Book 82: Divine Will Al Qadar
Overview
Sahih al-Bukhari's Book of Divine Will (Al-Qadar) provides a foundational and highly deterministic framework for Islamic theology regarding human agency and divine sovereignty. The text systematically argues that every aspect of human existence—including lifespan, sustenance, moral actions, and ultimate eternal destiny (Paradise or Hell)—is pre-written by an angel while the fetus is in the womb. A central and recurring theme is the absolute, inescapable nature of this decree. The text explicitly addresses the paradox of human effort versus divine determinism; when the companions ask why they should bother doing good deeds if their fate is already sealed, Muhammad instructs them to 'carry on and do your deeds,' explaining that Allah makes it easy for each person to perform the deeds that lead to their predestined end. Crucially, the text introduces a profound theological tension regarding the end of a person's life. It asserts that a person may live a righteous life, doing the deeds of the people of Paradise until they are only a 'cubit' away from it, but if their pre-written destiny is Hell, the decree will overtake them, they will commit evil deeds, and they will be damned. Conversely, a wicked person may be saved at the last moment if their decree dictates it. Furthermore, the text attributes the inevitability of sin directly to Allah's decree, explicitly stating that Allah has written an 'inevitable share of adultery' for humans, and portraying Adam as successfully defending his original sin by arguing that Allah had decreed it forty years before his creation. For believers, this doctrine cultivates a posture of absolute submission and reliance on Allah, but it simultaneously strips away any possibility of the assurance of salvation, as one's lifelong piety can be overturned by a pre-written decree in their final moments.
Key Figures
- Muhammad (Prophet) - The central authoritative figure delivering the revelations and explanations regarding divine will and predestination.
- Allah - The sovereign God whose absolute, deterministic will and pre-written decrees govern all human actions, sins, and eternal destinies.
- The Angel of the Womb - The divine messenger tasked with breathing the soul into the fetus and writing down its provision, age, and eternal destiny.
- Adam - The first man, who in this text successfully defends his expulsion from Paradise by blaming it on Allah's pre-written decree.
- Moses - The prophet who argues with Adam about the fall of mankind, but is 'confuted' by Adam's appeal to divine determinism.
- Abu Huraira, Ibn Abbas, Abdullah, Anas bin Malik - Prominent companions of Muhammad who narrate these traditions, serving as the epistemological chain of transmission.
Doctrines Analyzed
Key theological claims identified in this text:
Absolute Determinism (Al-Qadar)
Assertion
Every person's lifespan, provision, and eternal destiny (blessed or wretched) is irrevocably written by an angel while they are in the womb, and this written decree will ultimately override any contrary human actions.
Evidence from Text
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.
Evangelical Comparison
In this Hadith, Islamic predestination (Al-Qadar) is presented as a strict, fatalistic determinism. A person's ultimate destination is fixed, and the text explicitly warns that a lifetime of righteous living can be suddenly overturned at the very end of life simply because the 'writing precedes.' This creates a theological framework where human actions are ultimately subordinate to an arbitrary, pre-written script that can contradict a person's lifelong character. In contrast, Evangelical Christianity holds to the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints (or eternal security). Philippians 1:6 states, 'And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.' Evangelical theology teaches that God's predestination is unto adoption and salvation (Ephesians 1:4-5), and that those whom God justifies, He also glorifies (Romans 8:30). A true believer in Christ will not be suddenly overtaken by a decree of damnation in their final moments; rather, God's grace preserves them. The Islamic view severs the organic connection between a transformed heart and final salvation, replacing it with a hidden decree that induces fear.
Divine Authorship of Sin
Assertion
Allah actively writes and decrees the specific sins that humans will commit, making those sins inevitable, and humans can legitimately point to this decree as the ultimate cause of their sin.
Evidence from Text
Allah has written for the son of Adam his inevitable share of adultery whether he is aware of it or not... [Adam said] 'Do you blame me for action which Allah had written in my fate forty years before my creation?' So Adam confuted Moses...
Evangelical Comparison
This text presents a profound divergence from biblical Theology Proper. It explicitly states that Allah writes an 'inevitable share of adultery' for humans and portrays Adam as winning a theological debate against Moses by blaming his original sin on Allah's pre-written decree. Muhammad affirms Adam's defense, stating 'Adam confuted Moses.' This indicates that in Islamic theology, Allah is the direct, active author of moral evil, and the divine decree can be used as a valid defense for committing sin. Evangelical Christianity vehemently rejects this. James 1:13-14 is explicit: 'Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.' While Evangelicals believe God sovereignly permits sin and can use it for His ultimate glory (as in the crucifixion of Christ, Acts 4:27-28), God is perfectly holy (1 John 1:5) and never the culpable author of evil. Blaming God for one's sin, as Adam does in this Hadith, is viewed in the biblical narrative as the very essence of fallen human deflection (Genesis 3:12), not a victorious theological argument.
