Divine Decree, Will, Human Choice and Justice

1. The appointed measure of every created thing

وَقَدَّرَ لَهُمْ أَقْدَارًا
Allah appointed the measures and destinies of created beings.

The origin, qualities, and circumstances of every creature accord with Allah’s knowledge and the measure He has appointed. A creature’s form, sustenance, and other conditions do not emerge independently of Him.

Taqdīr here denotes the divine appointment and determination of these matters.

2. The Qur’anic evidence for divine measure

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَاهُ بِقَدَرٍ
Indeed, We have created everything according to a measure. (Al-Qamar 54:49)

The verse affirms an appointed measure for everything. The conditions of creation are therefore not independent of the Creator or merely uncontrolled accidents.

Allah knew the creatures before their existence and appointed their measures and conditions.

3. The attributes of creatures are also measured

The visible and inward characteristics of human beings are also subject to divine measure. Bodily form, complexion, strength, capacity, and provision are granted according to each creature’s condition.

Example: Two people may differ in appearance, ability, provision, and circumstances; these differences do not escape Allah’s knowledge and decree.

Variation among creatures implies no deficiency in the Creator’s knowledge or power.

4. Every creature has an appointed term

وَضَرَبَ لَهُمْ آجَالًا
Allah also appointed their terms.

Ajal is an appointed term or period whose completion is determined by Allah. Each creature enters existence and reaches its appointed stages according to that decree.

No creature possesses independent power to move the divinely appointed term beyond Allah’s decision.

5. The appointed term cannot be postponed or advanced

لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ إِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَلَا يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
Every community has an appointed term; when it arrives, they cannot delay it by an hour or bring it forward. (Yūnus 10:49)

The expression an hour emphasizes the certainty of the ordained term. Creatures cannot independently alter a term determined by Allah.

6. Allah’s knowledge precedes all deeds

وَلَمْ يَخْفَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ مِنْ أَفْعَالِهِمْ قَبْلَ أَنْ خَلَقَهُمْ
Before creating them, none of their actions was hidden from Allah.

Divine knowledge is not acquired after a creature performs an act. Actions that occur in time are already known to Allah before they happen.

Ignorance followed by discovery does not apply to His knowledge.

7. All future deeds are known to Allah

وَعَلِمَ مَا هُمْ عَامِلُونَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَهُمْ
Allah knew what they would do before He created them.

Neither good deeds nor acts of disobedience are concealed from Him. However, knowing an act beforehand and a servant choosing to perform it are distinct matters.

Divine knowledge is perfect, while the servant’s responsibility for action remains.

8. The command to obey and prohibition of sin

وَأَمَرَهُمْ بِطَاعَتِهِ وَنَهَاهُمْ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِهِ
He commanded them to obey Him and forbade them from disobeying Him.

A command (amr) directs a person toward an act or statement, while a prohibition (nahy) directs one away from an act or statement.

The servant who receives these commands and prohibitions remains responsible for responding to them.

9. Commands and prohibitions

Awāmir are commands directing the performance of required acts and words; nawāhī are prohibitions of forbidden acts and words.

Maʿrūf refers to good actions one is directed toward; munkar refers to wrong actions from which one is restrained.

Example: Worship and righteous conduct belong to obedience, while refraining from oppression and disobedience fulfills prohibitions.

10. Choosing between good and evil

Allah has granted human beings the capacity to choose between good and evil. The servant is commanded to adopt good and avoid evil.

Choosing righteous deeds constitutes obedience; deliberately choosing what Allah forbids constitutes disobedience. Accountability is connected to the servant’s decisions.

Possessing choice does not make a servant independent of Allah’s will.

11. Everything takes place by decree and will

وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ يَجْرِي بِتَقْدِيرِهِ وَمَشِيئَتِهِ
Everything occurs according to Allah’s decree and will.

Decree (taqdīr) concerns what Allah determines, and will (mashīʾah) concerns what He wills. No act takes place independently of that divine will or beyond His power.

Human actions fall within this general truth, though people carry them out through their granted choice.

12. The divine will is effective

وَمَشِيئَتُهُ تَنْفُذُ
His will is carried out.

What Allah wills to occur takes place at its appointed time. No creaturely desire or power can render His will ineffective.

The effectiveness of divine will means that no separate, independent will can prevail over Allah’s power.

13. Human willing within the divine will

لَا مَشِيئَةَ لِلْعِبَادِ إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ لَهُمْ
Servants have no will except what Allah has willed for them.

A human being can intend and choose good or evil, but this capacity is not self-created or independent of God. Allah has granted it.

Human choice is real, yet remains within the divine will.

14. What Allah wills comes to pass

فَمَا شَاءَ لَهُمْ كَانَ وَمَا لَمْ يَشَأْ لَمْ يَكُنْ
Whatever Allah wills for them occurs, and whatever He does not will does not occur.

