We believe that belief in the predestination includes belief in Allah's comprehensive and all-inclusive knowledge and that He, Exalted be He, knows what is in the heavens and on earth. Our Lord says: {Do you not know that Allah knows all that is in the heaven and on earth? That is all [written] in a Record. This is indeed easy for Allah.} [Surat al-Hajj: 70] And that Allah Almighty encompasses all things in His knowledge. He, Glorified be He, says: {Allah is the One Who has created seven heavens, and likewise for the earth. The Command descends between them so that you may know that Allah is Most Capable of all things, and that Allah has encompassed everything in knowledge.} [Surat at-Talāq: 12]
And that His knowledge encompasses all things, great and small. Allah, the Exalted, says: {He alone has the keys of the unseen; no one knows them except Him. He knows what is in the land and sea. Not a leaf falls without His knowledge, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything moist or dry, but is [written] in a Clear Record.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 59] Commenting on this verse, Ibn Jarīr (may Allah have mercy upon him) said: "There is nothing that exists or that will exist except that it is recorded in the Preserved Tablet, with all details, like its form, number, amount, the time it will come into existence, and how it will come to an end. His word 'clear' means that it shows the veracity of the information contained therein in the way it was identified." [Tafsīr At-Tabari (11/403)]
Allah Almighty says: {He knows whatever goes into the earth and whatever comes out of it, and whatever descends from the heaven and whatever ascends to it, and He is the Most Merciful, All-Forgiving. Those who disbelieve say: "The Hour will not come to us." Say: "Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you." [He is] the Knower of the unseen; not even an atom’s weight is hidden from Him in the heavens or on earth, nor is there anything smaller or bigger than that, except that it is in a clear Record.} [Surat Saba’: 2-3]
‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: While I was with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), some people from Banu Tamīm came to him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Banu Tamīm, accept the good news!" They said: "You have given us the good news; now give us (something)." (After a while) some people of Yemen entered, and he said to them: "O the people of Yemen, accept the good news, as Banu Tamīm have refused it." They said: "We accept it! We have come to you to learn the religion. So, we ask you about what the beginning of this matter was." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There was Allah and nothing else before Him, and His Throne was above water, and He then created the heavens and the earth and wrote everything in the Book." Then, a man came to me and said: "O ‘Imrān, go and catch your she-camel, for it has run away!" I set out seeking it, and behold, it was beyond the mirage! By Allah, I wished that it had gone and I had not left (the gathering)." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (7418) and At-Tirmidhi (3951)]
Allah Almighty knows everything about the past, the present, and the future. He also knows what would not happen and how it would be if He wanted it to happen. For example, He Almighty states that if the hypocrites had gone forth along with the believers, they would have only increased them in disorder - and they were yet to go forth: {If they had gone forth with you, they would have only increased you in disorder, and would have scurried around, sowing discord among you, and some of you would have listened to them. And Allah is All-Knowing of the wrongdoers.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 47]
About the denizens of Hellfire, Allah, the Exalted, says: {If you could only see when they will be made to stand before the Fire, they will say: "If only we were sent back, we would not reject the verses of our Lord, and we would be among the believers." But that which they used to conceal before will become apparent to them. And even if they were sent back, they would surely return to what they were forbidden, for they are indeed liars.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 27-28] So, He Almighty mentions that if they were sent back, they would surely return to their disbelief, whereas they had not yet been made to stand before the Fire. Our Lord says: {Those who disbelieve say: "The Hour will not come to us." Say: "Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you." [He is] the Knower of the unseen; not even an atom’s weight is hidden from Him in the heavens or on earth, nor is there anything smaller or bigger than that, except that it is in a clear Record.} [Surat Saba’: 3]
We believe that Allah Almighty has written all that exists and happens in a Preserved Book. He, Exalted be He, says: {Nothing is hidden from your Lord, not even an atom’s weight on earth nor in heaven, nor anything smaller or greater than that, except that it is [written] in a clear Record.} [Surat Yūnus: 61] Allah Almighty also says: {Do you not know that Allah knows all that is in the heaven and on earth? That is all [written] in a Record. This is indeed easy for Allah.} [Surat al-Hajj: 70] In another verse, He Almighty says: {No calamity befalls the earth or yourselves but it is already written in a Record before We bring it into existence. That is indeed easy for Allah.} [Surat al-Hadīd: 22]
