Table of Contents
Belief in divine decree, or Qadar, is one of the pillars of faith. A Muslim’s understanding of life, success, failure, happiness, and hardship rests on this belief. Without Qadar, faith becomes shaky, worship loses depth, and the heart is easily broken by trials. With it, the believer finds clarity and strength.
The Prophet ﷺ summarized the pillars of faith when he was asked by Jibril عليه السلام about īmān. He replied:
“It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in divine decree, its good and its bad.”
(Muslim)
In this chapter, we will look at what is unique to belief in Qadar as a core part of Islamic creed. Details about the meaning of Qadar, human choice, trials, and trust in Allah will be covered in their own focused sections.
Qadar as a Pillar of Faith
Belief in divine decree is not an optional or advanced topic. It is part of the basic creed that every Muslim must accept. Allah praises those who submit fully to His knowledge and power while still living with responsibility and effort. The Quran reminds us that everything, big or small, is by His plan and knowledge:
“Indeed, all things We created with Qadar (predestination).”
(Quran 54:49)
Another verse emphasizes that whatever happens in the universe, including to us personally, is not random or outside Allah’s control:
“No disaster strikes upon the earth or within yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being. Indeed that, for Allah, is easy.”
(Quran 57:22)
A person who denies divine decree in its essence denies something that Allah clearly affirmed. For this reason, the early scholars considered denial of Qadar to be a serious deviation from the core of Islam.
Belief in divine decree, both its good and its bad, is an essential pillar of īmān. Denying Allah’s decree, while knowing what Islam teaches about it, takes a person outside true faith.
How Qadar Shapes a Muslim’s View of Life
Belief in Qadar gives the believer a special way of seeing the world. The Muslim does not imagine that events happen by pure chance or luck. Instead, he or she understands that Allah is the Creator, the Planner, and the One who allows or prevents events, in wisdom.
Allah says:
“Say, ‘Never will anything strike us except what Allah has decreed for us; He is our Protector.’ And upon Allah let the believers rely.”
(Quran 9:51)
When a Muslim truly believes this, his heart becomes calmer. Success is seen as a favor from Allah, not only as a personal achievement. Failure or loss is seen as a test and a part of a larger plan, not as meaningless suffering. This balance prevents pride in times of success and despair in times of hardship.
Allah points to this balance when He says:
“So you do not grieve over what has escaped you nor exult (in pride) over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful.”
(Quran 57:23)
Belief in Qadar therefore does not make the believer careless. Instead, it teaches humility when things go well and patience when they go badly. It keeps the heart attached to Allah in every situation.
The Heart’s Peace Through Qadar
Many people are crushed by regret: “If only I had done this,” or “If only this had not happened.” Islam gives a different response. The Prophet ﷺ taught the believer how to react when something occurs that he dislikes:
“Be keen on what benefits you, seek help from Allah, and do not be helpless. If something befalls you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such and such, then such and such would have happened.’ Rather say, ‘Qaddar Allah wa mā shā’a faʿal (Allah decreed it and He does what He wills),’ for ‘if only’ opens the door to the work of Shayṭān.”
(Muslim)
This teaching directs the heart away from endless regret and unhealthy imagination. The Muslim is commanded to do his best in the present, to take wise action for the future, and then to leave the results to Allah’s decree. This does not erase pain, but it gives meaning and boundary to that pain.
The believer must combine two actions:
- Take all lawful and wise means.
- Accept the result as Allah’s decree, without falling into “if only” and destructive regret.
Qadar and Hope in Allah
Because Allah’s decree covers everything, it also includes His help, His mercy, and His forgiveness. Belief in Qadar therefore increases hope, not hopelessness. The Muslim knows that Allah can change situations in an instant, open doors that seemed closed, and guide hearts that seemed lost.
Allah says:
“Allah deletes what He wills and confirms, and with Him is the Mother of the Book.”
(Quran 13:39)
This verse reminds us that Allah’s knowledge and control are complete, and that He can change our situation through His mercy. Our sincere duʿāʾ, repentance, and good deeds are all among the means that Allah has placed within His decree.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Nothing increases one’s lifespan except righteousness, and nothing repels Qadar except duʿāʾ, and a man may be deprived of provision because of a sin he commits.”
(Reported in some collections; graded ḥasan by some scholars)
This does not mean that Allah is surprised or that His knowledge changes. Rather, it means that within His eternal knowledge and decree, He has written that certain outcomes will happen when we make duʿāʾ or perform good deeds. Knowing this strengthens the believer’s hope and encourages constant turning to Allah.
Qadar and Fear of Sin
Belief in Qadar also protects a Muslim from using destiny as an excuse for sin. A person who says “Allah decreed that I would sin, so I am not responsible” misunderstands the entire purpose of guidance. The same Allah who decreed all things also commanded, warned, and promised reward and punishment. The sinner chooses to ignore the guidance that is available to him.
