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Al-Qalaa wal Qadar
In surah A'al-Imran, Allah (swt), says:
''Nor shall a soul die except by Allah's leave, the
term being fixed by writing.'' [ 3:145]
In surah al-A'raf, He (swt) says:
''To every people is a term appointed. When their
term is reached, not an hour can they delay it, nor (by an hour) can they
advance it (in anticipation).'' [ 7:34]
In surah al-Hadeed, He (swt) says:
''No misfortune can happen on earth nor in your
souls but it is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence. That
is truly easy for Allah.'' [TMQ 57 :22]
In surah al-Tawbah, He (swt) says:
''Say: Nothing will happen to us except what Allah
has decreed for us. He is our Protector and in Allah, let the Believers
place their trust.'' [ 9:51]
These ayat of the Qur'an, and other ayat similar in meaning, are used
by many as evidences in the question of Qala'a and Qadar. They
derive the following understanding from these ayat: Man is compelled
to undertake his actions; Man undertakes his actions under compulsion
through the will of Allah (swt); and that Allah (swt), Himself, created man
and his actions. They try to support their opinion by the saying of the
Supreme:
''But Allah has created you and your handiwork!''
[ 37:96]
They also support their point with the hadith of the Prophet (saw), such as:
''The Holy Spirit inspired in my soul that no body
will pass away until he accomplishes his livelihood, term of life (ajal),
and decree.''
The question of Qala'a and Qadar has constituted much vital
discussion amongst the Islamic schools of thought. In sum, those schools
held the following views:
Ahle al-Sunnah: man had Kasb Ikhtiari in carrying out his
actions. The Kasb Ikhtiari means man shifts his power and will
towards performing the action by his choice. However, Allah (swt)
subsequently brings the action into existence. Thus, man is reckoned on the
outcome of this choice.
Al-Mu‘tazila were of the opinion that it is man himself who creates
his deed and therefore since he initiates the action, he is judged based
upon them.
Al-Jabriya held the opinion that Allah (swt), the Supreme, creates
man and his work and thus man is not free but compelled to carry out his
actions like the feather which floats in the air according to the direction
of the wind.
However, when studying this question thoroughly one needs to know the basis
upon which the argument is built. This basis should not be whether the
actions of man are created by himself or by Allah (swt); It shouldn't be the
knowledge of Allah (swt), i.e., that He (swt) knows that man will perform an
action and that His (swt) knowledge covers man's actions; It's also not over
the will of Allah (swt) related to man's actions, i.e., that these deeds
must happen because of this will; It shouldn't be whether or not man's
actions are recorded in the Al Lauh Al Mafouh (Protected Decree or
Register), and thus having to carry out his actions in accordance with what
is recorded.
Indeed, the basis of this question should not be any of these things, since
they have no relationship to the subject of Reward and Punishment. It is
merely related to the question of creation, the knowledge covering
everything and the will of the Creator relative to all possible matters, and
the Al Lauh Al Mafouh including everything. This relationship is
different from the subject of Reward and Punishment for the action. In other
words, is man obliged to perform an action, good or bad, or does he have a
choice? And does man have the choice to perform an action or give it up, or
doesn't he have the choice?
Any individual who observes the actions of man can conclude that He lives
within two spheres:
A. The sphere which man dominates. This sphere is in his performance domain
and includes actions performed by man by his choice.
B. The sphere which dominates him and in which he is involved. Actions which
occur within this sphere occur without his choice, whether they originate
from him or fall upon him.
In regards to the actions that materialise within the sphere that dominates
man, man has no choice in them or in their existence. They can be divided
into two kinds:
A. The part mandatory by the law of the universe.
B. The second being actions which occur beyond man's control (but are not
part of the universal law).
As far as the actions which are part of the law of the universe are
concerned, man is in complete and involuntary submission to them. He is
obliged to act in accordance with a specific and unchangeable system.
Subsequently, man's actions in this sphere occurs without his will and he is
obliged and has no choice. Consequently, man came to this life without his
will and he will leave it without his will. He cannot fly in the air with
his body, walk in his natural being on water, nor choose the colour of his
eyes. Man did not produce the shape of his head nor the size of his body.
Indeed, it was Allah (swt) who created all of this without any input from
man. Allah (swt) created the laws of the Universe, regulated the Universe by
this law, and had the Universe run according to these laws without the
possibility of change.
