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Belief in Allah (God)
The core of Islamic deen (way of life) is to believe in Allah (God). It is to say that there is none worthy of worship except Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala) and He (SWT) is the only Creator and Sustainer of everything. Allah (SWT) is Omniscient, Merciful and Forgiving. Allah (SWT) is unique in His Names and Attributes. Allah (SWT) is not comparable to anything and nor is He (SWT) within His creation. Allah (SWT) does not beget nor was He (SWT) ever begotten. Allah (SWT) is the only One, Who gives life and causes death. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an (interpretation of the meaning):
"There is no true god worthy of worship but He, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. [2:163]
Not an apostle did We send before thee without this inspiration sent by Us to him: that there is no god but I; therefore worship and serve Me."[21:25]
"Say: He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him."[112:1-4]
"The Creator of the heavens and the earth. He hath made for you pairs of yourselves, and of the cattle also pairs, whereby He multiplieth you. Naught is as His likeness; and He is the Hearer, the Seer."[42:11]
"Thou causest the night to pass into the day, and Thou causest the day to pass into the night. And Thou bringest forth the living from the dead, and Thou bringest forth the dead from the living. And Thou givest sustenance to whom Thou choosest, without stint."[3:27]
Muslims testify and practice this belief by clinging to the phrase, "La illaha illa Allah (there is no God (worthy of worship) except Allah)". Tawhid is an Arabic word, which is used to describe belief in Allah (SWT) and it is unique in its kind. In addition, bearing witness to this phrase is one of the two steps by which a person embraces the beautiful deen of Allah (SWT), Islam. Islam is not about lips' services; therefore, clinging to this phrase or belief is the next step and core of Islamic life.
The subjects, finding God and His existence, are part of later discussion and insha'Allah (by the will of Allah (SWT)) will be explained in more details. However, for the benefits of the readers, we should make a note of few things. Believing in higher Being has been norm of the society and throughout the history of mankind the majority has always believed in God. This is not a logical approach to prove the existence of God; nonetheless, it does give some indication about the reality and our sole purpose of existence. Our sole purpose of life cannot be simply living and having fun or continuously reproducing ourselves to bring changes in our future species. First, evolution does not explain everything and it is a dependent process; therefore, it does not rule out God. Second, evolutionists have no answer to the question: what we will evolve to. Third, let's take us an example of students studying in an institution. Can students do whatever please them? Why do they have to follow an organized system and guidelines? Why can't they simply play around and enjoy themselves? Again, this is just a brief introduction to detailed topics, which will be covered later on, insha'Allah. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an (interpretation of the meaning):
"We created not the heavens, the earth, and all between them, merely in (idle) sport: We created them not except for just ends: but most of them do not understand." [44:38-39]
"Say those without knowledge: 'Why speaketh not Allah unto us? or why cometh not unto us a Sign?' So said the people before them words of similar import. Their hearts are alike. We have indeed made clear the Signs unto any people who hold firmly to Faith (in their hearts)."[2:118]
"Were they created of nothing, or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, they have no firm belief." [52:35-36]
"I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me." [51-56]
Belief in Angels
Belief in the angels is one of the six articles of faith. A person's faith cannot be complete unless they believe in angels and other pillars or articles of faith/belief. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an (interpretation of the meaning): "The Messenger [Muhammad] believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and [so do] the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers" [2:285].
