Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Imaan bil-Qadr (the belief in Predetermination)

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Al-Qadaa wal-Qadr (Divine Ordainment and Predetermination)

Shaikh Ibn Baaz رحمه الله said:
The sixth fundamental from the fundamentals of Imaan is to: Believe in al-Qadr, the good of it and the bad of it, that all of it is from Allaah تبارك وتعالى.


Shaikh `Abdul-Razzaaq Ibn `Abdul Mohsin al-Badr explained:
The belief in al-Qadr is the believe about the `Ilm (knowledge) of Allaah تبارك وتعالى which is eternal [1], which preceded even before the things were created [2], and that He تعالى encompasses everything in His Knowledge, and has enumerated all things in number.

And it is to believe that He تبارك وتعالى wrote what was ordained for the creation and their actions, fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth.

And it is to believe in the Will of Allaah عز وجل, and that whatever Allaah wills will happen, and what He does not will will not happen.

And it is to believe that Allaah عز وجل created everything.


So the believe in al-Qadr consists of four pillars:
1) The belief in the absolute knowledge of Allaah.
2) The belief that Allaah has written all matters that would ever occur in a preserved tablet (Al-Lawh ul-Mahfudh).
3) The belief that nothing occurs except by the Will of Allaah.
4) The belief that Allaah has created everything.

These four are the pillars of the belief in al-Qadr, and no one believes in al-Qadr till he believes in all these four pillars.

1. The first level: The Knowledge: The belief in Allaah’s `Ilm and that He تعالى knew from eternal about the things that already happened, and that which will happen, and that which will not happen, and if it happened, how it would have happened, and that He تعالى encompasses everything in His Knowledge, and has enumerated all things in number.

﴿أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّـهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ﴾

{Know you not that Allah knows all that is in heaven and on earth?...} [Surah al-Hajj (22): 70]

2. The second level: The Writing: The belief in the writing down of this knowledge; that Allaah عز وجل has written down what has been ordained for the creation and all what they would do.

﴿إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ فِي كِتَابٍ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّـهِ يَسِيرٌ﴾

{…Verily, it is (all) in the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfoodh). Verily! That is easy for Allaah.} [Surah al-Hajj (22): 70]

And in a Hadeeth, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Allaah wrote what was ordained for creation, fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth.” [Saheeh Muslim (6416)]

And in another Hadeeth, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: The first thing Allaah created was the pen. He تعالى said to it: {Write.} It asked: What should I write, my Lord? He تعالى said: {Write what was decreed about everything till the Last Hour comes}. [Sunan Abu Dawood (4700) and Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2155, 3319) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

So the pen wrote all that would take place till the Day of Judgment.

3. The third level: The Will of Allaah: The belief in the Will of Allaah; that all things are under the Will of Allaah. Whatever Allaah wills will happen, and whatever He does not will will not happen.

﴿وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّـهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ﴾

{And you will not (will), unless (it be) that Allaah wills, the Lord of the `Aalameen} [Surah al-Takweer (81): 29]

We believe in the Will of Allaah which is carried out (amongst His creation), and in His absolute and complete power and ability, and that nothing happens in the Kingdom of Allaah except as He wills and intends.

4. The fourth level: Allaah created everything: The belief that Allaah تعالى created everything and brought them into existence.

﴿وَاللَّـهُ خَلَقَكُمْ وَمَا تَعْمَلُونَ﴾

{While Allaah created you and that which you do?} [Surah al-Saaffaat (37): 96]

﴿اللَّـهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ﴾

{Allaah is the Creator of all things} [Surah al-Zumar (39): 62]

These are the four levels of faith in al-Qadr, and one has no faith in al-Qadr till he believes in all of them.


Some of the benefits on belief in al-Qadr:

The belief in al-Qadr and confirming the faith that all good and bad are from Allaah تعالى generate the following benefits in the servant of Allaah:

1. Makes a person more devoted and obedient to Allaah عز وجل.
2. Makes him to have complete Tawakkul (trust) in Allaah.
3. Makes him to have high hope in Allaah.
4. Makes him to turn towards Allaah and beseech Him more and more to keep him firm (upon the Deen).
5. Makes him to constantly rectify his heart and not deviate (by becoming overconfident over his good deeds) because the matter is in Allaah’s Hands (and He تعالى can flip the heart whenever He wants).

The belief in al-Qadr has great benefits and

Narrated `Alee رضي الله عنه: While the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was in a funeral procession, he picked up something and started scraping the ground with it, and said: There is none among you but has his place written for him either in the Hell Fire or in Paradise. They said: “O Allaah's Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم! Shall we not depend upon what has been written for us and give up deeds?” He صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Carry on doing (good) deeds, for everybody will find easy to do such deeds as will lead him to his destined place for which he has been created. So he who is destined to be among the happy (in the Hereafter), will find it easy to do the deeds which is the characteristic of such people, while he who is destined to be among the miserable ones, will find it easy to do the deeds which is characteristic of such people. Then he صلى الله عليه وسلم recited: {As for him who gives (in charity) and fears Allaah, and believes in the best....} [till the end of Aayah no. 10] [Surah al-Layl (92): 5-10]
[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (1362, 4945, 4946, 4947, 4948, 4949) and Saheeh Muslim (6398, 6400)]

So the slave (of Allaah) should adhere to what is beneficial for him in this world and the hereafter, and that he should seek the help of his Lord, and rely upon Him, and seek His support, help, success and (that He guides him towards) the correct direction, as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said: Adhere to that which is beneficial for you. Keep asking Allaah for help and do not feel helpless. [Saheeh Muslim (6441)]

Source:
[Sharh al-Duroos al-Muhimmah of Shaikh Ibn Baaz by Shaikh `Abdul-Razzaaq al-Badr Pg. 69-71]


[1] The `Ilm (knowledge) is one of the Attributes of Allaah which is absolute, eternal and not created. It is the perfect `Ilm which is not preceded by ignorance nor is it followed up by forgetfulness.

Human beings gain knowledge with the passage of time either through experience or through learning. Their knowledge is limited and imperfect, which is preceded by ignorance and is followed up by forgetfulness.

[2] Allaah’s knowledge encompasses everything. He knows what has occurred, what will occur and all that which has not occurred. He knew everything about His creation even before He created it and He knew about the events even before their occurrence.


More from Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله:

Further detailed study on al-Qadr:


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