Actions which are beyond man's control and yet are not part of the universal
law, but cannot be avoided are deterministic. Either he is the subject or
the object (unintentionally) of these actions. Examples of such actions are
if someone on a wall accidentally falls on a person and thus kills that
person, or if someone shoots at a bird and without any intent hits a person
and kills him, or if a car goes off the way, train derails, or plane should
crash, without any ability on the part of the pilot or the driver to avoid
the accident, the passengers die. All of these examples which emanated from
man or involved him materialised without his will and were beyond his
ability to control them. Those actions are within the sphere which dominates
man, yet they are not part of universal law. They occur from him or affect
him without his will and beyond his control sphere. All of the actions which
occur within the sphere that dominates man are termed Qala, since
Allah (swt) has predetermined them. Therefore, man is not reckoned about
these actions, whether they are classified as beneficial, harmful, liked or
disliked - although Allah (swt) alone knows the good and bad consequences of
these actions - because man has no influence on them. Man does not have
enough information about them nor the manner in which they are brought into
existence. Additionally, man is unable to initiate or to avoid them at all.
Man must believe in this Qala and that this Qala is from Allah
(swt).
As for Qadar, it is evident that the actions which occur, either in
the sphere dominating man or in the sphere that man dominates, emanate from
or upon things in the universe, man and life. Allah (swt) created certain
attributes in these objects. For example, He (swt) created in fire the
attribute of burning, in wood the attribute of catching fire, and in the
blade the attribute of cutting. He (swt) made the attributes an integral and
perpetual part of the objects according to the laws of the universe. When it
happens that the attributes are no longer present, it means Allah has
eliminated them and such an event would be unnatural. Likewise, in the manner that Allah (swt) created
attributes in the objects, He created in man instincts and organic needs. He
(swt) created in the instincts and organic needs specific attributes. Hence,
He (swt) created in the instinct of reproduction the attribute of sexual
inclination and attribute in the survival instinct. He (swt) created the organic needs
the attributes of hunger/thirst, and He (swt) made these attributes
accompany those instincts and organic needs according to the necessity of
existence. The particular attributes that Allah (swt) has created in
objects, instincts and organic needs are collectively termed as Qadar.
This is because Allah (swt) alone created the objects, instincts, organic
needs and pre-characterised (Qaddara) them with particular
attributes. These attributes are not produced by the objects nor does man
have any input or influence on their existence. Therefore, man must believe
that it is Allah (swt) who has decreed these attributes in objects. However,
these attributes can be used as means for an action by man. Thus actions
will either be according to the commands of Allah and is thus good, or
contradicting his commands and therefore bad (using objects with attributes
or responding to his instincts and organic needs). Man's action can conform
or run counter with the commands of Allah (swt), thus doing good if it is in
conformance with Islam and bad if it is not.
Accordingly, all actions - good or bad - that occur within the sphere that
dominates man are from Allah (swt). Also, all the attributes of objects and
the instincts and organic needs - whether resulting in good or bad - are
from Allah (swt). Consequently, a Muslim must believe that Qala'a - good or bad
- is from Allah (swt) i.e. that actions beyond his sphere of
influence are from Allah. He (swt) must also believe that Qadar - good or bad
- is from Allah (swt) i.e. he must believe that attributes of
things found in their nature are from Allah whether those resulting in good
or in bad effects and unto which man has no influence. Thus man's lifespan (ajal),
provision (rizq), and himself (ruh) are all from Allah (swt).
On the same token, the sexual inclination, and tendency towards ownership
found in the instincts or reproduction and survival, and thirst and hunger,
of the organic needs, are all established in man by Allah (swt).
This is in respect to the actions that occur within the sphere that
dominates man and the attributes of all things. As for the sphere that man
dominates, the mind plays a different role altogether. In
this sphere, actions carried out by man or involving him occur . For example, he walks, eats, drinks and travels at anytime, wherever
or whatever he likes. Likewise, he refrains from doing any of these things
when he likes. He also uses fire and cuts with a knife when he chooses. He
satisfies the instincts of reproduction and ownership and hunger of his
stomach .He freely performs or abstains from any action.
Therefore, man is reckoned on these acts which occur within this sphere.
Therefore, in this sphere, the role of the mind is not to enquire
whether the action is created by Allah or not. Rather the role of
the mind is to refer to the legislative sources to determine if the
action or the usage of an object is halaal or haraam. Trying to speculate
whether Allah compels man to undertake an action is a fruitless
exercise.
