Describe the terms qadar and qada. What types of responbilities does a person have? Why are people accountable for what they do? What are the benefits of having faith in qadar and qada? Explain the terms sustenance and time of death. Explain the understanding of working and tawakkul. Explain the importance of working in Islam.
Topics:
- What are qadar and qada?
- The responsibilities of a person
- Benefits of having faith in qadar and qada
- Sustenance (Rızq) and time of death
- Tawakkul and working
- The importance of working according to Islam
- Let’s plant tree (Reading)
WHAT ARE QADAR AND QADA
The sixth condition of faith is to believe that qadar and qada, goodness and harm is with the will of Allah.
The meaning of qadar and qada as religious terms:
Qadar: is for Allah to know everything from the past eternity; and to determine when, where and how things will occur.
Qada: is the creation of the things that Allah has predestined from the past for eternity.
If we liken qadar to a plan, qada is the making of it in accordance with the plan. Everything that occurs in the universe is by means of Allah’s knowledge, will and creating. There is no other creator except Him.
It means to have faith in qadar and qada, goodness and evil, everything that is good and bad is due to Allah’s will, determination and the creation when the time comes.
THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PERSON
There are two parts to people’s responsibilities:
Firstly, it is the things that occur through Allah’s creation outside their own will. It is like the shaking of a hand when sick, or the functioning of the heart or one’s height being short or long.
These occur directly with the will and creation of Allah and people are not accountable for these things.
Secondly, the things created by Allah which are tied to the will of a person. It is with the will of a person and the creation of Allah that a person sits down and stands up, walks and moves their limbs. People are accountable for these things.
Everything is ordained and created by Allah. However, Allah gives freedom people to choose and the will power to decide whether to do something. If a person chooses to perform good deeds with this will power and uses their strength to do this, Allah will create the goodness. If a person chooses to do harm and uses their strength to do this, Allah will create the evil.
It can be seen that Allah creates whatever a person wants to do. Good and evil are from Allah. The meaning of this statement is that goodness and harm are parts of Allah’s creation.
The reason why a person is being held accountable for their actions is the fact that they possess freedom to choose and use their power to do the things he chooses. It is for this reason that the person is accountable for everything they do with their own will power. They will see reward for the good that they did and penalty if they committed any harm.
THE BENEFITS OF FAITH IN QADAR AND QADA
A person who believes in qadar understands that everything in the universe occurs according to Allah’s will and creation. However, they also know that they have been given the freedom to choose and the power to do things. A person who possesses this belief strives to achieve success in life and is undaunted by anything. This is because if people direct their freedom and power to do something, they believe that Allah will create that thing and lead them to achieve success.
Because a person knows that they will be accountable for the things they do through their own will, they choose to use their freedom to do good things. They avoid things that incur divine punishment. Thus, the belief in qadar increases a person’s power to work and earns them the feeling of responsibility.
A person who believes in qadar does not become pessimistic or be of low morale when they do not achieve success in their works or if they encounter disaster. This is because there is a purpose and wisdom in everything Allah does. Since the person is a creature with limited ability of understanding such a purpose, they have no responsibility for things outside of their abilities, bows to Allah’s will and takes refuge in Him. This belief gives comfort to the person and allays any sadness.
The belief in qadar teaches us that everything in the universe has been created in accordance with a plan and purpose and that there is a reason for everything.
Thanks to this belief, a person investigates ways and reasons to achieve success and works hard to perform the duties assigned to them.
SUSTENANCE (Rizq)
Everything that a livng creature need to eat, drink and to uilize in order to be able to survive is called sustanence (rizq). The source of sustenance for all living creatures is Allah. Allah the Almighty commands:
“And there is no creature on earth but its sustenance is due from Allah.” [21]
Allah has preordained and determined everyone’s sustenance. However, a person is responsible for seeking and finding sustenance. A person’s duty is to earn sustenance by halal means in accordance with Allah’s commands. Allah will provide sustenance to people in any way they choose. While earning their sustenance, if a person uses their will power for evil and get what is haram, they will be punished because of those wrongdoings.
TIME OF DEATH
Allah created humankind out of nothing, allowed them to live and foreordained how long a person will live. A lifespan is a limited period between a person’s birth and death. Time of death is the time when the worldly life ends.
