We test you with Evil and with good as a trial (Surah Anbiya, verse 35)
From the five pillars of Emaan, Qadar is one of them and many people understand Qadar as destiny. So believing in Qada and Qadar is a part of faith. In Islam, "predestination" is the usual English language rendering of a belief that Muslims call al-qaḍāʾ wa al-qadr. The phrase means "the divine decree and the predestination." Qada means, Allah has decided and written down everything that is going to happen, thousands of years before creating the world. This includes, even the gender of each child that is born, every leaf that falls, the landing place of every drop of rain is recorded before Allah created the universe. Thus deciding of the entire creation’s acts is called Qada and from this root word we have the word ‘Qadi’ which means one who delivers a decision and the court where such decisions are given are known as ‘ Darul Qada.’ Therefore we believe that Allah has decided about each and everything that exists according to His supreme wisdom.
Allah has decided each thing as per his complete knowledge. He knows best who should he give wealth and who should be deprived of it. He has created everything in a right proportion and its distribution is also decided. This is known as Qadr. There the combined meaning of Qada and Qadr is called taqdeeer. The importance of believing in Taqdeer is found in many verses of Qur’an and Hadith e Jibrael. Allah sent Jibrael to teach the Muslims about Emaan and Taqdeer was a part of that lesson. The way we believe in the existence of Allah, His Messengers, His books, His Angels, The Day of Judgement, similarly, we are supposed to believe in Taqdeer too.
It is compulsory to believe in Qada and Qadr
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Allah will not accept the charity of a person, even if it as huge as gold equivalent to the size of mount Uhud, until the person believes in Taqdeer.” This shows that believing in Taqdeer is a condition for the acceptance of good deeds and this belief should be without any doubt or confusion. It is Allah’s decision to give as much as wealth, life and health. Illness, wealth, good health, long and short life are all given as a part of test for every human. “We test you with Evil and with good as a trial.” These tests are to check people’s behaviour and character as well as their faith.
Human beings undergo different types of difficulties and each one is destined to face such trials in life , “And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient, Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah , and indeed to Him we will return."Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.” (Surah al Baqarah, verse 155-157)
Allah tests will not only through difficulties but also through luxury and easiness in life as well. If illness, poverty and loss in life are tests to check a person’s patience, then a sound health, richness and profit are also tests to check if the person is grateful or arrogant. The entire good deeds revolve around Sabr and Shukr, i.e. Patience and Gratefulness.
Tests from Allah if accomplished properly it will be actually turn into a Blessing
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “How wonderful is the case of a Believer! There is good for him in whatever happens to him -and none, apart from him, enjoys this blessing. If he receives some bounty, he is grateful to Allah and this bounty brings good to him. And if some adversity befalls him, he is patient, and this affliction, too, brings good to him" (Muslim).
Virtues of Gratefulness:
- Allah will be pleased with you
If you are grateful, He is pleased with you... (Az-Zumar 39:7)
- Allah protects you from His punishment,
Why would Allah punish you if you are grateful to Him? (An- Nisa’ 4: 14)
- Gratefulness towards the Blessings of Allah leads to more Blessings
If You show Gratefulness, He will give you more ( Ibrahim, 14: 7)
Virtues of Sabr
- Allah is on your side Allah is with those who are Patient (al-Anfal 8:46)
- Reward for Sabr is not mentioned how much Only those who are patient shall receive their reward in full, without reckoning. (Az-Zumar 39:10). A man will be called up on the day of judgement. This man had undergone lot of difficulties in life with regards to health, wealth and other things but he bore the difficulties with ‘Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi Raje’oon.’ He will be rewarded for each of the good deeds he performed in life and after accepting them he will be told to collect a huge mountainous reward which would be larger in size than most of the reward he had just received. difficulties which he underwent with Sabr. He will ask the reason for that particular reward. It will be said to him that it is because of the difficulties he which he passed with Sabr. At that time people watching the allocation of rewards for Sabr will desire that had they too been tested with such difficulties it would have been better for them.
Believing in Taqdeer does not meant exemption from hard work
The Prophet (peace be upon him ) said, “Allah has written Taqdeer but He has also commanded us what to do and what not to do.” Thus we may not be aware of what is written in Taqdeer but we are made aware of our duties, therefore we should perform our duties.
A Strong Believer is more Beloved to Allah than a weak one
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “A strong Believer is more beloved to Allah than a weak Believer, though there is goodness in both of them.” Strength is referred to bearing hardships as well as being firm in taqwa and tawaqqal as well, because one needs endurance and firmness to fight and survive hardships and difficulties in life and this cannot be possible without having taqwa and tawaqqal.
Try your best and do not blame Taqdeer if things go wrong after trying
The Prophet (peace be upon him) advised and encouraged us to do good deeds in abundance as they would be useful to us on the day of Judgement and seek help of Allah in performing good deeds. He said, “ Do not say had I done such and such thing in such and such way it would have been more beneficial.” Such thoughts opens ways for Shaytan to put negative thoughts in your mind and demoralises you. Whatever Allah had destined, has happened. Our duty is to try in the best and way and then be happy with whatever Allah decides. This attitude is a rewarding attitude.
Do not nag about what Allah has deprived you from
If Allah has tested you with only daughters and deprived you from sons, or deprived you of children or wealth and if you compare your status of life with others who appear more privileged than you, in that case you are developing a nagging attitude towards your destiny. In such tests, one must keep assuring himself that whatever Allah has destined for him is good for him. A Happy attitude towards whatever Allah has destined for you will give you more benefits. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “If one shows content with whatever Allah has given him then Allah will make him independent from others.”
Being content towards what Allah has destined will make you grateful
Whoever is not satisfied with what Allah has given him can never be grateful towards the other blessings that Allah has bestowed him with. A Hadith from Sahih Muslim states, “Always look at those who are lesser in privileged than you and it will make you grateful towards Allah.” And whoever relies upon Allah - then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has already set for everything a [decreed] extent (At-Talaq 65: 3)
Believing in Destiny will keep you connected with Allah firmly
A man who accepts his destiny without nagging will find his life easy and he realises that Allah is with him because of his sabr. He will be happy with even very little. But happens to the person who will not be happy with what Allah has destined? He will be worried of being a victim of black magic and then run here and there except to Allah to sort out his problems. Not being happy with what Allah has destined might even get his Emaan depart from his heart.
Summing up:
And if Allah touches you with hurt, there is none who can remove it but He (Yunus: 10, 107)
Plead to Allah only for He is the only one who has power over everything. Even if a thorn pricks you, plead to Allah for comfort.
If He intends any good for you, there is none who can repel His Favour which He causes it to reach whomsoever of His slaves He will (Yunus: 10, 107)
Therefore believe in Taqdeer and be content with what Allah has given and plead before Allah whenever you face a difficulty.