Angels' Nature
In the west, common folks have depicted angels as a small children with wings or illusions or beautiful females with wings. Even the Arab pagans, at the time of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), called angles the daughters of Allah despite the fact they hated female off springs and they used to bury them alive. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "Or has He (Allah) taken, out of that which He created, daughters, and honored you with sons ? And, when one of them receives tidings of that which He sets up as a likeness to Allah Most Gracious (i.e. of a girl) his face becomes dark and gloomy and fill of grief....And they consider the angels, who are worshippers of Allah, to be females. Did they witness their creation ? Their testimony shall be recorded, and they will be asked." [43:16-19]
In Islam, Muslims believe that angels are the special creation of Allah (SWT). Angels are a part of the world of the ghayb (Unseen) which we cannot comprehend. Unlike humans, who were created from clay, angels have been created from Nur (light): 'Aishah (RA) narrated that the Prophet (SAW) said: "Angels were created from light, jinn were created from smokeless fire, and Adam was created from that which has been described to you (in the Qur’an and Sunnah)" (Sahih Muslim). Angels are not divine, neither they control any part of the universe and nor they are worthy of worship. Angels do not have free choice or desires and they always follow the commands of Allah and can never disobey Him. Therefore, unlike Christianity, there is no concept of fallen angels in Islam. Shaytan (Satan) was one of the jins, who were created from fire. Angels do not eat or drink either. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Those who are before him are not scornful of worshipping Him, nor do they tire or get bored. They glorify Him night and Day: they do not halt." (Qur’an 21:19-20)
"Then he (Prophet Ibrahim (AS)) turned quickly to his household, brought out a fatted calf, and placed it before them. He (SWT) said, 'Will you not eat?' (When they did not eat), he conceived a fear of them. They said: 'Fear not,' and they gave him glad tidings of a son endowed with knowledge." [51:26-28]
Prophets (AS) can see angels in their natural form. Imam Al-Bukhari (RA) recorded that 'Aisha (RA) narrated that the Prophet (SAW) saw the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) (AS) twice in his natural form. However, other people cannot see them unless they appear in a physical form. Allah (SWT) has given them the ability to change their form. We can find few examples of this from the Qur'an and the hadith. Angel Jibreel (AS) appeared in human form before Maryam (Marry) (AS), the mother of Prophet Isa (AS), to inform her that she would miraculously give birth to Isa (AS). Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): Then we sent to her our Spirit (angel Jibreel) and he appeared before her in the form of a man in all respects" [19:17]. Angels also appeared in human form before Prophet Ibrahim (AS) to give him glad tidings of a son and later they went to see Prophet Lut (AS) to destroy his people, who were sinning. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "And verily, there came our Messengers to Ibrahim with glad tidings" [11:69]. Lastly, Jibreel (AS) used to come to the Prophet (SAW) in different forms: sometimes he would appear in the form of Dihyah al-Kalbi, a Sahabi who was very handsome, and sometimes in the form of a Bedouin. The Sahabah (RA) saw him in his human form, as is reported from 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (RA) in the two Sahihs: "One day while we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah , there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of travel were to be seen on him, and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet . Resting his knees against his and placing his hands on his thighs, he said: 'O Muhammad, tell me about Islam.'. . ."(Sahih Muslim).
Angels are described to have wings. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "Praise be to Allah, Who created (out of nothing) the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels messengers with wings - two, or three, or four (pairs) adds to Creation as He pleases: for Allah has power over all things." [35:1] . However, we should not try to guess the nature of their wings because there is no Islamic text, which describes it. In addition, there is no basis in Islam for the other corrupt notions about them.
Number of Angels
There are millions of angels but only Allah (SWT) knows exact number. The Prophet said, described the Much-Frequented House (al-Bayt al-Ma'moor) in the seventh heaven: "Then I was taken up to the Much-Frequented House: every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it again, another [group] coming after them." (Sahih Al-Bukhaari). 'Abdullaah said: "The Messenger of Allah said: 'Hell will be brought forth that day by means of seventy thousand ropes, each of which will be pulled by seventy thousand angels.'" (Sahih Muslim).
Names of some Angels and their tasks
The main purpose of angels is to Glorify and Praise Allah (SWT), however, there are several different angels all with a different tasks.
Jibrail - is the leader of the angels and he was the angel who was responsible for bringing the revelation of Allah to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and to all other Prophets (Peace be upon them). Some Quranic verses referring to Jibrail (interpretation of the meaning):
"And it is surely the revelation of the Lord of the worlds. The trusted Spirit has brought it down to your heart, in order that you might be one of the warner’s, in clear Arabic speech." [26:192-195]
"And we gave Isa, son of Maryam, clear proofs, and supported him with Ruh-al-Qudus (holy spirit i.e. Jibreel)." [2:253]
Izra'il - known as the "Angel of Death" and is responsible for removing our souls and responsible for the end of our life. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "Say: The Angel of Death, who is set over you, will take your souls, then you shall be brought to your lord" [32:11]. There are other angels who accompany Izra'il who torture the wrongdoers (interpretation of the meaning): "If only you could see, when the angels take the souls of those who disbelieve, the angels are beating their faces and their backs." [8:50]
Munkar and Nakeer - They are the two angels in charge of questioning people in their graves about their faith.