وَمَا تَشَاؤُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ
You cannot will unless Allah, the Lord of the worlds, wills. (At-Takwīr 81:29)

This does not negate human choice; it establishes that the capacity for choice is granted by Allah.

15. How can sin occur when choice is granted by Allah?

Question: If the servant’s will is subject to Allah’s will, how can the servant disobey? What accounts for a wrongful act when the ability to choose is divinely granted?

Answer: Allah has given His servants choice between good and evil. Using that capacity for righteousness is obedience; employing it for wrongdoing is disobedience.

The ability to choose is Allah’s gift; responsibility for choosing to disobey belongs to the servant.

16. The difference between willing and approving

Willing (mashīʾah) and approval (riḍā) are not the same. Allah has granted His servants choice, but He approves of good and does not approve disbelief and disobedience.

وَلَا يَرْضَى لِعِبَادِهِ الْكُفْرَ
He does not approve disbelief for His servants. (Az-Zumar 39:7)

That a sinful act occurs within the divine will does not mean Allah is pleased with that sin.

17. Divine favor: guidance and protection

يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَعْصِمُ وَيُعَافِي فَضْلًا
Allah guides, protects, and grants well-being to whom He wills, out of His favor.

Guidance is being directed to the right path, protection is preservation from wrongdoing, and well-being includes safety from harm.

These blessings proceed from divine favor; the servant possesses none of them independently.

18. Divine justice: abandonment and trial

وَيُضِلُّ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيَخْذُلُ وَيَبْتَلِي عَدْلًا
Allah allows whom He wills to go astray, withholds support, and tests, in justice.

Khidhlān refers to being deprived of enabling help, whereas ibtilāʾ refers to trial and testing.

No divine judgment is founded upon injustice; Allah acts in wisdom and justice.

19. Human actions between favor and justice

When a servant does good, the enabling help and favor come from Allah. When a servant disobeys, the gift of choice is used contrary to His command.

Allah’s will encompasses the occurrence of both kinds of acts, but His approval concerns obedience, not sin.

Justice relates to accountability, while favor brings guidance, protection, and other blessings.

20. All servants remain between divine favor and justice

وَكُلُّهُمْ يَتَقَلَّبُونَ فِي مَشِيئَتِهِ بَيْنَ فَضْلِهِ وَعَدْلِهِ
All of them move under His will between His favor and His justice.

Servants encounter manifestations of favor and decisions governed by justice. None of these events is outside Allah’s will.

Gratitude for goodness and avoidance of disobedience are obligations that remain upon the servant.

21. Allah has no opposite

وَهُوَ مُتَعَالٍ عَنِ الْأَضْدَادِ وَالْأَنْدَادِ
Allah is exalted above opposites and equals.

An opposite is one that can confront another, while a peer or equal suggests comparable status. Rivalry among creatures involves some degree of comparable power.

No creature resembles Allah’s essence, power, or attributes, so He has no true rival or equal.

22. No equal, no partner

وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
And none is equal to Him. (Al-Ikhlāṣ 112:4)

Kufuw denotes an equal or comparable peer. No creature can possess such parity with Allah in His essence or attributes.

Creaturely resistance therefore never becomes an independent power comparable to Allah’s will.

23. No one can overturn the divine decree

لَا رَادَّ لِقَضَائِهِ
No one can repel His decree.

Qaḍāʾ here concerns Allah’s decision and judgment. No creature possesses the ability to nullify His settled decree through an independent force.

Allah’s power is absolute and all created beings remain subject to His decision.

24. No one can revise His judgment

وَلَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ
No one can reverse His judgment.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَحْكُمُ لَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ وَهُوَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ
Allah judges; none can revise His judgment, and He is swift in reckoning. (Ar-Raʿd 13:41)

His decision cannot be superseded by any outside authority.

25. No one can prevail over His command

وَلَا غَالِبَ لِأَمْرِهِ
No one can overcome His command.

None can reject His decree, alter His judgment on independent authority, or prevent the carrying out of His command.

The three negations—repelling the decree, reversing the judgment, and overcoming the command—affirm complete divine power.

26. The opening and withholding of mercy belong to Allah

مَا يَفْتَحِ اللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ رَحْمَةٍ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ
Whatever mercy Allah opens to people, none can withhold; and whatever He withholds, none can release after Him. (Fāṭir 35:2)

The verse shows that decisions, gifts, and their effect remain under Allah’s ultimate authority.

27. Decree, human choice and divine judgment

Decree includes the appointed conditions and terms of creatures, while divine knowledge encompasses all their actions beforehand.

Choice is granted by Allah, and human beings remain accountable for using it for good or evil. Divine will encompasses all events, while divine approval is not attached to sin.

All matters of favor and justice belong to the One whose decree no creature can reject or overcome.