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The origin of the controversy regarding fate is a point worth discussion. The point is how it was that from the first half or at the most from the second half of the first century the Muslims entered into the discussion of predestination and free wil...

The origin of the controversy regarding fate is a ...

A scholar going deep into the study of the questions concerning monotheism, is filled with wonder when he finds that the special logic adopted in this respect by the Holy Qur'an and next to it by the sayings of the Prophet and the Imams, especially I...

A scholar going deep into the study of the questio...

We previously said that the Muslim theologians started discussing and analyzing the question of human compulsion and liberty in the second half of the first century of the Hijri era. This question is the oldest scholastic problem. Somehow the scholas...

We previously said that the Muslim theologians sta...

We have already said that the materialists and some Christians have used the question of fate and destiny as a weapon in their attack on Islam. They say that an essential result of the belief in destiny and fate is that man should consider himself to...

We have already said that the materialists and som...

The forgoing examples of the causes and the factors affecting destiny were concerned only with the material factors and their effects. We took into consideration only the material and perceptible aspects of the events, for from material angle only th...

The forgoing examples of the causes and the factor...

Many reports from the Holy Prophet (s) and the Imams say that when a divine decree comes, the whole system of caution, especially the faculties of thinking and reasoning cease to work. This point has been depicted in Persian and Arabic literature als...

Many reports from the Holy Prophet (s) and the Ima...

According to the explanation given by us, the fate and destiny are divided into revocable and irrevocable in accordance with the special circumstances of the things concerned. A thing which has more than one possibility and is affected by various cau...

According to the explanation given by us, the fate...

The laws and the systems governing the world are also unchangeable. The things existing in nature are constantly changing, but the natural systems governing them are firm. They do not undergo a change. The things develop and evolve. They take various...

The laws and the systems governing the world are a...

We have said that the religious leaders have mentioned two kinds of destiny. We have also said that the destiny of the heavenly abstracts, unlike that of the things existing in nature, is always irrevocable. Let us now add that in nature also irrevoc...

We have said that the religious leaders have menti...

The Holy Qur'an is the original source of the doctrine which requires man to believe in fate. At the same time it tells him that they are the masters of their destiny. The Qur'an alludes to people the plurality of destiny also. "It is He who has crea...

The Holy Qur'an is the original source of the doct...

The Holy Prophet was asked about the amulets used for seeking a cure, (Ghazzali reports that the question was about both the spell and the medicine) whether they could forestall a divinely ordained destiny. In reply the Prophet said that they themsel...

The Holy Prophet was asked about the amulets used ...

Human acts are among the events which have no definite and irrecocable destiny. They depend on thousand and one causes, including man's own will and choice. All the possibilities which exist in the case of inorganic material, plants and the instincti...

Human acts are among the events which have no defi...

There is no doubt that if the divinely appointed fate is supposed to be related to the events direct without the intervention of the causes, human freedom and liberty will have no meaning. Now the next question is whether it is possible to accept the...

There is no doubt that if the divinely appointed f...

If the alterability of destiny and its non-inevitability are construed to mean that Divine Will and Knowledge necessitate one thing and then an independent factor arises and necessitates something contrary to it, or that an independent factor can cha...

If the alterability of destiny and its non-inevita...

In the reports and traditions, fate and destiny have been described as revocable and irrevocable. There are hints in the Qur'an also to that effect. It appears that there are two kinds of fate and destiny, one inevitable and unalterable and the other...

In the reports and traditions, fate and destiny ha...

But a change in destiny in the sense that the factor bringing about the change should itself be a manifestation of what Allah has decreed, is possible. Though it may look rather queer, it is a fact that the destiny can be changed by another destiny. ...

But a change in destiny in the sense that the fact...

From the foregoing discussion it is clear that a belief in fate and destiny and that every event, including human deeds and acts, is determined by Divine decrees, does not necessarily mean predestination. It would have certainly meant so, had we beli...

From the foregoing discussion it is clear that a b...

This aspect of the question provided a pretext to the Christians of Europe to assert that the main cause of the decadence of the Muslims is their belief in fate and destiny and that Islam is a predestinarian system which totally deprives man of his l...

This aspect of the question provided a pretext to ...

Some people are under the impression that this dilemma presents itself only to those who believe in religion, and the materialists are not faced with any such problem. This is a false impression. The people having the material way of thinking are als...

Some people are under the impression that this dil...

In Arabic the words qadha' and qadar' are used for fate and destiny. The word, qadha' means to decide; to settle; to judge. A qadhi' (judge) is called so because he decides judicially between the litigants. In the Qur'an this word has been used frequ...

In Arabic the words qadha' and qadar' are used for...

The dilemma faced by the theologians and the religious philosophers was that they on the one hand believed that nothing could happen without the Will of Allah and on the other knew that nothing dirty or wicked could be ascribed to Him. Consequently t...

The dilemma faced by the theologians and the relig...