Allah's statement,
[إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ
خَلَقْنَـهُ بِقَدَرٍ ]
(Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.) is similar to several other
Ayat,
[وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ
شَىْءٍ فَقَدَّرَهُ تَقْدِيراً]
(He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due
measurements (Faqaddarahu Taqdir).) (25:2) and,
[سَبِّحِ اسْمَ
رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى - الَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّى - وَالَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَى ]
(Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High. Who has created (everything),
and then proportioned it. And Who has measured (Qaddara) and then
guided.)(87:1-3), i.e., He measured out the total sum (Qadar) of everything and
then guided the creation to it. The Imams of the Sunnah relied on this honorable
Ayah as evidence that Allah created the creation with destined limits before
they were created. He knew everything that will occur before it occurred and
recorded everything that will occur, before they occurred. They used this Ayah
and similar Ayat and Hadiths to refute the Qadariyyah sect, who started their
sect during the latter time of the Companions. I mentioned this subject in
detail in my explanation on the chapter on faith of Sahih Al-Bukhari. I will
mention here some Hadiths pertaining to this honorable Ayah. Imam Ahmad recorded
that Abu Hurayrah said, "The idolators of the Quraysh came to the Messenger of
Allah arguing with him and discounting the Qadar. This Ayah was revealed,
[يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ
فِى النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُواْ مَسَّ سَقَرَ - إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ
خَلَقْنَـهُ بِقَدَرٍ ]
(The Day they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire: "Taste you the
touch of Hell!'' Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.)'' Muslim,
At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith. Al-Bazzar recorded that `Amr
bin Shu`ayb said that his father narrated that his grandfather said, "These Ayat
were revealed about those who deny Al-Qadar,
[إِنَّ
الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِى ضَلَـلٍ وَسُعُرٍ - يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِى النَّارِ عَلَى
وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُواْ مَسَّ سَقَرَ ]
[إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ
خَلَقْنَـهُ بِقَدَرٍ ]
(Verily, the criminals are in error and will burn. The Day they will be
dragged on their faces into the Fire: "Taste you the touch of Hell!'' Verily, We
have created all things with Qadar.)'' Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded that Zurarah
said that his father said that the Prophet recited this Ayah,
[يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ
فِى النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُواْ مَسَّ سَقَرَ - إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ
خَلَقْنَـهُ بِقَدَرٍ ]
("Taste you the touch of Hell!'' Verily, We have created all things with
Qadar.) and then said,
«نَزَلَتْ فِي
أُنَاسٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَكُونُونَ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِقَدَرِ
الله»
(These Ayat were revealed about some members of my Ummah. They will come
before the end of time and deny Al-Qadar.) Ata' bin Abi Rabah said, "I went to
Ibn `Abbas and found him drawing water from the well of Zamzam. The bottom of
his clothes were wet with the water of Zamzam and I said to him, `They talked
about Al-Qadar (some denied it).' He asked, `Have they done this' I said, `Yes.'
He said, `By Allah! This Ayah was revealed only about them,
[يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ
فِى النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُواْ مَسَّ سَقَرَ - إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىْءٍ
خَلَقْنَـهُ بِقَدَرٍ ]
("Taste you the touch of Hell!'' Verily, We have created all things with
Qadar.) They are the worst members of this Ummah. Do not visit those who fall
ill among them or pray the Funeral prayer for those among them who die. If I saw
one of them, I would pluck out his eyes with these two fingers of mine.''' Imam
Ahmad recorded that Nafi` said, " `Abdullah bin `Umar had a friend in the area
of Ash-Sham who used to write to him. `Abdullah bin `Umar wrote to him, `I was
told that you started talking about Al-Qadar. Therefore, do not dare write to me
any more. I heard the Messenger of Allah say,
«سَيَكُونُ فِي
أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِالْقَدَر»
(There will be some members of my Ummah who will deny Al-Qadar.)'' Abu Dawud
collected this Hadith from Ahmad bin Hanbal. Imam Ahmad recorded that `Abdullah
bin `Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said,
«كُلُّ شَيْءٍ
بِقَدَرٍ حَتْى الْعَجْزُ وَالْكَيْس»
(Every thing is predetermined, even laziness and intelligence.) Muslim
collected this Hadith using a chain of narration through Imam Malik. There is
also an authentic Hadith in which the Messenger of Allah said,
«اسْتَعِنْ بِاللهِ
وَلَا تَعْجَزْ، فَإِنْ أَصَابَكَ أَمْرٌ فَقُلْ: قَدَّرَ اللهُ وَمَا شَاءَ
فَعَلَ، وَلَا تَقُلْ: لَوْ أَنِّي فَعَلْتُ كَذَا لَكَانَ كَذَا، فَإِنَّ لَوْ
تَفْتَحُ عَمَلَ الشَّيْطَان»
(Seek the help of Allah and do not succumb to feebleness. And when an
affliction strikes you, say, "Allah has decreed this, and He does as He wills.''
Do not say, "Had I done this or that, this or that would have happened, because
"if'' opens the door wide for the work of Ash-Shaytan.)'' In a Hadith from
`Abbas, the Messenger of Allah said to him,
«وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ
الْأُمَّةَ لَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَنْفَعُوكَ بِشَيْءٍ، لَمْ يَكْتُبْهُ
اللهُ لَكَ لَمْ يَنْفَعُوكَ، وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ بِشَيْءٍ،
لَمْ يَكْتُبْهُ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ لَمْ يَضُرُّوكَ، جَفَّتِ الْأَقْلَامُ وَطُوِيَتِ
الصُّحُف»
(Know that if the Ummah were to all gather their strength to cause you some
benefit that Allah has not decreed for you, they will never be able to bring you
that benefit. And if they gather their strength to bring a harm to you that
Allah has not written on you, they will never be able to harm you. The pens have
gone dry and the Books of Record have been closed.) Imam Ahmad recorded that
Ubadah bin Al-Walid bin Ubadah said that his father said to him, "I went to
`Ubadah when he was ill, and I thought that he was going to die. So I said, `O
my father, advise us and make the best effort in this regard.' He said, `Help me
sit up,' and when he was helped up, he said, `O my son! Know that you will not
taste the delight of Faith or earn true knowledge in Allah until you believe in
Al-Qadar, the good and the not so good parts of it.' I asked, `O my father! How
can I know (or believe in) Al-Qadar, the good and the not so good parts of it'
He said, `When you know that what has missed you, would never have come to you
and what has befallen you would never have missed you. O my son! I heard the
Messenger of Allah say,
«إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا
خَلَقَ اللهُ الْقَلَمُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ: اكْتُبْ، فَجَرَى فِي تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ
بِمَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة»
(The first thing Allah created was the Pen, right after that commanded it,
`Record!' and the Pen recorded everything that will occur until the Day of
Resurrection.) O my son! If you die not having this belief, you will enter the
Hellfire.''' At-Tirmidhi also recorded it and said: "Hasan Sahih Gharib.'' It is
confirmed in Sahih Muslim from `Abdullah bin `Amr that the Messenger of Allah
said,
«إِنَّ اللهَ كَتَبَ
مَقَادِيرَ الْخَلْقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ
أَلْفَ سَنَة»
(Verily, Allah recorded the measurements for the creatures fifty thousand
years before He created the heavens and earth.) Ibn Wahb added,
[وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ
عَلَى الْمَآءِ]
(And His Throne was over the water.)(11:7) At-Tirmidhi also recorded it, and
he said: "Hasan, Sahih Gharib.''