Creed - Jabariah,Qadariah (RT 18/11/07)

Risalah Tauhid 18 Nov 2007

There’re 3 forms of creed worthy of discussion regarding God's attribute Al-Qudrah:

Qadariyyah – some people believe that whatever happens is solely an outcome of their own effort. God gave the power to man to initiate, but God has no say in the result.

This creed is rejected and deemed fasiq (defiant). How did the Qadaris come up with the idea that man determine their own destiny? The reality is that so many people live in misery, poverty, and affliction, even though almost all of them make every effort to live well.

Jabariyyah – this is the belief that whatever happens as per will of God. Men have no control over the good or bad. They are merely leaves of casuarina tree, being blown by the wind in any direction.

If this was so, there’d no use of heaven or hell-fire. There’d no need for God to send us His Messengers, Al-Quran, or the past Scriptures. This creed is totally in disagreement with religion, intelligence, and common sense. The Jabaris are judged fasiq as well.

Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama’ah – the literal meaning is that “those who follow the Messenger and the majority”. We have total conviction that men exert effort, while God determines the result. And God rewards (or punishes) men based on his effort.

This creed is the rightful one, and takes the middle ground between the 2 extremes (Qadariah and Jabariah). Rasulullah (saw) also said – from which we understand:

The best of things (position) is the middle one.

Unfortunately, many of the Muslims have become “Jabaris” without them admitting it. We can conclude this from their sayings and actions:

• If we ask a well-to-do person why hasn’t he gone on haj (pilgrimage). He would answer ” Allah hasn’t called me yet”.
• If we ask how come this man and wife are divorced. People would say “it’s written (destined) like that”.
• If we ask why this group of people are naughty, devilish, or so backwards. They answer: “that’s what God has allocated for them”.

o all these are dangerous accusations towards God. People blame God for their misery, while what we gather from what Allah says in Al-Quran Surah An-Nisaa’ ayat 78:

What goodness rewarded upon you is from Allah, and what hardship afflicted upon you is from yourself.

Notes from Ustaz Zakaria:

• Imam Al-Ghazali once said: “some people while learning/teaching suddenly influenced by syaitan”. Meaning some scholars change their intention: Originally they teach to ebb away ignorance, then they turned around to teach for material gain.
• Ulama of old it never crossed their mind to teach for the sake of living.
• Judgment whether somebody has committed sin or not is based on physical evidence.

Wallahu a'lam