلقه، وهو علمه الأشياء قبل كونها وكتابته لها قبل برئها.
3. Nothing Happens Except by His Will | وما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء الله
The third part is His will. But you cannot will to do so, except by the Will of Allah, the Lord of all worlds (81:29). Ibn Kathir explains: the will is not left to you, so that whoever wishes is guided and whoever wishes goes astray; rather, all of it follows the will of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, the Lord of the worlds. How this leaves man his choice is explained in whether man’s life is predestined or he has free will.
وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ (سورة التكوير: 29)
الجزء الثالث هو مشيئته سبحانه. قال تعالى: (وما تشاءون إلا أن يشاء الله رب العالمين) (التكوير 81: 29)، قال ابن كثير: أي ليست المشيئة موكولة إليكم، فمن شاء اهتدى ومن شاء ضل، بل ذلك كله تابع لمشيئة الله عز وجل رب العالمين.
4. He Created You and What You Do | والله خلقكم وما تعملون
The fourth part is His creating. Ibrahim told his people: when it is Allah Who created you and whatever you do? (37:96). Ibn Kathir explains that it can mean Allah created you and your deeds, or you and what you make, and that both meanings go together, the first being more apparent; and on 25:2 he says that everything other than Allah is created and under His lordship; He is the Creator, Lord, Sovereign and God of all things, and everything is under His power, His management and His decree. See the pillars of faith.
وَاللَّهُ خَلَقَكُمْ وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ (سورة الصافات: 96)
الجزء الرابع هو خلقه سبحانه. قال تعالى حكاية عن إبراهيم عليه السلام في خطابه لقومه: (والله خلقكم وما تعملون) (الصافات 37: 96)، قال ابن كثير: يحتمل أن تكون "ما" مصدرية، فيكون تقدير الكلام: والله خلقكم وعملكم، ويحتمل أن تكون بمعنى "الذي"، تقديره: والله خلقكم والذي تعملونه، وكلا القولين متلازم، والأول أظهر، وقال في قوله تعالى: (وخلق كل شيء فقدره تقديرا) (الفرقان 25: 2): أي: كل شيء مما سواه مخلوق مربوب، وهو خالق كل شيء وربه ومليكه وإلهه، وكل شيء تحت قهره وتدبيره وتقديره.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What is the meaning of fate and destiny?
Allah’s knowledge of the measures of all things before they exist, His recording of them, His will and His creating them, and their taking place as He ordained.
Is belief in destiny a pillar of faith?
Yes. The Prophet named it among the pillars: and that you believe in the divine decree, its good and its evil (Sahih Muslim 8).
When were the measures of creation written?
Allah wrote the measures of creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth (Sahih Muslim 2653).
Does anything happen outside Allah’s will?
No. Allah says: But you cannot will to do so, except by the Will of Allah, the Lord of all worlds (81:29).