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Allah decreed the destinies of the creatures fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, when His Throne was upon the water." [Narrated by Muslim (2653) and At-Tirmidhi (2156)]
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also said: "The first thing Allah created was the Pen. He said to it: 'Write.' It asked: 'What should I write?' He said: 'Write the destiny of whatever happened and whatever will happen till eternity.'" [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd (4700), At-Tirmidhi (2155, 3319), At-Tayālesi (578), Ahmad (22705, 22707), and Ibn Abi ‘Āsim in As-Sunnah (115)]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When Allah completed the creation, He wrote a book with Him: 'My mercy overcame - or preceded - My anger'. It is with Him over the Throne." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (7553), Muslim (2751), At-Tirmidhi (3543), and Ibn Mājah (189)]
We believe that Allah Almighty writes whatever He wishes and erases or affirms whatever He wishes, and with Him is the Master Book. He, Exalted be He, says: {Allah eliminates what He wills or affirms it, and with Him is the Master Book.} [Surat ar-Ra‘d: 39]
We believe that nothing happens except according to Allah's predestination and decree and nothing can be averted except as He predestined and decreed. All what He predestined will surely come to pass, and what He did not predestine, none could make it happen. All creation cannot do something not predestined by our Lord or avert something predestined by Him, Exalted be He. Whatever misses a person would not have befallen him and whatever befalls him would not have missed him. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: As I was riding behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) one day, he said: "O boy, I will teach you some words: Preserve Allah and He will preserve you. Preserve Allah and you will find Him at your side. If you ask, ask of Allah, and if you seek help, seek it from Allah. Know that if the Ummah gathered together to benefit you, they would not be able to benefit you except with something Allah had written for you; and if they gathered together to harm you, they would not be able to harm you except with something Allah had written for you. The pens were lifted and the scrolls went dry." [Narrated by At-Tirmidhi (2516), Ibn Wahb in Al-Qadar (28), Ahmad (2669), and ‘Abd ibn Humayd (636)]
We believe that whatever Allah wills comes to pass and whatever He does not will does not happen, and that His will is absolute. Allah Almighty says: {Your Lord creates and chooses what He wills; they have no choice. Glorified is Allah and Exalted is He far above what they associate with Him.} [Surat al-Qasas: 68] Allah Almighty also says: {But you cannot wish except by the Will of Allah, the Lord of the worlds.} [Surat at-Takwīr: 29] His ability is overpowering. Our Lord says: {Allah is not such that something can escape Him in the heavens or on earth. He is indeed All-Knowing, Most Capable.} [Surat Fātir: 44] He Almighty also says: {If Allah had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them to their fabrications.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 112]
Nothing happens in His dominion except according to His will. He Almighty says: {If Allah had willed, those who came after them would not have fought one another after receiving clear signs. But they differed – some believed and some disbelieved. If Allah had willed, they would not have fought one another, but Allah does what He wills.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 253]
We believe that people have wills in reality, and they are subject to Allah's will. Allah Almighty says: {But you cannot will unless Allah wills. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.} [Surat al-Insān: 30] Allah Almighty also says: {For those among you who wish to take the straight path. But you cannot wish except by the Will of Allah, the Lord of the worlds.} [Surat at-Takwīr: 28-29] And He Almighty says: {Indeed, this is a reminder; so let anyone who wills may take a way to his Lord.} [Surat al-Insān: 29] In another verse, He Almighty says: {That Day is sure to come. So whoever wills may seek a path leading to his Lord.} [Surat an-Naba’: 39]
We believe that Allah Almighty guides whomever He wills by His grace and abandons whomever He wills by His justice. He is not questioned about what He does, but we are questioned. He, Exalted be He, says: {Those who reject Our verses are deaf and dumb in the depths of darkness. Whomever Allah wills, He causes to stray and whomever He wills, He leads to a straight path.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 39] And He Almighty says: {Whoever Allah wills to guide, He opens his heart to Islam; and whoever He wills to lead astray, He makes his heart tight and constricted, as if he were climbing up into the sky.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 125] He, Glorified be He, also says: {If We had willed, We could have given every soul its guidance, but My Word will be fulfilled: "I will certainly fill up Hell with jinn and men all together."} [Surat as-Sajdah: 13]
