Kadr

Kadr, also transliterated as qadr or qadar, is a term that appears in several languages of the Middle East and South Asia. It derives from the Arabic root qadara, associated with value, worth, amount, and power, and it has come to carry related senses in different contexts. The word is written and pronounced differently in various languages, yielding forms such as kadr, qadr, qadar, and kadir.

In Arabic, qadr primarily conveys value, importance, or magnitude. In religious contexts, it is also used to refer to divine decree or fate. In Islam, the concept of qadar concerns God's foreknowledge and control over all events; it is a central topic in discussions of predestination, free will, and theological determinism.

In Persian, Turkish, Urdu, and related languages, kadr most commonly means value, esteem, or importance—one’s worth or the significance of something. In Turkish literature and poetry, phrases such as kadri ilahi appear to denote the will or decree of God.

Variants and transliterations reflect regional scripts and pronunciation, but the core ideas connect to worth, magnitude, and fate. The term is used in everyday language to express value or respect, and it also appears in literary and theological discussions across the Arabic-speaking and wider Muslim world.