Almighty Allah Says in the holy Qur’an,”Naught of disaster befalls in the earth or in yourself but it is in a book before We bring it into being-Lo! That is easy for Allah.
That ye grieve not for the sake of that which hath escaped you, nor yet exult because of that which has been given. Allah loves not all prideful boaster”, (1).
When someone enters the religion of Islam, then he has to bear a witness that,” I put faith in Allah, and in His angels, and in His holy books, and in His holy Prophets (May peace and mercy of Allah be upon them), and in the Hereafter, and in ‘taqdeer’ (Fate of man) good or bad is from Allah S.W.T., and in raising the dead at the Day of Resurrection (2).
Issue of Taqdeer is a burning question among the Muslims and it is going on since the early age of Islam. People have great interest in it. That is why almost every newspaper and Magazine publishes a column “Horoscope” and “what the stars forecast.” In these columns the astrologers and Palmists tell about the fate of their viewers and that what will happen during the current week?
There are two schools of thought in this issue. First is “jabriyah” who say that mankind is quite helpless against his fate and he can do nothing but he is forced to do what is already written in his book of fate. While the second one is “qadriyah”, who say that, fate is nothing else but man can do everything by his own will and authority. But both are the views erroneous in the sight of Islam. Religious scholars say that man is neither absolutely free to do everything and nor is quite helpless to do nothing but is in the middle stage.
Hazrat Ali (may God be pleased with him), when asked about taqdeer of man, he said to the questioner,” Lift up your leg”. When he lifted it up, he again said,” now lift up your other one also”. He replied that it was not in his power. Then Hazrat Ali (R.A.) told him that this was the reality of Taqdeer.
Almighty Allah Says in the holy Qur’an, “ And a soul and Him Who perfected it, And inspired it (with conscience of) what is wrong for it and (what is) right for it.” (3)
These verses reveal that Allah Almighty inspired the knowledge of evil and good in the conscience of man and due to it, he knows well what is the right and what is the wrong for him?
And Allah Almighty has not given only the knowledge of evil and good, but along with it, He has also given the authority to act upon one of them. And if mankind is forced to do only what is already written in his book of fat, then the question is: why Allah Almighty has caused to seat two angels ‘Kiraman Katibin’ (Twain recording Angels) over every man to record all his good or bad actions, and why the accountability will be set up at the Day of Judgment and also to make the man enter the Hell or Paradise on that basis?
Can the “Jabriyah” claim that, Allah Almighty, after tightened the man with the “chain of Taqdeer”, said to him,” Now go on and do what you can! I shall put you in the hell fire at the Day of Resurrection due to your bad actions”?
But it is not so, because Allah is not tyrant and unjust to His creation but is the Beneficent and the Merciful as the holy Qur’an makes mention,”Say (unto them, O Mohammad): The comfort of this world is scant; the Hereafter will be better for him who wards off (evil); and ye will not be wronged the down upon a date-stone”. (4) also,” (And unto him it will be said): This is for that which thy two hands have sent before, and because Allah is no oppressor of His slaves.” (5)
Allah Almighty has awarded authority to man
for doing good or bad actions as it is mentioned in the holy Qur’an, “And that man has only that for which he makes effort, And that his effort will be seen, And afterward he will be paid for it with fullest payment; And thy Lord, He is the goal;” (6) And,” Allah takes not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it has earned, and against it (only) that it hath deserved”. (7)
So the reality of Taqdeer is: man should make effort to gain his useful things and also to to avoid from his harmful things, because he has no knowledge about what is written in his taqdeer in the “Lauh-e-Mahfooz.”
He has the only way in his life to do constant struggle. As we see that he makes struggle in other walks of life for business, health etc.
For example, if he wants to run a business, then he makes the best planning for it, like providing money, advertising and facing market competition etc. Here he never thinks about taqdeer and never says that,” it is Allah’s responsibility to give me my provision, so there is no need to do any business, it will be given to me automatically”?
And if unfortunately he falls ill, then he goes to the expert for remedy, he takes the best medicines and follow his doctor. He never thinks here that,” if health is already written in my taqdeer, then I will become healthy, so no need for any doctor or medicines.”
These are just a few examples of routine life, that show that man strives for his own gain and loss, but when it comes to destiny, he loses his temper.
May Allah give us “taufeeq” to obey all His commands to do struggle for to make our fate the best, Amin.
Quotes:
(1) Al-Hadeed:23
(2) Eman-e-Mufassal
(3) Ash-Shams: 8
(4) An-Nisa: 77
(5) Al-Haj: 10
(6) An-Najm:42
(7) Al-Baqarah:286