Islamic Intellectual Theology

Lesson 18
Lesson Eight

Divine Justice
ALA’DL ALELAHI
Sh. Jafar Subhani – 216 – 227
Knowledge of Allah [swt] and His decree

Edited: Jan. 26, 2010 - BHD

Absolute, Eternal, and Unchangeable
Knowledge of Allah [swt]
 If God knows everything, past , present and future,
He knows whatever is going to happen in the future
absolutely.
 His knowledge is fixed and unchangeable, otherwise
he is not God. Changing knowledge necessitates that
He did not know and then He knew, i.e. He was
ignorant about some thing at some point and that is
impossible for God.
 If such is true then the He has the knowledge of our
actions as well. That means He knows what will we
do in our life, and since His knowledge is
unchangeable then we are only going to do what He
knows. This leads to the conclusion that our actions
are predestined.
Accountability on Intentions
 God knows about our actions, but this does not mean that
He imposed on us to do what ever He knows. It is opposite;
that is, we have intellect then we make our choices based
on our personalities, desires, and intentions, all what God
has advance knowledge about it. We choose the right or the
wrong and God knows in advance what our choices will be,
it is just His knowledge about what we will choose and do.
He did not make the choices for our actions for us, yet he
gave us guidance and directions to the right.
 If a smart child gives a test, his teacher knows what his
choices will be, but still makes him go through the test.
 The actions are not the cause of accountability, unless they
were associated with the intentions.
 TAJARE: Consuming alcohol thinking grape juice, or
consuming grape juice thinking alcohol.
Allah [swt] Will on our Actions is Eternal
 Was Allah’s will or eraadeh there before our action, or is that
predestined as well?
 Whatever was said about His knowledge can be said here
as well: whatever He had in is will is unchangeable in the
present and future, and is also associated with our options
and choices, therefore His will and knowledge are
associated with our choices and options. That means He
knows that we have an option as well.
 If He wants His will can intercept and go against our
intentions and choices, but in general whatever we do is
already in the knowledge and the will of Allah swt, and that
knowledge does not govern our actions but it is just the
knowledge about our actions in advance.
 God created the human soul with ability to choose, therefore
it is impossible that He takes away this ability in general.
Knowing Allah [swt] is Impossible
 Knowing the God (MA’RIFAH) is unanimously agreed upon
obligation on every human.
 But how can the limited creatures in their capacity know the
absolute creator in His eternity, infinity, and exaltation?
 Therefore such an obligation is impossible.
 Response: No one can know the self of God, but He can be
known by His attributes and names in general, without any
details of such obligation. This type of knowledge is not
impossible to know.
 And even knowing the attributes and names has degrees,
where those who reached the highest levels of MARIFAH
are Mohammad and the AAL-e-mohammad, who knew Allah
[swt] properly. And they instructed us that what ever
conceived by our brain from the attributes is for sure not
God, and He is far exalted from what ever we perceive.
Decree (QADR) and Execution (QADHAA)
 ‫القدر‬: originally from limit of a thing by measure , or amount, or
vs.alue, price, destiny
 ‫القضاء‬: originally from securing a thing, perfecting it, executing it.
