How is there a fixed destiny if we have free will?

Question

Well, as far as I am concerned we have a fixed destiny. But I also know that it can be changed by dua. But if one doesn't make any dua then? I suppose it will remain unchanged. If so then where id our free will. Then will do what we were ment to do. But then there will be no free will. So, please can anyone help me by telling how these two lines up?

Answer 1

This is a problem of defining "fate". Rather than considering it as a "fixed destiny", it should be defined as a meaning of God's knowledge. Like everything else God has, that kind of "knowledge" is also infinite. When you compare finite abilities of us with infinite powers of him in any meaning, you should be careful that this can only be an "extent" to understand the infinity, and we cannot compare at all.

Consider His power of "seeing", he can see everything, not as little as we can. Or consider His power of "hearing", he can hear everything, not as little as we can.

Like these and more, consider His power of "knowledge"; it is also infinite. It is not bordered with "time". There is no past or future for Him and also for his knowledge. So, "future" is fixed for Him, but not for us.

Answer 2

Assalamualaikum,

Narrated Abdullah (Radi Allahu T'ala Anhu): Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), the truthful and truly-inspired said, "Each one of you collected in the womb of his mother for forty days, and then turns into a clot for an equal period (of forty days) and turns into a piece of flesh for a similar period (of forty days) and then Allah sends an angel and orders him to write four things, i.e. his provision, his age, and whether he will be of the wretched or the blessed (in the Hereafter). Then the soul is breathed into him. And by Allah, a person among you (or a man) may do deeds of the people of the Fire till there is only a cubit or an arm - breadth distance between him and the Fire, but then that writing (which Allah has ordered the angel to write) precedes, and he does the deeds of the people of Paradise and enters it; and a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise till there is only a cubit or two between him and Paradise, and then that writing precedes and he does the deeds of the people of the Fire and enters it."

Ref - Sahih Bukhari (English), Volume 08, Chapter 77-Divine Will (Qadar), Hadith 593.

When i first read this hadith, i also thought to myself that if its all pre-written then what role can my good deeds play... and then i was guided to the below mentioned hadith:

All reported : We were in a funeral in the graveyard of Gharqad that Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) came to us and we sat around him. He had a stick with him. He lowered his head and began to scratch the earth with his stick, and then said, "There is not one amongst you whom a scat in Paradise or Hell has not been allotted and about whom it has not been written down whether he would be an evil person or a blessed person." A person said, "Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), should we not then depend upon our destiny and abandon our deeds?" Thereupon Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, "Acts of everyone will be facilitated in, that which has been created for him so that whoever belongs to the company of the blessed will have good works made easier for him. And whoever belongs to the unfortunate ones will have evil acts made easier for him." He then recited this verse (from the Qur'an): "Then, who gives to the needy and guards against evil and accepts the excellent (the truth of Islam and the path of righteousness it prescribes), We shall make easy for him the easy end and who is miserly and considers himself above need, We shall make easy for him the difficult end" (XCii 5-10)

Ref - Sahih Muslim, Book of Destiny, Hadith 6398.

So dear brother, Islam is all about putting your trust in Allah. Praying to Him consistently and believing that He will definitely guide and make us amongst the right ones, In Shaa Allah...Though everything is pre-decided, except for the freedom of choice that has been given to us..This is what 'putting your Belief in Allah' is all about. As long as you pray 5 times, do charity, fast and think about Hajj, In Shaa Allah you are on the right track.. Because Remember, Allah facilitates good deeds for the people of Jannah... Keep faith in and practice the 5 pillars of Islam and make dua continuously..Believe in him if he is facilitating the good things and making you regret or repent for the bad deeds...

And if this doesn't solve your query yet, please refer to the below hadith:

Abu Huraira (Radi Allahu T'ala Anhu) reported Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) as saying, "A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don't say :'If I had not done that it would not have happened so and so,' but say: 'Allah did that what He has ordained to do' and your 'If' opens the (gate) for the Satan."

Hadith 6441.

Hope that clears some doubt for you, because it definitely cleared mine...

And Allah knows best.

May Allah guide us all to the right path, Aameen...

Answer 3

Initially I should utter that you inquired a very significant question which could be considered as the inquiry of many people. It is true that our destiny is fixed, but don’t forget that we can change some of them by Dua (prayer) and our practices as free will. In truth, some destinies are fixed that cannot be change and even our practices or even Dua cannot change them.

But it could be surveyed from another angle. Actually you should notice that some fates could be changed. For instance you can change some of your fates, and in truth they could be changed that there are many traditions from the prophet and Imams, otherwise they wouldn't emphasis…

e.g. Imam Sadiq (a.s.) said:

مَن سَرَّهُ أن يُستَجابَ لَهُ فِي الشِّدَّةِ فَليُكثِرِ الدُّعاءَ فِي الرَّخاءِ.

Whoever likes his prayers be answered during hardship ought to pray amply at the times of comfort.

کافی(ط-الاسلامیه) ج 2 ، ص 472 ، ح 4

Let’s see an example to make the issue clearer. For instance regularly your father gives you 100 Dinar per month (as a fixed destiny), but on the other hand you can change it by your behavior. E.g. if your behavior be bad, perhaps he doesn't give you it anymore or at least decreases it, or if you make your behavior better than before (or if you ask him to give you more), perhaps he accept…

Thus it shows that we can change our fixed issues as well. (of course don’t forget that occasionally we cannot escape from some fixed destiny as well, hence you ought to consider both cases). Therefore it shows that we can change our fate (not always).

Source:

http://www.aviny.com/hadis-mozooee/ebadi/doa.aspx