Allah preordained how long everyone will live, and when, where and how they will die. Whatever death’s reason, time of death is one, its cause is unvarying. A person dies when the determined time of death arrives. Allah the Almighty informs us, that the time of death will not change, in the Qur’an as follows:
“And when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour.” [22]
The duty that falls upon us: To protect our health, avoid things that put our lives in danger, not to waste our limited time in this world for nothing, to live life in this world as if we were never going to die and to work for the Hereafter as if we were going to die tomorrow.
A person should perform their duties on time without leaving it for the future, as hey do not know when their lives will cease and when death will arrive.
TAWAKKUL AND WORKING
Tawakkul is to put one’s trust in and await results from Allah after making every effort within his power in relation to any task.
Let me explain this with an example:
A farmer who wants good crop from his farm firstly ploughs the field nicely, then sows the seed, spreads the fertilizer and if required, irrigates it. After taking all sorts of measures to protect the crop from damage, he leaves the rest to Allah, trusting Him. The farmer has then done all that he can. Now, he has to trust in Allah and wait for results from Him for the crop to grow and give products. This is true tawakkul.
Wanting something to happen without working for it and awaiting results from Allah is not tawakkul. This thought is wrong and an inappropriate behavior for a Muslim.
Our Prophet (saw) stated the following to a person who left his camel outside without tying it and said I have tawakkul in Allah: “First tie your camel then have tawakkul in Allah.”[23] It is understood from the words of our Prophet that a Muslim must first do all that he can within his power and then have tawakkul in Allah.
Just as performing prayer and fasting are religious duties, working to earn a livelihood is a task bearing the value of worship.
Allah the Almighty commands: “And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah.” [24]
Our beloved Prophet informed us that it is a religious imperative (fardh) to seek halal earnings. [25] Umar stated:
“None of you should say to Allah give me sustenance whilst abandoning the seeking of it. You know that gold or silver does not fall from the sky.” [26]
It can be seen that working is a command of our religion; it is a Muslim’s duty. To be successful with a task, we should do everything that we can which is within our power and then wait for Allah to achieve success.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKING IN ISLAM
The main aim of Islam, the last and the perfect religion, is the happiness of humankind. This happiness is not one sided or unbalanced.
Islam has shown people ways of being happy both in this world and in the Hereafter. Happiness in this world and the Hereafter is achieved by working. For this reason, a Muslim must work for both. It is also a command of our religion to earn and work for this world.
Allah the Almighty emphasizes the importance of working in the Qur’an as: “And that there is not for man except that good for which he works.” [27]
Our beloved Prophet stated, “Nobody has ever eaten a better meal than that which one has earned by working with one’s own hands. [28]
Our religion has placed great importance on working and has valued of halal earnings as worship.
One day at a place while our Prophet was together with his companions, they saw a powerful and strong person walking by. and asked, “O Allah’s messenger, if only this person would work for the sake of Allah.”
Upon this, our Prophet (saw) stated: “If this man has left his home to earn bread for his small children, then he is on Allah’s path. He is again on Allah’s path if he has left home to fulfil the needs of his elderly mother and father. He is on Allah’s path if he has left to earn his own daily bread. If he has left for show then, he is on the path of satan.”[29]
The two of the five conditions of Islam, zakat and hajj are worships that are compulsory for wealthy Muslims. Wealth is achieved by working. A person who works is a useful person because he is useful to himself, his family and his nation.
Our Prophet has expressed this truth by stating: “The best person is the one who is the most beneficial to people.” [30]
Our Prophet always recommended us to work and asked us to go forward every day, stating: “Whoever lives two days the same is deceived.” [31]
A Muslim from Madinah came to the Prophet asking for assistance. Our Prophet asked him:
– Do you not have anything at home? He replied:
– We have a mat that we pull over us on one side and the other which lays on the floor, and a pot that we drink water from. Our Prophet replied:
– Go and bring them to me. The man went home and brought them back to the Prophet. Our Prophet asked:
– Who will buy these? One of the Muslims said:
– O Allah’s messenger, I will buy them for one dirham. Our Prophet asked:
– Is there anyone willing to pay more? Another person said:
– I will pay two dirhams for these. Our Prophet gave these to that man. He then turned to the first man that had come to him:
– Take these (dirhams), buy food for home with one and an axe with the other, and then bring it to me. Our Prophet put a handle on the axe that the man had brought with his own hands and said:
– Now go and chop some wood from the mountains and sell it. I do not want to see you around here for fifteen days.