Allah says:
“So whoever wills, let him believe, and whoever wills, let him disbelieve.”
(Quran 18:29)
And He says:
“That is because Allah would not change a favor which He had bestowed upon a people until they change what is within themselves.”
(Quran 8:53)
These verses show that our choices matter inside Allah’s all-encompassing plan. Qadar does not cancel responsibility. It explains that Allah already knew, wrote, and willed what we will freely choose, and that He gave us the ability and opportunity to do right.
It is forbidden to use Qadar as an excuse to continue sinning. The believer blames his own soul for disobedience, then seeks Allah’s help to change.
Qadar and Gratitude in Times of Ease
When life is comfortable, belief in Qadar protects the believer from arrogance. Without this belief, a person may say, “I earned this by myself, I deserve all of this success.” The Quran gives us the example of Qārūn who said:
“He said, ‘I was only given it because of knowledge I have.’”
(Quran 28:78)
This attitude is rejected in Islam. A Muslim understands that every blessing, including the ability to work, think, and plan, is a gift from Allah within His decree. This leads to gratitude and using the blessing in obedience, not in pride.
Allah says:
“And whatever you have of favor, it is from Allah.”
(Quran 16:53)
The true believer looks at his health, wealth, family, guidance, and every other good and says in his heart, “This is from Allah’s Qadar and His mercy, and I will be asked about how I used it.”
Qadar and Patience in Times of Hardship
Hardships of health, wealth, family, and society test the reality of a person’s faith in Qadar. The Quran teaches that what appears as pure evil may carry hidden wisdom, and that the believer is never abandoned by Allah.
Allah says:
“Perhaps you dislike a thing and it is good for you, and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah knows while you do not know.”
(Quran 2:216)
This verse captures the heart of patience with Qadar. The believer does not need to understand every detail of why something happened. It is enough to know that Allah is all-knowing, all-wise, and more merciful to His servants than they are to themselves.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“How amazing is the affair of the believer. All of his affair is good, and that is for no one except the believer. If something pleasing happens to him, he is grateful and that is good for him. If something harmful befalls him, he is patient and that is good for him.”
(Muslim)
Belief in Qadar therefore transforms every situation into a path to Allah, either through gratitude or patience.
For the believer, every situation is an opportunity:
Ease calls for gratitude.
Hardship calls for patience.
Both are pathways to Allah when joined with belief in His decree.
Qadar and Humility of the Intellect
Some aspects of Qadar are beyond human understanding. The human mind is limited. Muslims are encouraged to reflect on Allah’s signs, but they are also warned against trying to fully grasp Allah’s inner secrets and the unseen details of His decree.
Allah says:
“He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.”
(Quran 21:23)
This verse teaches humility. We are responsible for what we do, and Allah’s wisdom is perfect even if we cannot always comprehend it. When a person goes too deep in speculative questions about Qadar, his heart can become confused. The Prophet ﷺ warned his companions from arguing too much about this topic.
In early Islamic history, some people went to extremes, either denying decree or claiming that humans have no responsibility at all. The balanced Muslim accepts what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ have told us, uses the mind where it can reach, and stops where the revelation stops.
Living Qadar in Daily Life
Belief in Qadar is not only an abstract idea. It should appear in the believer’s daily actions and emotions. A Muslim who truly believes in Qadar will:
Trust Allah when things do not go according to plan, while still trying again in a better way.
Avoid despair when facing repeated failures, because he knows that Allah can open a door from where he does not expect.
Avoid envy and jealousy of others, because he knows that provision and status are distributed by Allah with wisdom.
Avoid arrogance over his own gifts, because he knows they are written and given by Allah, and could be taken away.
Continue to make duʿāʾ, because he knows that supplication is part of Allah’s decree and one of the greatest means for change.
The Prophet ﷺ gave a simple and powerful formula for interacting with Qadar in everyday life:
“Know that what has passed you by was never going to befall you, and what has befallen you was never going to pass you by.”
(Tirmidhī)
The believer walks a straight path between two extremes:
He does not deny Qadar, and he does not use it as an excuse.
He works hard, then surrenders the outcome to Allah’s decree.
The Beauty of Submitting to Allah’s Decree
When belief in Qadar settles in the heart, it gives a special kind of serenity. The world still contains pain, but it no longer feels chaotic or meaningless. The believer knows that every moment is written with knowledge, wisdom, and mercy, and that the final justice will appear on the Last Day.
Allah reminds us:
“Indeed, We have created all things with Qadar.”
(Quran 54:49)
And He also says:
“Allah is ever, over all things, an All-Encompassing Keeper.”
(Quran 4:126)
To live with this belief is to walk through life with a heart anchored in Allah. Effort is made, sins are avoided, duʿāʾ is raised, tears are shed. But behind all of that, there is a calm certainty that nothing escapes Allah’s decree, and that no one is more worthy of being trusted with our destinies than Him.