Isra'fil - is the angel who will blow the trumpet at the end of time and the beginning of the Day of Judgment.
Mika'il - is responsible for raining.
Recorder Angels - Each person is appointed two Angels known as the "Recorder Angels". They are responsible for writing every single action we carry out, each word we utter and how we behave. The Angel on the right side records all of our good deeds and the Angel on our right records our bad deeds. Allah refers to them as "scribes" in the Holy Quran (interpretation of the meaning):
"And indeed, there are over you scribes, generous and recording. They know what you do." [82:10-12]
"He utters not any word except that there is with him an observer, ready." [50:18]
Other Angels - Ridwan and Malik watche over Heaven and Hell. Ridwan is the keeper of heaven and Malik is the keeper of Hell. Hell has nineteen angels who watch over it. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "Over it (Hell) are nineteen (angels)" [74:30]. There are angels who will welcome the believers into heaven and greet them with peace (interpretation of the meaning): "And angels shall enter unto them from every gate saying: "Asalaam alaykum" (peace be upon you for that you persevered in patience! Excellent indeed is the final home." [13:23-24]
Belief in Scriptures
Belief in the scriptures or books of Allah (SWT) is another one of the six articles of faith. Muslims are obliged to believe in all the scriptures which were originally revealed by Allah (SWT). We learn from the Qur'an (interpretation of the meaning): "...believe in what has been sent down to you (Muhammad) and what has been sent down before you..." [2:4]. Muslims believe Allah (SWT) has sent several scriptures and books down to different Prophets (Peace be upon them) to guide and show us the right path as Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "And we sent never a prophet before you except that we revealed to him, saying, 'there is no God but I, so worship Me'" [21:25]. As we briefly explained in the article, Belief in Allah (God), that our purpose of existence cannot be nothing or meaningless. A Muslim believes the following books have been revealed to Prophets (May the peace and blessings be upon them all):
Tawrah - known as the Torah revealed to Prophet Musa (Moses) (Peace be upon him).
Zabur - also known as the Psalms revealed to Prophet Dawud (David) (peace be upon him).
Injil - known as the Gospel of Isa (Jesus) (peace be upon him).
Qur'an - the last and final revelation, which was revealed to the last and final Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Suhuf (scrolls) of Ibrahim (AS) - which are known as the scriptures of Ibrahim (peace be upon him).
Muslims believe that apart from the Qur'an all the other books and scriptures have been altered in some way shape or form so therefore no longer contain the full truth, as it is distorted by humans. However, Muslims believe the Qur'an has remained unchanged and can never be distorted or altered, so the Qur'an contains the complete truth. Allah (SWT) challenges those people who claim the Qur'an is a false book. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Say: 'If all mankind and the jinn would come together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce it’s like even though they exerted all and their strength in aiding one another.'" [17:88]
"Or do they say that he has invented it? Say (to them), 'Bring ten invented surah’s like it, and call (for help) on whomever you can besides Allah, if you are truthful." [11:13]
"And if you all are in doubt about what I have revealed to My servant, bring a single surah like it, and call your witnesses besides Allah if you are truthful." [2:23]
It has been 1437 years since the Qur'an was revealed but NO ONE has accomplished the ultimate challenge of Allah (SWT). The Qur’an is divided into 114 chapters known as "Surah’s". 86 of these Surah’s were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in Makah and the remaining 28 Surah’s were revealed to the Prophet (SAW) in Medina.
wallahu a'lam (and Allah knows best)
Belief in the Prophets
Belief in the Prophets (Peace be upon them) of Allah (SWT) is one of the required pillars of faith. Muslims are obliged to believe in all the Prophets (Peace be upon them) because they all preached the same message and their respect is mandatory upon every Muslim. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning):"Say (O Muslims): 'We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismaa’eel (Ishmael), Ishaaq (Isaac), Ya‘qoob (Jacob), and to Al-Asbaat [the offspring of the twelve sons of Ya‘qoob (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Moosa (Moses) and ‘Isa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)'" [2:136].
