Iman in Taqdir: The Belief in Divine Predestination in Islam
Iman in taqdir means to believe that Allah has predetermined everything that happens in the universe according to His knowledge and wisdom. It also means to believe that Allah has written everything in a preserved tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz) before He created the heavens and the earth.
There are many nusus (texts) from the Quran and the Sunnah that affirm the belief in taqdir. Some of them are:
- Allah says in the Quran:
إِنَّا كُلَّ شَیۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَـٰهُ بِقَدَرࣲ
We have indeed created all things by a proper measure.(54:49)
- Allah also says:
مَاۤ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِیبَةࣲ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِیۤ أَنفُسِكُمۡ إِلَّا فِی كِتَـٰبࣲ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن نَّبۡرَأَهَاۤۚ إِنَّ ذَ ٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ یَسِیرࣱ
There is no misfortune that reaches in the earth or in your selves but is mentioned in a Book, before We initiate it; indeed this is easy for Allah. (57:22)
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
قَدَّرَ اللَّهُ الْمَقَادِيرَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّمَوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ"Allah has written the ordained measures (and due proportions) of the creation, fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth." (Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2156)
Some examples of taqdir are:
- The lifespan of every person is predetermined by Allah. No one can increase or decrease it except by His permission. Allah says:
وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفۡسٍ أَن تَمُوتَ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ كِتَـٰبࣰا مُّؤَجَّلࣰاۗ وَمَن یُرِدۡ ثَوَابَ ٱلدُّنۡیَا نُؤۡتِهِۦ مِنۡهَا وَمَن یُرِدۡ ثَوَابَ ٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةِ نُؤۡتِهِۦ مِنۡهَاۚ وَسَنَجۡزِی ٱلشَّـٰكِرِینَ
And no soul can die except by Allah’s command – a time has been appointed for each; whoever desires the rewards of this world, We bestow upon him from it; and whoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, We bestow upon him from it; and We shall soon reward the thankful.(3:145)
- The provision and sustenance of every creature is predetermined by Allah. No one can increase or decrease it except by His will. Allah says:
وَمَا مِن دَاۤبَّةࣲ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ إِلَّا عَلَى ٱللَّهِ رِزۡقُهَا وَیَعۡلَمُ مُسۡتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسۡتَوۡدَعَهَاۚ كُلࣱّ فِی كِتَـٰبࣲ مُّبِینࣲ
And there is none that walks upon the earth whose sustenance does not depend on the mercy of Allah – He knows where it shall stay and where it shall be deposited; everything is in a clearly explaining Book.(11:6)
- The actions and deeds of every person are predetermined by Allah. However, this does not mean that humans have no free will or choice. Rather, it means that Allah knows what they will do and He enables them to do it according to His wisdom and justice. Allah says:
وَمَا تَشَاۤءُونَ إِلَّاۤ أَن یَشَاۤءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِینَ
And what will you wish, except if Allah wills – the Lord of the Creation. (81:29)