Death is considered a QADHAA because it is an execution of the
command of God. Executing the Judiciary decrees are
considered QADHAA.
 QADHAA is also a serious precise decisive statement or act
 The words of Infallibles (AS) indicate : QADR: decree or
legislation, QADHAA :execution.
 There are three types of Decree and execution (QADR &
QADHAA):
 Natural (TAKWEENI); execution of Natural laws decreed by God
 Legislative (TASHREE’E); execution of legislation decreed by
God
 Command (AMR); execution of command decreed by God
 Natural (TAKWEENI)
{ ‫} َوالَّذِي َق َّد َر َف َهدَ ى‬2{ ‫الَّذِي َخلَ َق َف َسوَّ ى‬
[Shakir 87:2] Who creates, then makes complete,
And Who made (things) according to a measure, then guided (them to their goal),
QADAR is kept measures (laws) , and the Guidance (HADA)
is the QADHAA or the execution of the Natural laws of physics,
chemistry, biology, mathematics, which governs the universe.
}12{ ‫يز ْال َعل ِِيم‬ ِ ‫ك َت ْقدِي ُر ْال َع ِز‬ َ ِ‫ت … َذل‬ ٍ ‫ضاهُنَّ َسب َْع َس َم َاوا‬ َ ‫َف َق‬
[Shakir 41:12] So He ordained them seven heavens …;
that is the decree of the Mighty, the Knowing.
}19{ ‫ون‬ َ ْ‫َواألَر‬
ٍ ‫ َمدَ ْد َنا َها َوأَ ْل َق ْي َنا فِي َها َر َواسِ َي َوأَن َب ْت َنا فِي َها مِن ُك ِّل َشيْ ٍء م َّْو ُز‬n‫ض‬
[Shakir 15:19] And the earth-- We have spread it forth
and made in it firm mountains and caused to grow in it of every suitable thing.
}21{ ‫وم‬ ٍ ُ‫َوإِن مِّن َشيْ ٍء إِالَّ عِ ندَ َنا َخ َزا ِئ ُن ُه َو َما ُن َن ِّزلُ ُه إِالَّ ِب َق َد ٍر مَّعْ ل‬
[Shakir 15:21] And there is not a thing but with Us are
the treasures of it, and We do not send it down but in a known measure.
sending down is an execution (QADHAA) and QADR is measured or precise
decree which is usually governed by laws of nature and certain constants.
 Legislative (TASHREE’E)
َ‫ك ْال ِك َب َر أَ َح ُد ُه َما أَ ْو ِكالَ ُه َما َفال‬ ِ ‫ك أَالَّ َتعْ ُب ُدو ْا إِالَّ إِيَّاهُ َو ِب ْال َوالِ َدي‬
َ ‫ْن إِحْ َسا ًنا إِمَّا َي ْبلُ َغنَّ ِعن َد‬ َ ‫ضى َر ُّب‬ َ ‫َو َق‬
}23{ ‫لَّ ُه َما أُفٍّ َوالَ َت ْن َهرْ ُه َما َوقُل لَّ ُه َما َق ْوالً َك ِريمًا‬
[Shakir 17:23] And your Lord has commanded that you shall not serve
(any) but Him, and goodness to your parents. If either or both of them
reach old age with you, say not to them (so much as)
"Ugh" nor chide them, and speak to them a generous word.
}39{ ‫آخ َر َف ُت ْل َقى فِي َج َه َّن َم َملُومًا م َّْدحُورً ا‬ َ ‫ك ِم َن ْال ِح ْك َم ِة َوالَ َتجْ َع ْل َم َع هّللا ِ إِ َلهًا‬ َ ‫ك َر ُّب‬َ ‫ك ِممَّا أَ ْو َحى إِ َل ْي‬
َ ِ‫َذل‬
[Shakir 17:39] This is of what your Lord has revealed to you of wisdom,
and do not associate any other god with Allah lest you should
be thrown into hell, blamed, cast away. These are all legislative
QADHAA which the human is expected to execute.
And in the legislation QADHAA one must execute without any option.
‫ص‬ ِ ْ‫ون َل ُه ُم ْال ِخ َي َرةُ ِمنْ أَمْ ِر ِه ْم َو َمن َيع‬ َ ‫ضى هَّللا ُ َو َرسُولُ ُه أَ ْمرً ا أَن َي ُك‬ َ ‫ان لِم ُْؤ ِم ٍن َواَل م ُْؤ ِم َن ٍة إِ َذا َق‬ َ ‫َو َما َك‬
‫ضاَل اًل م ُِّبي ًنا‬
َ ‫ض َّل‬َ ‫هَّللا َ َو َرسُو َل ُه َف َق ْد‬
[Shakir 33:36]
Legislative (TASHREE’E)-2
 When the legislative command is executed it is called QADHAA:
1. SALAAT:}103{ ‫مَّوقُو ًتا‬
ْ ‫ َتابًا‬n‫لم ُْؤ ِمنِ َين ِك‬nn‫ا‬ َ ‫لص‬nn‫ َّنا‬nِ‫ ْاذ ُكرُو ْا هّللا َ …إ‬nnn‫َّال َة َف‬
ْ ‫ا َن ْت َع َلى‬n‫َّال َة َك‬ َ nn‫ ِإ َذا َق‬nnn‫َف‬
َ ‫لص‬nn‫ ا‬n‫ض ْي ُت ُم‬
 [Shakir 4:103] Then when you have finished the prayer, …;
surely prayer is a timed ordinance for the believers.

