Destiny is Allah’s knowledge of all events, past and future, as one single moment. In other words, events the outcome of which is unclear are all “mysteries” for us. But Allah knows all these things that we cannot. The trial of human beings is one of which beginning and end are pre-ordained. We can only learn about them by experiencing them when the time comes. Allah says:
وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ
“And with Him (are the) keys (of) the unseen, no (one) knows them except Him. And He knows what (is) in the land and the sea. And not falls any leaf but He knows it. And not a grain in the darkness[es] (of) the earth and not moist and not dry but (is) in a Record Clear.” (Surah Al-An`am 6:59)
A Muslim aware of the fact of destiny and who grasps this secret of the test, regards all difficulty, hunger or poverty, as positive things and takes great pleasure from them. Because he knows that the moral values he displays in the face of this test are very valuable in the sight of Allah. Allah says:
وَكُلَّ إِنسَانٍ أَلْزَمْنَاهُ طَائِرَهُ فِي عُنُقِهِ وَنُخْرِجُ لَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كِتَابًا يَلْقَاهُ مَنشُورًا
“And (for) every man We have fastened to him his fate in his neck, and We will bring forth for him (on the) Day (of) the Resurrection a record which he will find wide open.” (Surah Al-Isra` 17:13)
Believers enjoy the ease and comfort of knowing that everything befalling them is destined to do so. “knowledge of destiny” is great knowledge not granted to unbelievers. It is using this knowledge that Muslims can display such splendid fortitude in the face of all difficulties and tests in the life of this world. Allah says:
مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَمَن يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
“Not strikes any disaster except by (the) permission (of) Allah. And whoever believes in Allah, He guides his heart. And Allah of everything (is) All-Knowing.” (Surah At-Taghabun 64:11)
Belief in destiny and fate is one of the basic beliefs of Islam:
- Destiny is faith in everything that the Prophet ﷺ taught us
- Destiny test can sometimes replace a worse misfortune
- Destiny is ascribed spiritual accomplishments to Allah
- Destiny is alert to whatever may divert you from Allah
- Destiny is a way out of problems and difficulties
- Destiny is a way out of problems and difficulties
- Destiny is to distinguish truth from falsehood
- Destiny is practising towards worship of Allah
- Destiny is one of the basic beliefs of Islam
- Destiny is the long for Allah’s pleasure
- Destiny is satisfaction in all affairs
- Destiny is the maintainer of life
- Destiny is the most impartial Judge
- Destiny knows the result of our test
- Destiny tests with emotional distress
- Destiny knows all that is in our hearts
- Destiny is that Allah is the All-Knowing
- Destiny tests some people with poverty
- Destiny lets them go and gives us many chances
- Allah is indeed a protecting friend and supporter
- Allah tests us to purify us and wash away our sins
- Allah knows the past and the future and the present
- Allah knows the little things that do not matter to us
وَجَعَلُوا لِلَّهِ أَندَادًا لِّيُضِلُّوا عَن سَبِيلِهِ قُلْ تَمَتَّعُوا فَإِنَّ مَصِيرَكُمْ إِلَى النَّارِ
“And they set up to Allah equals so that they mislead from His Path. Say, “Enjoy, but indeed, your destination (is) to the Fire.” (Surah Ibrahim 14:30)
Believers enjoy the ease and comfort of knowing that everything befalling them is destined to do so. As a great blessing, Allah has made trials easy for believers. But this applies to genuine believers who resign themselves to destiny. A Muslim who truly believes and who sincerely submits himself to Allah watches the constant change of images before him with excitement, thanks, and gratitude. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ جَاهِدِ الْكُفَّارَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ وَاغْلُظْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَمَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
“O Prophet! Strive (against) the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them. And their abode (is) Hell and wretched is the destination.” (Surah At-Tahrim 66:9)
Islam teaches that for us to freely perform in the test of life, He has given us free will to lead our lives as we wish, but the outcome of each of our actions is governed by the will of God. Aware of this truth, Muslims, therefore, feel great joy in the face of difficulty. This joy experienced by believers is also a special condition that neutralizes the traps set by the unbelievers and denies them success. Allah says:
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْيَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهَا وَإِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ
“And how many of a township I gave respite to it, while it (was) doing wrong. Then I seized it and to Me (is) the destination.” (Surah Al-Hajj 22:48)
Believers may encounter all kinds of trouble and difficulty in this world, they may lose their worldly goods, grow physically weak, fall ill or get injured and killed. However, none of these is “evils” for Muslims. Allah reveals that servants who believe in and surrender themselves to Him are bound to a bough that will never break.
