Qadariyyah

Deviant

القدرية

Overview

An early deviant sect that denied Allah's predestination (qadar), holding that human beings create their own actions independently of Allah's will and foreknowledge. Emerged in Basra around 680 CE. Ibn Umar reportedly called them 'Majus of this Ummah' because, like the Zoroastrians who posited two creators (good and evil), the Qadariyyah in effect posited that humans create their own actions independently of Allah.

Key Beliefs

Denial of Allah's predestination of human actions
Human beings create their own actions independently
Allah has no foreknowledge of human sins (extreme position)

Scholarly Evaluation

Condemned by the Companions and the Tabi'un. Abdullah ibn Umar reportedly refused to pray over them or greet them with salam when they abandoned belief in qadar (Sahih Muslim, introduction). The Prophet ﷺ said: 'The Qadariyyah are the Majus of this Ummah' (Sunan Abu Dawud, 4691). Their view contradicts the explicit Quranic affirmation of qadar (al-Qamar 54:49, al-Hadid 57:22). The Mu'tazilah later inherited and systematized elements of this position.

Key Figures

Ma'bad al-Juhani (d. 699 CE) — early Qadariyyah leader, killed in battle
Ghaylan al-Dimashqi (d. 743 CE)

Sources

Sunan Abu Dawud 4691
Al-Luma' (al-Ash'ari)
Al-Farq bayn al-Firaq (al-Baghdadi)

Founded

61h (680 CE)