Fitrah (Innate Islamic Faith)
Assertion
Every human being is born inherently possessing the Islamic faith, and it is only external corruption by parents that turns them into Jews or Christians.
Evidence from Text
No child is born but has the Islamic Faith, but its parents turn it into a Jew or a Christian.
Evangelical Comparison
The doctrine of Fitrah asserts that the natural, default state of the human soul at birth is submission to Allah (Islam). The text compares this to animals being born whole before being mutilated by humans, implying that Judaism and Christianity are unnatural mutilations of the pure human soul. Therefore, salvation in Islam is often viewed as a return to one's natural state through guidance and law. Evangelical Christianity teaches the doctrine of Original Sin and Total Depravity. Based on passages like Psalm 51:5 ('Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me') and Romans 5:12 ('sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin'), Evangelicals believe humans are born spiritually dead and alienated from God. We do not need merely to be 'reminded' of our natural state; we need to be entirely regenerated—born again (John 3:3)—and given a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26) because our natural state is one of rebellion, not submission.
Final Actions Determine Destiny
Assertion
A person's eternal reward or punishment is ultimately decided by the very last deeds they perform before death, which align with their pre-written fate.
Evidence from Text
verily, (the rewards of) the deeds are decided by the last actions (deeds)
Evangelical Comparison
In this text, a brave Muslim fighter who fought valiantly for Islam is declared to be of the Fire because, due to the pain of his wounds, he commits suicide at the very end of his life. Muhammad uses this to establish the rule that 'deeds are decided by the last actions.' This places an immense weight on the final moments of life, suggesting that a single grave sin at the hour of death can negate a lifetime of faithful service. Evangelical soteriology is rooted in Justification by Faith Alone (Sola Fide). When a person believes in Christ, they are definitively justified—declared righteous—based on the imputed righteousness of Christ, not their own deeds (Romans 4:5, 2 Corinthians 5:21). Because Christ's sacrifice was 'once for all' (Hebrews 10:10), the believer's standing before God is secure. While suicide is a tragic and grievous sin, Evangelical theology generally holds that it cannot separate a true believer from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39) or undo the finished work of Christ on their behalf. Salvation rests on Christ's final action ('It is finished,' John 19:30), not the believer's final action.
Comparative Analysis
Theological Gap (Summary)
The text teaches a fatalistic determinism where God actively authors sin and arbitrarily decrees salvation or damnation, overriding human agency at the end of life. Evangelicalism teaches that God is sovereign but not the author of sin, and that salvation is securely guaranteed by faith in Christ's finished work.
Theological Gap (Explained)
The theological gap between this Hadith and Evangelical Christianity centers on the doctrines of Theology Proper (the nature of God), Soteriology (salvation), and Hamartiology (sin). In this text, Allah's sovereignty is expressed as an absolute, fatalistic determinism. Allah does not merely foresee the future; he actively writes the script, including the specific sins a person will commit (e.g., the 'inevitable share of adultery'). This makes Allah the direct author of moral evil, a concept that Evangelicalism considers blasphemous, as the Bible reveals God as perfectly holy, tempting no one to sin (James 1:13). Furthermore, the text destroys the possibility of the assurance of salvation. Because a person's eternal destiny is tied to a hidden decree that manifests in their 'last actions,' a Muslim can live a lifetime of devout piety but be damned because the 'writing precedes' and they commit a sin in their final moments. This violates the Evangelical pillar of Sola Fide and the doctrine of eternal security. In the biblical framework, justification is a definitive legal declaration made the moment a person believes in Christ (Romans 5:1). The believer's security rests not on their ability to maintain perfect actions until their dying breath, but on the perfect, finished, 'once for all' sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:10-14).
For All Ages
Imagine you are playing a very long game, and the rules say if you play well, you win. But in this text, the creator of the game already wrote down a secret note before you were born saying whether you will win or lose. Even if you play perfectly your whole life, right at the very end, if the secret note says you lose, you will suddenly be forced to make a mistake and lose the game. It makes people very scared because they never know what the secret note says. In the Bible, God promises that if you trust in Jesus, you are already on the winning team. Jesus played the game perfectly for us, and God promises He will help us finish safely. God doesn't write secret notes to make us do bad things.
Friction Points
Sola Fide (Justification by Faith Alone)
The text asserts that eternal destiny is decided by the 'last actions (deeds)' a person performs, making salvation dependent on human performance at the hour of death rather than faith in a finished atonement.
Theology Proper (Holiness of God)
The text claims Allah writes an 'inevitable share of adultery' for humans and that Adam's sin was decreed 40 years before his creation, making God the active author of sin.