Abu Bakr al-Marūzi related: I heard Abu ‘Abdullāh - i.e. Ahmad ibn Hanbal - say: "They asked ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Mahdi about predestination and he said: 'Good and evil are predestined.'" [Al-Ibānah Al-Kubra by Ibn Battah (4/261)]
Abu Bakr ibn Abi ‘Āsim said: "You asked about the Sunnah, as to what it is. The Sunnah is a term that comprises numerous meanings related to the rulings and other things. The things agreed by the scholars to be part of the Sunnah include the following: the affirmation of predestination; the ability for doing some act should exist at the time of doing it; the belief in predestination along with its pleasant and unpleasant aspects; any good deed a person performs is due to Allah's help and any sin he commits is caused by his previous abandonment of Allah and by Allah; the blissful are those for whom bliss is already predestined and the miserable are those for whom misery is already predestined; nothing goes beyond the will of Allah Almighty; and all deeds of people, good and bad, are acts on their part, yet they are predestined by the Creator." [As-Sunnah by Ibn Abi ‘Āsim (2/645)]
We believe that Allah Almighty loves good deeds and the doers of good. He, Glorified be He, says: {But Allah has endeared faith to you and made it pleasing to your hearts, and has made disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience hateful to you. Such are the rightly guided.} [Surat al-Hujurāt: 7] He Almighty also says: {Those who obey Allah and the Messenger will be with those whom Allah has blessed: the prophets, the people of truth, the martyrs, and the righteous. What excellent companions they are!} [Surat an-Nisā’: 69] And He, Exalted be He, says: {And do good, for Allah loves those who do good.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 195] In another verse, Allah Almighty says: {Allah loves those who frequently repent and He loves those who purify themselves.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 222] And the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah likes sneezing and dislikes yawning." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (6223), Muslim (2994), Abu Dāwūd (5028), At-Tirmidhi (2746), and Ibn Mājah (968)]
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: “If Allah loves a servant, He calls upon Jibrīl and says: ‘Verily, Allah loves so-and-so; so love him.’" [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri (6040), Muslim (2637), and At-Tirmidhi (3161)]
We believe that Allah Almighty dislikes wickedness and the wicked. He, Glorified be He, says: {O you who believe, let not some men ridicule others, for it may be that they are better than them; nor let some women ridicule others, for it may be that they are better than them. Do not speak ill of one another, nor call one another by [offensive] nicknames. How evil is the name of wickedness after having faith! And whoever does not repent, it is they who are the wrongdoers.} [Surat al-Hujurāt: 11] Allah Almighty also says: {For Allah does not like transgressors.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 190] And He Almighty says: {Allah does not like corruption.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 205]
‘Uthmān al-Batti related: I visited Ibn Sirīn, and he said to me: "What do people say about predestination?" I do not know how I replied to him. Thereupon, he lifted something off the ground and said: "I would not add anything to what I am going to say like this." [Ash-Sharī‘ah by Al-Ājiri (2/887)] "Indeed, if Allah intends good for someone, He enables him to engage in things pleasing and dear to Him; but if He intends otherwise for him, He establishes the argument against him and then punishes him - not wrongfully." [Al-Qadar by Al-Faryabi (263)]
We believe that Allah Almighty does not enjoin immoral or shameful acts and does not approve of disbelief for His servants. He, Exalted be He, says: {Allah never enjoins shameful acts.} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 28] He Almighty also says: {He does not approve of disbelief for His slaves. If you are grateful, He approves that for you.} [Surat az-Zumar: 7]
We believe that Allah Almighty is the Creator of everything. He, Glorified be He, says: {Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Maintainer of everything.} [Surat az-Zumar: 62] And that He created people and created their actions. Allah, the Exalted, says: {Allah Who created you and all what you do?} [Surat as-Sāffāt: 96] And that He has no partner in the creation just as He has no partner in the dominion. Allah Almighty says: {He to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and earth, Who has never begotten a son, and has no partner in His dominion. He has created everything and measured it precisely.} [Surat al-Furqān: 2]
As an argument to His servants, He states that He alone is the Creator. He Almighty says: {It is We Who created you; will you not then believe [in resurrection]? Have you thought about the semen that you emit? Is it you who create it, or is it We Who are the Creators?} [Surat al-Wāqi‘ah: 57-59] Beside being a proof for the Resurrection, it also proves that Allah Almighty is the sole Creator.