qadar

Qadar, Arabic قدر, meaning decree or measure, is a central Islamic doctrine of divine predestination. It denotes that God has complete knowledge of all events, wills their outcomes, and has created all that occurs. The concept is often linked with qada, the actual decree, and with God’s attributes such as knowledge, power, and will.

The scope of qadar includes past, present, and future events, from the continuance of life to life’s sustenance and faults or blessings. It expresses the belief that nothing happens outside God’s preordaining plan, while human beings are still responsible for their choices.

Muslim theologians have debated the relation between divine predestination and human free will. Classical positions include Jabariyah (compulsion) and Qadariyah (free will). The predominant Sunni view, reflected in Ash’ari and Maturidi thought, holds that God creates actions and humans acquire them (kasb), so people are responsible for their deeds while God remains the source of knowledge and power behind every event.

Shia theology tends to emphasize divine knowledge and justice, with a nuanced stance on human agency that allows meaningful human choice within God’s overarching plan. Sufi thinkers often interpret qadar as a call to trust in God’s wisdom and practice patience in the face of hardship.

Practically, belief in qadar accompanies daily life and moral responsibility, and is one of the components of faith in many Islamic traditions. It is commonly cited in discussions of fate, life’s trials, and divine sovereignty within Islam.