2. HAJJ:}200{ n‫ مَّ َناسِ َك ُك ْم‬n‫ض ْي ُتم‬ َ nn‫ ِإ َذا َق‬nnn‫َف‬

 [Shakir 2:200] So when you have performed your devotions, (HAJJ)

3. JUSTICE:
‫ُوك ِفي َما َش َج َر َب ْي َن ُه ْم ُث َّم الَ َي ِج ُدو ْا ِفي‬
َ ‫ون َح َّت َى ي َُح ِّكم‬ َ ‫ِّك الَ ي ُْؤ ِم ُن‬
َ ‫َفالَ َو َرب‬ 
}65{ ‫ْت َوي َُسلِّمُو ْا َتسْ لِيمًا‬ َ ‫ضي‬ َ ‫أَنفُ ِس ِه ْم َح َرجً ا ِّممَّا َق‬
 [Shakir 4:65] But no! by your Lord! they do not believe (in reality)
until they make you a judge of that which has become a matter of
disagreement among them, and then do not find any straightness
in their hearts as to what you have decided and submit with entire
submission.
Command (AMR)
ُ‫ضى أَمْ راً َفإِ َّن َما َيقُو ُل َل ُه ُكن َف َي ُكون‬ ِ ْ‫ت َواألَر‬
َ ‫ض َوإِ َذا َق‬ ِ ‫َبدِي ُع ال َّس َم َاوا‬
[Shakir 2:117] Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth,
and when He decrees an affair, He only says to it, Be, so there it is.

ُ ‫ت َربِّ أَ َّنى َي ُكونُ لِي َولَ ٌد َو َل ْم َي ْم َسسْ نِي َب َش ٌر َقا َل َك َذلِكِ هّللا‬ ْ َ‫َقال‬
ُ‫ضى أَمْ رً ا َفإِ َّن َما َيقُو ُل لَ ُه ُكن َف َي ُكون‬ َ ‫َي ْخلُ ُق َما َي َشاء إِ َذا َق‬
[Shakir 3:47] She said: My Lord! when shall there be a son (born) to I me,
and man has not touched me? He said: Even so, Allah creates what He pleases;
when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is.
ُ‫إِ َّن َما أَمْ ُرهُ إِ َذا أَ َرادَ َش ْي ًئا أَنْ َيقُو َل لَ ُه ُكنْ َف َي ُكون‬
[Shakir 36:82] His command, when He intends anything,
is only to say to it: Be, so it is.
{ ً‫مْر َربِّي َو َما أُوتِي ُتم مِّن ْالع ِْل ِم إِالَّ َقلِيال‬ َ
ِ ‫وح قُ ِل الرُّ و ُح ِمنْ أ‬ َ ‫َو َيسْ أَلُو َن‬
ِ ُّ‫ك َع ِن الر‬
[Shakir 17:85] And they ask you about the soul.
Say: The soul is one of the commands of my Lord,
and you are not given aught of knowledge but a little.
Khlaq vs. Amr
‫إِ َّنا ُك َّل َشيْ ٍء َخ َل ْق َناهُ ِب َقد ٍَر‬
[Shakir 54:49] Surely We have created
everything according to a measure.
‫ص ِر‬َ ‫مْح ِب ْال َب‬ َ
‫ل‬ َ
‫ك‬ ٌ ‫ة‬ َ‫د‬ ‫ح‬
ِ ‫ا‬‫و‬َ ‫اَّل‬ِ ‫إ‬ ‫ا‬ َ
‫ن‬ ‫ر‬
ُ ْ‫م‬َ‫َو َما أ‬
ٍ
[Shakir 54:50] And Our command is but one,
as the twinkling of an eye. When the AMR
predominates then it
surpasses the QADR in the KHALQ –the
measures and calculations)
and overrules and overrides it.
The death is from AMR, this will be discussed in
MEAAD later.