🤲 Unraveling Qadar: The Concept of Predestination in Islam
Definition and Etymology
Qadar (قدر) in Arabic means “measuring out” or “preordering,” deriving from the trilateral root q-d-r, which involves power, measure, and divine decree. In Islamic theology, this term relates to the concept of predestination or fate, which is one of the six articles of faith (Imaan) in Islam. Another term widely used for predestination in Islamic theological works is Taqdir (تقدير).
Background
The doctrine of Qadar maintains that all things, good or bad, result from God’s will and have been irrevocably fixed and recorded on a “Preserved Tablet” (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz). This belief is founded on a series of Qur’anic verses and Hadiths (Prophetic traditions) to highlight that divine decree governs the universe.
Verses from the Qur’an:
- Surah Al-Qamar (54:49): “Indeed, all things We created with predestination.”
- Surah Al-Imran (3:139): “Nor can a soul die except by Allah’s leave—a decree with a fixed term.”
- Surah Al-A’la (87:2-3): “Who created and proportioned. And who destined and [then] guided.”
- Surah Al-Anfal (8:16-17): “And you did not kill them, but it was Allah who killed them. And you threw not when you threw, but it was Allah who threw…”
Theological Perspectives
Schools of Thought:
- Jabríans (Jabarīyūn): Stemming from jabr meaning compulsion, this school posits that human actions are constrained by God’s eternal decree.
- Qadríans (Qadarīyūn): Opposing the doctrine of divine preordination, this perspective emphasizes human free will and culpability, arguing that attributing evil to God contravenes divine justice.
- Ashʿaríans: Balancing the above extremes, Ashʿaríans propose that while God has supreme control, humans also possess a certain degree of free will, albeit influenced by divine will.
Rational Adaptations
Figures such as Averroes (Ibn Rushd) worked towards merging divine foreknowledge and human free will through philosophical discourse, proposing that human will is always determined by external factors within God’s created natural order.
Cultural Differences and Parallels
Islamic predestination is often compared with similar concepts in other Abrahamic religions. For instance:
- Christianity: Calvinist predestination emphasizes God’s sovereignty and preordained plan, paralleling Islamic views to some extent.
- Judaism: Offers a mix of determinism and free will, as found in rabbinical discussions.
Synonyms, Antonyms, Related Terms
Synonyms: Determination, Fate, Predetermination. Antonyms: Free will, Human autonomy.
Related Terms:
- Al-Qada’ wa’l-Qadar: Refers to the intricacies of divine decree and destiny.
- Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz): The metaphysical repository of all divine decrees.
- Free Will: Capacity to choose different possible courses of action.
Exciting Facts
- Cosmic Pen: According to a hadith, the first creation was a pen ordered to inscribe all decreed things.
- Omniscience: Some Islamic sects believe that meddling or inquiring too deeply into matters of Qadar contravenes God’s omniscience and omnipotence.
Quotations
- Al-Ghazali: “Nothing in existence escapes His determination, nor does anything come into existence except through His will, excepting Himself.”
- Prophet Muhammad (PBUH): “No one will enter Paradise because of his deeds alone but due to God’s mercy.”
References and Suggested Literature
- The Qur’an: Consider scholarly translations such as those by Yusuf Ali or Muhammad Asad for deeper understanding.
- Hadith collections: Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
- “The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam” by Muhammad Iqbal.
- “The Faith of Islam” by Rev. E. Sell.
- “Islamic Philosophy” by Majid Fakhry.
Quizzes
Thank you for journeying with us through the captivating realm of Qadar in Islam. May your quest for knowledge always be guided by wisdom and enlightenment.
Author: Iyad Al-Basri
Date: 2023-10-04
“In the intricate web of fate, we find the threads of divine wisdom and human agency intertwined, beckoning us to explore and understand our place in the universal order.”