Purpose of Prophet Hood
Allah (SWT) chose Prophets (Peace be upon them) from among the humans; therefore, they are not divine. Their sole purpose was to convey the true message, not to convert people into religion. He (SWT) sent them to each nation, and commanded them to call them to worship Allah (SWT) alone and to explain the ways which would bring happiness in this world and in the Hereafter, and to bring glad tidings of Paradise to those who believed and the warning of Hell to those who disbelieved (interpretation of the meaning): "And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): 'Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taaghoot (all false deities, i.e. do not worship Taaghoot besides Allah).' Then of them were some whom Allah guided and of them were some upon whom the straying was justified" [16:36].
Characteristics of the Prophets
Prophets (Peace be upon them) were chosen by Allah (SWT) to be an example to their nations. He (SWT) taught the Prophets (Peace be upon them), guided them and honored them with the His true message. He protected them from falling into sin and supported them with miracles clear message as guidance for mankind. Hence, they are the most perfect of humanity both physically and in their attitude, the best of them in knowledge, the most truthful in speech, the most exemplary in the life they lived and infallible in regard to delivering the true message of Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning):
"He said: 'O my people! see ye whether I have a Clear (Sign) from my Lord, and He hath given me sustenance (pure and) good as from Himself? I wish not, in opposition to you, to do that which I forbid you to do. I only desire (your) betterment to the best of my power; and my success (in my task) can only come from Allah. In Him I trust, and unto Him I look.'" [11:88]
"And We made them leaders, guiding (mankind) by Our Command, and We revealed to them the doing of good deeds, performing Salah (Iqaamat-as-Salah), and the giving of Zakat and of Us (Alone) they were the worshippers." [ 21:73]
"We sent aforetime our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance (of Right and Wrong), that men may stand forth in justice; and We sent down Iron, in which is (material for) mighty war, as well as many benefits for mankind, that Allah may test who it is that will help, Unseen, Him and His apostles: For Allah is Full of Strength, Exalted in Might (and able to enforce His Will)." [57:25]
Because the Prophets and Messengers reached such a high status of obedience and good character, Allah (SWT) has commanded us to take them as an example. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "They are those whom Allah had guided. So follow their guidance" [6:90]. Allah (SWT) preferred some of the Prophets and Messengers over others as Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): Those apostles We endowed with gifts, some above others: To one of them Allah spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honor) [2:253]. The best of them are the "Messengers of strong will" who are Nooh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Moosa (Moses), ‘Eesa (Jesus) and Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon them all).
Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
The best of the Messengers of strong will is Muhammad (SAW). All of the characteristics of the Prophets and Messengers were combined in our Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and Allah (SWT) honored him by instilling in him the noblest characteristics. Therefore Allah stated that his example is to be followed in all situations: "Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes for (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah much" [33:21]. As it has been mentioned before, for each Prophet was sent only to his own people, until Allah (SWT) sent Muhammad (SAW) to all of mankind. He is the last and the best of the Prophets and Messengers, as Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things" [33:40].
"And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind, but most of men know not" [34:28]
Number of Prophets
Allah (SWT) sent many Prophets and Messengers and only He (SWT) knows the exact number. There is no authentic Islamic text that proves otherwise. Twenty five of the Prophets (Peace be upon them) were named in the Qur’an. They are: Aadam, Idrees, Nooh, Hood, Salih, Ibrahim, Loot, Isma’eel, Ishaq, Ya’qoob, Yoosuf, Shu’ayb, Ayyoob, Dhu’l-Kifl, Moosa, Haaroon, Dawood, Sulayman, Ilyas, al-Yasa’, Yoonus, Zakariyya, Yahya, ‘Eesa and Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon them all).
wallahu a'lam (and Allah knows best)
Belief in Life after Death
Belief in the Hereafter is one of the six pillars of Islamic belief required of a Muslim in order to complete his faith. The Prophet (SAW) informed us about events of the Ghayb (those beyond human perception) which will occur after death. This fundamental belief is only completed when one has firm faith in his heart in all those matters about which the Prophet (SAW) informed us. Materialists refuse to believe in anything which they do not feel. Our answer to this attitude is that our inability to sense the existence of certain things does not justify our denial of the very existence of those things. Certitude through news from an authentic person is as good as the certitude by seeing and feeling. Since the honesty of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in conveying the Divine Message revealed to him has been established for us, we-believers- firmly believe in everything he (SAW) told about the unseen, including the Hereafter. Belief in the hereafter entails the following:
Belief in Events of the Grave
Muslims believe in the trial of the grave. The Arabic word for trial is 'Fitnah', which linguistically means to place gold in fire in order to remove its impurities; this word was thus later used in the sense of testing and trying. The Quranic evidence concerning this issue is in the following verse in which Almighty Allah describes the punishment of the people of Fir ‘awn (Pharaoh); He (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "The Fire: they are exposed to it morning and evening. And the Day the Hour appears [it will be said]: 'Make the people of Pharaoh enter the severest punishment'" [40:46]. Also, the Prophet (SAW) said: “The grave is either a garden from the Gardens of Paradise, or a pit from the pits of Hell" [At-Tirmithi].