Allah Almighty says in the Quran which indicate that man is free and he can change his destiny:
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ
“Indeed, We created man in (the) best mould.’ (Surah At-Tin 95:4)
إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَاهُ بِقَدَرٍ
“Indeed, [We] everything We created it by a measure.” (Al-Qamar 54:49)
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا وَكَذَّبُوا بِآيَاتِنَا أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ النَّارِ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
“But those who disbelieved and denied [in] Our Verses, those (are the) companions (of) the Fire, abiding forever therein. And wretched is the destination.” (At-Taghabun 64:10)
قُلْ أَذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ أَمْ جَنَّةُ الْخُلْدِ الَّتِي وُعِدَ الْمُتَّقُونَ كَانَتْ لَهُمْ جَزَاءً وَمَصِيرًا
Say, “Is that better or Garden (of) Eternity, which is promised (to) the righteous? It will be for them a reward and destination.” (Al-Furqan 25:15)
The trial of human beings is one of which beginning and end are pre-ordained. The past, future and present are all one in the sight of Allah; all are already over and done with. We can only learn about them by experiencing them when the time comes. The truth is that our actions make a meaningful difference and can change the course of the decree.
To understand the Islamic perspective on destiny and free will, we first need to know a few basic facts which form the foundation of faith for Muslims:
- God is the Only Sustainer of the whole universe: “Praise belongs to God, Lord of the Worlds, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy…” (Quran 1:1-2)
- God has created humans in the finest state: “We have certainly created man in the best of stature.” (Quran 95:4)
- The primary objective of human life is to worship God: It must be noted that the Islamic concept of worship encompasses all human endeavours that are pursued just ends, and by God’s commandments. “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Quran, 51:56)
- Our life is a test and we’ll be judged for our actions in the hereafter: God says in the Quran, “Blessed be He in Whose hands is Dominion; and He over all things hath Power; He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving.” (Quran 67:1-2).
- He’s All-Wise, and He tests us according to our strength: “God does not burden any soul with more than it can bear: each gains whatever good it has done, and suffers its bad.” (Quran 2:286)
- God is Omniscient and Omnipresent: Allah is fully aware of His creation and is always present. He is also All-Powerful, so whatever He decrees takes place, and whatever He does not will do not happen. God – there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence
Belief in Allah’s complete knowledge of all things, including your destiny (Qadr), should give you comfort when bad things happen, and gratitude when good things happen. This “knowledge of destiny” is great not granted to unbelievers. It is using this knowledge that Muslims can display such splendid fortitude in the face of all difficulties and tests in the life of this world. Allah says:
مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَمَن يُؤْمِن بِاللَّهِ يَهْدِ قَلْبَهُ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
“No kind of calamity occurs except by Allah’s permission. Whoever believes in Allah, He will guide his heart. Allah knows all things.” (Surah At-Taghabun, 64:11)
Muslims never suffer such feelings as worry, stress, pain, panic or fear in the face of such woes. Because Muslims know that Allah will make all events that appear to be evil or unwelcome turn out well in the end. We should understand that our destiny is determined by how we use the free will Allah has given us. Allah says:
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
“(The) example (of) those who take besides Allah protectors (is) like the spider who takes a house. And indeed, the weakest (of) houses (is) surely (the) house (of) the spider, if (only) they know.” (Surah Al-`Ankabut 29:41)
A believer in predestination does not care to promote his personality, reform his moral conduct and control his actions. The fact of “destiny” lies at the heart of this secret. Purpose of life; the great test culminating at the Day of Judgment would not make sense unless the judgment was just and meaningful. He leaves everything to his fate.