Assurance of Salvation
The text explicitly teaches that a righteous person can be overtaken by a bad decree at the end of their life and go to Hell, destroying any biblical assurance of salvation (1 John 5:13).
Original Sin / Total Depravity
The text claims children are born in a pure state of Islamic faith (Fitrah) and are only corrupted by their parents, denying the biblical doctrine of inherited sinful nature.
Semantic Warnings
Terms that have different meanings between traditions:
"Predestination / Divine Will (Al-Qadar)"
In This Text
A fatalistic determinism where God actively decrees and causes every specific human action, including moral evils and sins, making them inevitable.
In Evangelicalism
God's sovereign election of believers unto salvation and His providential governance of the world, which perfectly incorporates and permits human free agency without making God the author of sin (Compatibilism).
"Salvation / Paradise"
In This Text
Attained by a combination of Allah's arbitrary pre-written decree and the individual's final deeds aligning with that decree.
In Evangelicalism
A free gift of grace received through faith alone in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ.
Soteriology (Salvation)
Salvation Defined: Entering Paradise and escaping the Fire in the Hereafter.
How Attained: Salvation is attained if Allah has pre-written the individual as 'blessed' in the womb, which will inevitably manifest in the person performing the deeds of the people of Paradise at the very end of their life.
Basis of Assurance: There is absolutely no basis for assurance in this text. In fact, the text is designed to strip away assurance, warning that even a lifelong righteous person might be a 'cubit' away from Paradise before their dark fate overtakes them.
Comparison to Sola Fide: This text stands in stark opposition to Sola Fide. While it requires belief, it ultimately hinges salvation on the 'last actions' (deeds) and an arbitrary divine decree. Romans 8:1 declares, 'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.' Evangelical assurance is based on Christ's perfect work; Islamic hope is based on surviving one's own final moments without the decree turning against them.
Mandates & Requirements
Explicit Commands
- Carry on and do your deeds (do not use predestination as an excuse for inaction).
- Do not exert yourselves by raising voices too loudly in prayer, for Allah is near.
- Take refuge with Allah from severe calamities, evil end, bad fate, and malicious joy of enemies.
- Announce in public that none will enter Paradise but a believer.
- Leave Ibn Saiyad alone (do not kill him).
- Be patient and look for Allah's reward when facing the death of a child.
- Remain in a town afflicted by plague, have patience, and hope for Allah's reward.
Implicit Obligations
- Accept all tragedies, deaths, and circumstances as the direct, unalterable will of Allah.
- Maintain a constant state of fear/reverence regarding one's final end, knowing fate can change at the last moment.
- Avoid vowing, as it does not change fate and is seen as a characteristic of a miser.
- Avoid coitus interruptus, as it cannot prevent a soul Allah has decreed to exist.
Ritual Requirements
- Raising voices with Takbir (saying Allahu Akbar) when going up a hill or reaching a peak.
- Reciting 'La haula wala quwata illa billah' (There is neither might nor power except with Allah).
- Reciting specific prayers after the formal prayer (Salat), acknowledging Allah's absolute control over giving and withholding.
Evangelism Toolkit
Practical tools for engagement and dialogue:
Discovery Questions
Open-ended questions to promote reflection:
- When you read the Hadith about a person doing good deeds their whole life, only to have their written fate overtake them at the last cubit, how does that make you feel about your own standing before Allah?
- If Allah has already written an 'inevitable share of adultery' for a person, how can that person be held morally responsible for committing it?
- In the story of Adam and Moses, Adam blames his sin on Allah's decree. Do you think it is right for us to blame God when we sin?
- If deeds are judged by our very last actions, how can anyone ever have peace or assurance before they die?
Redemptive Analogies
Bridges from this text to the Gospel:
Taking refuge from an 'evil end' and a 'bad fate'
The deep human longing to be saved from an 'evil end' is perfectly answered in the Gospel. While Islam leaves the believer in suspense until death, Jesus Christ is the ultimate refuge who guarantees a good end for all who trust in Him. He took our 'bad fate' (the wrath of God) on the cross so we could have His righteous fate.
Spiritual Weight
Burdens this text places on adherents:
The believer is placed under immense psychological torture, knowing that decades of faithful prayer, fasting, and charity could be rendered entirely void by a pre-written decree that forces them to commit a damning sin in their final days. This breeds a paralyzing fear of the future and death.
Because 'deeds are decided by the last actions,' the believer must maintain a flawless performance right up to the moment of death, creating a works-righteousness treadmill that can never be stepped off.
The believer must simultaneously try their hardest to do good deeds while believing that their ultimate success or failure was already locked in before they were born, and that even their sins were authored by God. This creates profound cognitive dissonance regarding moral responsibility.