Events of the Day of Judgment
After the duration of this earth is over, Allah will command Israafeel [the Angel in charge of blowing the Trumpet] to blow it. At the first blowing, all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth will fall unconscious, except those for whom Allah Wills otherwise. Then, the earth will be flattened and the mountains will be made into floating sand dunes. In short, everything will occur that Allah has informed us about in His book, especially in chapters 81 and 82 of the Noble Quran.
Then Allah will command the skies to pour rain. This rain will resemble the sperm of men. People will then be resurrected from their graves. This process will start from their vertebral column. The entire body of a person decays after his death except the lower end of the vertebral column. This process of resurrection will continue until they are transformed back into their original shape and bodies. Allah will then command Israafeel to blow the Trumpet for the second time, upon which people will rise from their graves alive. The disbelievers and the hypocrites will then be regretful and will say (interpretation of the meaning): "…Woe to us! Who has raised us up from our sleeping place?" [36:52] Whereas the believers will say (interpretation of the meaning): "…This is what the Most Merciful had promised, and the Messengers spoke the truth" [36:52]. Then angels will drive all of them naked, uncircumcised, and barefooted to the place of Hashr (Gathering).
The first one to be dressed on that Day will be Prophet Ibraaheem (SAW). At the place of Gathering, the sun will descend close to the heads of people, and their sweat will engulf them. It will be up to the ankles of some of them, up to the knees of others, up to the chests of others, and up to the necks of others. The level of their sweat will be in accordance with their deeds.
Some people on that Day will be sheltered by the shade of the Throne of Allah. When the conditions become unbearable for people, and the despair increases greatly, people will ask Allah to allow His messengers and prophets to intercede on their behalf and save them from their distress. Every messenger and prophet will direct the people to the prophet who came after him, until they come to our Prophet Muhammad (SAW). He will respond by saying that he is the appropriate person for it. He will intercede for them, which will result in the beginning of Judgment.
The Balances
The balances will then be erected, and the deeds will be weighed. These balances will be real and will have pans and needles. Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, will give the deeds of the creatures a material existence that will have weight. The good deeds will be placed in one pan and the evil deeds in the other, as Allah informs us in the Quran by Saying (interpretation of the meaning): "And We shall set up balances of justice on the Day of Resurrection, then none will be dealt with unjustly in anything. And if there be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it. And Sufficient are We to take account" [21:47].
The Records
This will be followed by the disclosure of the record of deeds. He who will receive his record in his right hand will have an easy reckoning. He will return to his family in happiness. However, he who will receive his record from behind and in his left hand will seek death on that Day, as he will be thrust into the Hellfire. He will be full of regrets on that Day and will wish that he were not handed his record or that he had not known about it. Allah Says (interpretation of the meaning): "Then as for him who is given his record in his right hand. He will be judged with an easy account. And return to his people in happiness. But as for he who is given his record behind his back. He will cry out for destruction. And [enter to] burn in a Blaze" [84:7-12].
All the events that are bound to occur after death and on the Last Day, like reward and punishment, Paradise and Hell, the Reckoning and other events are mentioned in detail in the Divine revelations and in narrations from the prophets. They are also available in the knowledge which the Prophet (SAW) has left us as his inheritance; whoever wishes to seek it will find it.