The attributes in objects, instincts, and organic needs are ordained and are
an integral part of creation established by Allah (swt). They influence the
outcome of the actions but do not in themselves initiate the action. It is
man himself who initiates the action when using them. Hence, the sexual
inclination in the instinct of reproduction has the potential for good and
bad, and the hunger present in the organic need has the potential for good
and bad. The one who acts good or bad is man and not the instinct or the
organic need. This is because Allah (swt) created for man the mind which has
the ability to comprehend, distinguish, and decide. He also guides man to
the awareness of the path of good and bad.
''And we showed him (the man) the two paths (of good
and bad).'' [ 90:10]
Allah also creates in man the comprehension of vice and righteousness.
''And inspired it (with conscience of) what is wrong
for it and what is right for it.'' [ 91:8]
When man responds to his instincts and organic needs in a manner agreeing
with the commands of Allah (swt), he performs the good and proceeds in the
way of righteousness. When he responds to the instincts and organic needs
deviating from the commands of Allah (swt), then he performs the bad and
proceeds in the way of vice. Therefore, the good and bad emanates from man.
He responds to the needs according to the commands of Allah and thus acts in
a good way or responds in a way deviating from Allah's (swt) commands and
then acts badly. Consequently man is reckoned on this basis about his
actions which occur in the sphere that he dominates, thus he is either
rewarded or punished because he has undertaken those actions freely without
any coercion.
Although the attributes of the instincts and organic needs are from Allah (swt),
and their potential for good and bad is also from Allah (swt), Allah (swt)
didn't establish them in a way forcing man to use them, whether in a way
that satisfies or angers Allah (swt) i.e. in good or bad. This is similar to
the attribute of burning which does not compel one to burn neither in the
burning which satisfies Allah (swt) or in the burning which angers Him (swt)
i.e. in good and bad. However, these attributes that are inherent in the
objects, instincts, and organic needs are created in a specific manner and
will manifest themselves whenever man fulfils the instincts and organic
needs in the afforded way.
When Allah (swt) created man with his instincts, organic needs, and the
mind, He (swt) endowed him with the choice to carry out or abstain from an
action. Allah (swt) did not compel him to carry out or to abstain from the
action. Furthermore, He did not make the attributes of the objects,
instincts and organic needs as compelling factors that make man carry out or
abstain from an action. Man is therefore free, to perform or abstain from an
action by the use of his mind. Allah (swt) made man accountable because of
the latter having a discerning mind. Accordingly, Allah (swt) will reward
man for performing the good because his mind chose to obey the commands of
Allah (swt) and Allah (swt) would punish for performing the bad because his
mind chose to disobey the commands of Allah (swt) by responding to his
instincts and organic needs in a way contrary to the commands of Allah (swt).
Therefore, man's accountability is righteous and just, because he is free to
carry out his action without compulsion. In this question, the Qala'a
and Qadar is irrelevant. It's rather to do with man carrying out his
actions according to Shariah and therefore he is responsible for what he receives. Allah (swt),
the Supreme, says:
''Every soul is a pledge for its deed'' [
74:38]
As for the knowledge of Allah (swt) (‘Ilmu Allah), it does not force
man to carry out an action. Allah knows that man is going to freely
undertake an action. To carry out this action is not based on the knowledge
of Allah (swt), rather, the knowledge of Allah (swt) implies He knows what
action man is going to carry out. With regards to ''the
writing in the Al-Lauh al-Mahfouh'', it is an expression for the
knowledge of Allah of everything.
With regards to the will of Allah (swt) (Iradatu Allah) also, it does
not compel man to carry out any action. Its meaning, however, is that
nothing can take place in his realm without Allah's (swt) will i.e. nothing
takes place against His (swt) will. Thus, if man carried out an action and
Allah (swt) did not compel or prevent him from doing so, and instead left
him to act freely, without any compulsion, then man has acted according to
the will of Allah (swt). Man's action was undertaken by himself and by his
choice, and the will of Allah (swt) did not compel him to carry out the
action.
This is the issue of al qala'a wal qadar which will stimulate man to
do good and avoid evil when realising that Allah (swt) is watching him and
will account him for his actions and that he has endowed him with the choice
to act or abstain. If man does not choose the right actions, he will be
severely reprimanded and punished. Therefore, we find the true believer, who
understands the concept of al qala'a wal qadar and who is fully
acquainted with the mental faculties and decision making capabilities that
Allah (swt) has endowed him with, very careful in observing Allah's (swt)
orders and being afraid of Him (swt). He endeavours to comply with the
commands of Allah (swt) and to abstain from what is forbidden, because of
his fear of the punishment of Allah (swt) and his yearning for Paradise.
Ultimately, the believer yearns to attain that which is greater than all of
this, namely the pleasure of Allah (swt) (Ridwan Allah).
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