Belief in Divine Decree (Qadr): The Sixth Pillar of Iman

Definition

Qadr (القدر) is belief in the divine decree and predestination. It is the sixth pillar of iman as stated in the Hadith of Jibril: 'That you believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and that you believe in al-qadr, its good and its evil' (Sahih Muslim 8).

Four Levels of Qadr

Knowledge (al-Ilm): Allah knows everything that was, is, and will be, including all actions of His creation, before they occur. Writing (al-Kitabah): Allah recorded everything in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz) fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth. Will (al-Mashee'ah): Nothing happens except by Allah's will. Whatever He wills occurs, and whatever He does not will does not occur. Creation (al-Khalq): Allah is the Creator of everything, including the actions of His servants.

Human Free Will

Ahl us-Sunnah affirm that humans have real choice (ikhtiyar) and will (iradah) within Allah's overarching will. A person chooses to act, but their ability to carry out the action is created by Allah. This position avoids the two extremes: the Jabriyyah, who denied human choice entirely, and the Qadariyyah, who denied Allah's prior knowledge and will over human actions.

Responding to Qadr

Belief in qadr does not mean fatalism or passivity. The Prophet taught that one should take all means (asbab) and then rely on Allah (tawakkul). When hardship strikes, the believer shows patience (sabr); when blessings come, the believer shows gratitude (shukr). The Prophet said: 'Strive for that which will benefit you, seek help from Allah, and do not be helpless' (Sahih Muslim 2664).