Belief in Qadr (Divine Decree)
Belief in Qadr (Divine Decree) is the sixth Islamic article of faith, which means that Allah (SWT) has decreed everything that happens in the universe according to His prior knowledge. The issue of Qadar comes from the unity in the matter of the Lordship of Allah (SWT) (Tawhid ar-Rububiyah), which means to believe that all creation, sovereignty and planning belong to Allah (SWT). When Allah (SWT) created everything He (SWT) determined when each thing would come into existence and when it would perish. He (SWT) also determined everything's qualities and their nature. Therefore, nothing happens or exists without His permission and outside of His will. To understand this better, it is the will of Allah (SWT) that He (SWT) decided to create us, humans, and everything around us and permitted us to make free choices. In other words, when we plan to do something, it is the will of Allah (SWT) that He (SWT) gave us the freedom of making free choices and wisdom but we are the ones who are deciding what we should do or choose. This is the reason why we are held accountable for our actions. Allah (SWT) says in the Qur'an (interpretation of the meaning): "Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned" [2:286]. In Islam, people are not held accountable for things which were out of their control i.e. forgetfulness and forced to do.
Four Components of Qadr
Al-'Ilm (Knowledge) - The belief that Allah (SWT) knows all things, in general and in detail, from eternity to eternity, whether that has to do with His actions or the actions of His slaves. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "Truly, nothing is hidden from God, in the earth or in the heavens" [3:5].
Kitab (Writing) - The belief that Allah (SWT) has written everything, which will happen until the day of judgment due to His knowledge, in al-Lawh al-Mahfooz (Book of Decrees, preserved in heaven). Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "Know you not that Allaah knows all that is in the heaven and on the earth? Verily, it is (all) in the Book (al-Lawh al-Mahfooz). Verily, that is easy for Allaah" [22:70].
Mash'eeah (Will) - The beliefe that nothing happens or does not happen without the will of Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning):"He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He wills" [3:5] and "and Allah does what He wills" [14:27] and "And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses" [28:68]
Al-Khalq (Creation) - The belief that Allah (SWT) created everything. Allah (SWT) says (interpretation of the meaning): "He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measurements" [25:2] and "Allaah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs, Guardian) over all things" [39:62].
Do we have free will?
Again, the belief in qadr as it has been described above does not contradict the idea of free will. We can do what we want to do and reject what we do not want to do. However, we should have the correct understanding regarding the usage of the words "free will". Will must be understood in the context that if you wish something to happen, it happens and without any external force or a thing interfering. For example, the will of Allah (SWT); He says "be and it is". On the contrary, we humans do not have such abilities. Our choices are always influenced by many things and many times things not always work the way we want. Therefore, it is only logical to conclude that we only have the freedom of making free choices and we do not have free will. However, we could not have had such ability without the will of Allah (SWT). Thus, our freedom of making choices is exercised within the absolute will of Allah (SWT), which has determined and permitted humans to make free choices of their own and it is the manifestation of Allah’s (SWT) absolute Will. Some atheists and philosophers argue that if Allah (SWT) knows exactly what will happen, right down to every choice, then it constrains one's freedom of making choices. However, their conclusions are hasty and this problem can be solved with a simple analogy. For example, if a teacher knows that one of his students is going to fail the final exam, due to his performance during whole year/term, it does not mean that teacher is forcing the student to fail or making him fail. Having knowledge about something does not mean that you are forcing it onto the other person or constraining him.
Can we do what we want to do?
"It should be noted that some of our circumstances are forced on us, and and we have no choice in it, such as the day when a person is born, the color of his skin and eyes, and when he will die. All of these are matters over which people have no control; rather they happen to them by force. Given that these are matters in which people have no choice, they do not have anything to do with Paradise or Hell, torment or blessing. But some actions are the subject of choice, such as whether to believe or disbelieve, or worldly matters such as choosing what to eat or drink, and where to live.
There is nothing of that nature which is entirely outside the will and decree of Allah. The heart of the matter is that Allah possesses the attributes of knowledge, power and will. Based on that, if people who do deeds want to do them, whether they are sins or acts of obedience, then Allah inevitably knows that, indeed He knew that in eternity past, before He even created the universe. Then after He knew it, He wrote it with Him, then when they wanted to do it, He willed that they should do so. If He did not will that, then they would not do it. He is All-Powerful, and He is the Creator of people’s deeds because He is the Creator of the human beings who do them. So all the deeds of mankind are written with Allah, because Allah has prior knowledge of them. This does not mean that Allah compels people to do what they do, rather they have freedom of choice with regard to their deeds."