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Muslim beliefs - EdexcelAl-Qadr

Muslims believe in one God, Allah, who has many characteristics. Muhammad was the final prophet of Islam, to whom God revealed the Qur鈥檃n. There are two main branches of Islam, called Sunni and 厂丑颈鈥檃.

Part of Religious StudiesIslam

Al-Qadr

is the concept that Allah knows everything and has already decided everything that will happen. This is called .

Al-Qadr is linked to the six beliefs of Islam. This is because it shows that Allah is omniscient, meaning 鈥榢nowing everything鈥, and omnipotent, meaning 鈥榟aving unlimited power.鈥 In the , speaks of predestination:

There is not one amongst you who has not been allotted his seat in Paradise or Hell. They said: Allah鈥檚 messenger, then why should we perform good deeds, why not depend upon our destiny? Thereupon he said, no, do perform good deeds, for everyone is facilitated in that for which he has been created.
Sahih Muslim 2647

Although al-Qadr is a key belief within Sunni Islam it is also important within Islam. This is because 厂丑颈鈥檃 Muslims believe that nothing can happen without the will of Allah. However, for both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims, al-Qadr does not mean that the choices people make are not free choices. Instead, it means that Allah knows what choices people are going to make before they are made.

There is evidence of al-Qadr in the Qur鈥檃n: The Lord has created and balanced all things and has fixed their destinies and guided them. (Qur鈥檃n 87:2)

The belief in is essential in Islam. This is because, for Muslims, life is a test from Allah. Therefore, all human beings must make their own decisions, and they will be judged on those decisions by Allah. On the Day of Judgement, God will reward those who have had faith and done good deeds and punish those who have not. So, God judges people on their choices, not on the destiny already decided for them. The Qur鈥檃n confirms this:

Whoever does righteousness 鈥 it is for his [own] soul; and whoever does evil [does so] against it. And your Lord is not ever unjust to [his] servants.
Qur鈥檃n 41:46

Muslims use the term 鈥榠nsha鈥橝llah鈥 frequently in conversation to express belief in al-Qadr. Insha鈥橝llah means 鈥榠f God is willing鈥 or 鈥榠f God wills it to be so鈥. For example, a Muslim might say, 鈥淣ext summer, I will get a good grade in GCSE Religious Studies and go on to study it at A Level, insha鈥橝llah.鈥

This person does not mean that they can just sit back and hope to get a good grade because it is Allah鈥檚 will. They will still need to work really hard. However, if they do not get a good grade, they will know that it is not because of their lack of effort 鈥 instead, it was not the will of Allah for them to achieve a good grade. Believing that Allah is good and merciful will give the person encouragement that there will be a different, but good, alternative future path for them.