Introduction to Divine Will and Predestination: In the Light of the Quran and Sunnah

Part of Dr. Umar al-Ashqar's encyclopaedic series on Islamic creed, this volume provides a thorough treatment of al-qada' wal-qadar — Allah's divine decree, predestination, and the relationship between human will and divine omnipotence. This is one of the six pillars of Islamic faith and one of the most frequently misunderstood topics in Islamic theology.

The book clarifies the four levels of divine decree (ilm, kitabah, mashi'ah, khalq), the meaning of Allah's universal will versus His legislative will, the Islamic position on human free will and accountability, and the response of Ahl us-Sunnah to the deviant positions of the Jabariyyah (extreme predestinarians) and Mu'tazilah (free-will advocates).

The author also addresses the practical implications of belief in divine decree: how it produces contentment, patience in hardship, gratitude in ease, and reliance on Allah — without becoming an excuse for passivity or sinfulness. This work clarifies one of the most important and contested points of Islamic theology with comprehensive evidence from the Quran and Sunnah.