The man returned fifteen days later. He had earned ten dirhams, bought some food with a portion of it and some clothing. Thereupon, our Prophet said:
Working like this is better than begging. Because on the Day of Judgment, those who beg will have black stains on their faces.[32]
With these words, our Prophet has shown us the way to be happy in this world and the Hereafter. He stated:
“The best of you is one who does not abandon the Hereafter for this world, who does not abandon this world for the Hereafter but works for both without being a burden on people.” [33]
In that case, a Muslim must work for both this world and the Hereafter, moving ahead each day. This is a command of our religion.
READING:
Let us plant tree…
Our beloved Prophet (saw) stated:
“If on the Day of Judgment one of you has a date sapling in hand, they should plant this immediately, not letting it go if they have the power to do so prior to Judgment Day breaking.” [34]
“If a Muslim plants a tree or a crop and a bird, a person or an animal eats from this then, shall receive the reward of charity…” [35]
“If a person plants a tree then a reward is given in their books of deeds for the amount of fruit the tree gives.” [36]
When Harun Rashid, one of the Abbasid Caliphs, saw an elderly person plant a small fruit sapling he said to them:
– Father! You are very old, why do you bother yourself for that you will not see the fruit of the tree that you plant?
The elderly man responded as follows:
– Those trees planted before us and we ate its fruit. Now we should plant trees so that those after us can eat it.
Harun Rashid was delighted with this response and gave the old man a handful of gold. The old man said:
– Look my son, now I already have seen the fruits of the saplings that I planted.
With these words, Harun Rashid was pleased once again.
Trees and forests are the source of richness for our world. From the air that we breathe to the water that we drink, from the book that we read to the pencil that we write with, we see the byproducts of trees just everywhere. For living things to be able to survive, the required oxygen is produced by forests almost like a factory; various animals and birds are also sheltered in its bosom. Forests also prevent the erosion of soil into the sea.
Thus, without any doubt, it is just as favorable to raise trees, as it is to raise children. However favorable it is to plant and tend to trees, it is equally sinful to cut trees and deforest.
Our Prophet stated the following: “Whoever cuts a live tree, Allah the Almighty will on the Day of Judgment throw that person upside down into hell.” [37]
This hadith is an important warning to Muslims.
How can a person cut down a tree unless it is a requirement? How can they be accountable for forests burning to ashes and many living creatures burning alive whilst taking shelter?
Those who demolish trees and forests cruelly will have to answer for this evil on Judgment Day where they will be inflicted with a deserved punishment. As Muslims, our duty is to obey the commands and recommendations of our Prophet, to plant and grow trees, to look after trees like children, to protect forests like our eye. Planting trees is as auspicious as worship. Besides, it is a patriotic duty.
Footnote:
[21] Hud, 11/6
[22] Nahl, 16/61
[23] Keşfu’l-Hafa, Volume 1, Page 144
[24] Jumu’ah, 62/10
[25] Keşfu’l-Hafa, Volume 3, Page 46.
[26] Şehru Ayni-İlm, Volume 1, Page 182
[27] Najm, 53/39
[28] Riyadh us-Salihin, Volume 1, Page 569.
[29] Et-Terğib ve’t-terhib, Volume 2, Page 524.
[30] 250 Khadith, Page 121
[31] Keşfu’l-Hafa, Volume 2, Page 233
[32] Et-Terğib ve’t-Terhib, Volume 2, Page 523.
[33] Muhtaru’l-Ehadis
[34] 250 Hadith, Page 27.
[35] Tecrid-i Sarih Tercemesi ve Şerhi, Volume 7, Page 121.
[36] Tecrid-i Sarih Tercemesi ve Şerhi, Volume 7, Page 122.
[37] Feyzu’l-Kadir. Volume 6, Page 206.
Source: Presidency Of Religious Affairs The Turkey, Basics of Islam, Seyfettin Yazıcı
What is Faith in Judgement Day (Akhirah)?
