Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Qamar Verse 49

Verily, We have created all things with Qadar (Divine Preordainments of all things before their creation, as written in the Book of Decrees Al-Lauh Al-Mahfuz).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

Surely the guilty are in error and distress.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely We have created everything according to a measure.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! We have created every thing by measure.

Muhammad Sarwar

We have created everything to fulfill a certain purpose.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Indeed, We have created all things according to a measure.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.

Wahiduddin Khan

We have created everything in due measure;

Talal Itani

Everything We created is precisely measured.

Truly everything (read inna kulla shay'in is [in the accusative as a] dependent clause because of a verb governing it) have We created in a measure, by ordainment (bi-qadarin, `in a measure', is a circumstantial qualifier referring to kulla, `every', in other words, `[already] predetermined'; a variant reading [for kulla] has [nominative] kullu as the subject, the predicate of which is khalaqnhu, `We have created').

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.

is similar to several other Ayat,

وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَقَدَّرَهُ تَقْدِيراً

He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measurements (Faqaddarahu Taqdir). (25;2)

and,

سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الاّعْلَى

الَّذِى خَلَقَ فَسَوَّى

وَالَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَى

Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High. Who has created (everything), and then proportioned it. And Who has measured (Qaddara) and then guided. (87;1-3),

i.e., He measured out the total sum (Qadar) of everything and then guided the creation to it.

The Imams of the Sunnah relied on this honorable Ayah as evidence that Allah created the creation with destined limits before they were created. He knew everything that will occur before it occurred and recorded everything that will occur, before they occurred. They used this Ayah and similar Ayat and Hadiths to refute the Qadariyyah sect, who started their sect during the latter time of the Companions.

I mentioned this subject in detail in my explanation on the chapter on faith of Sahih Al-Bukhari. I will mention here some Hadiths pertaining to this honorable Ayah.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said,

"The idolators of the Quraysh came to the Messenger of Allah arguing with him and discounting the Qadar. This Ayah was revealed,

يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُوا مَسَّ سَقَرَ

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَاهُ بِقَدَرٍ

The Day they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire;"Taste you the touch of Hell!" Verily, We have created all things with Qadar."

Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith.

Al-Bazzar recorded that Amr bin Shu`ayb said that his father narrated that his grandfather said,

"These Ayat were revealed about those who deny Al-Qadar,

إِنَّ الْمُجْرِمِينَ فِي ضَلَلٍ وَسُعُرٍ

يَوْمَ يُسْحَبُونَ فِي النَّارِ عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ ذُوقُوا مَسَّ سَقَرَ

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَاهُ بِقَدَرٍ

Verily, the criminals are in error and will burn. The Day they will be dragged on their faces into the Fire;"Taste you the touch of Hell!" Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.

Ibn Abi Hatim also recorded that Zurarah said that his father said that the Prophet recited this Ayah,

مَسَّ سَقَرَ

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَاهُ بِقَدَرٍ

"Taste you the touch of Hell!" Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.

and then said,

نَزَلَتْ فِي أُنَاسٍ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَكُونُونَ فِي اخِرِ الزَّمَانِ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِقَدَرِ الله

These Ayat were revealed about some members of my Ummah. They will come before the end of time and deny Al-Qadar.

Ata' bin Abi Rabah said,

"I went to Ibn Abbas and found him drawing water from the well of Zamzam. The bottom of his clothes were wet with the water of Zamzam and I said to him, `They talked about Al-Qadar (some denied it).'

He asked, `Have they done this!'

I said, `Yes.'

He said, `By Allah! This Ayah was revealed only about them,

مَسَّ سَقَرَ

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقْنَاهُ بِقَدَرٍ

"Taste you the touch of Hell!" Verily, We have created all things with Qadar.

They are the worst members of this Ummah. Do not visit those who fall ill among them or pray the Funeral prayer for those among them who die. If I saw one of them, I would pluck out his eyes with these two fingers of mine."'

Imam Ahmad recorded that Nafi` said,

"Abdullah bin Umar had a friend in the area of Ash-Sham who used to write to him. Abdullah bin Umar wrote to him, `I was told that you started talking about Al-Qadar. Therefore, do not dare write to me any more. I heard the Messenger of Allah say,

سَيَكُونُ فِي أُمَّتِي أَقْوَامٌ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِالْقَدَر

There will be some members of my Ummah who will deny Al-Qadar."

Abu Dawud collected this Hadith from Ahmad bin Hanbal.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin Umar said that the Messenger of Allah said,

كُلُّ شَيْءٍ بِقَدَرٍ حَتْى الْعَجْزُ وَالْكَيْس

Every thing is predetermined, even laziness and intelligence.

Muslim collected this Hadith using a chain of narration through Imam Malik.

There is also an authentic Hadith in which the Messenger of Allah said,

اسْتَعِنْ بِاللهِ وَلَا تَعْجَزْ فَإِنْ أَصَابَكَ أَمْرٌ فَقُلْ قَدَّرَ اللهُ وَمَا شَاءَ فَعَلَ

وَلَا تَقُلْ لَوْ أَنِّي فَعَلْتُ كَذَا لَكَانَ كَذَا فَإِنَّ لَوْ تَفْتَحُ عَمَلَ الشَّيْطَان

Seek the help of Allah and do not succumb to feebleness. And when an affliction strikes you, say,

"Allah has decreed this, and He does as He wills."

Do not say,

"Had I done this or that, this or that would have happened, because "if" opens the door wide for the work of Ash-Shaytan."

In a Hadith from Abbas, the Messenger of Allah said to him,

وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الاْاُمَّةَ لَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَنْفَعُوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَكْتُبْهُ اللهُ لَكَ لَمْ يَنْفَعُوكَ

وَلَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَضُرُّوكَ بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَكْتُبْهُ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ لَمْ يَضُرُّوكَ

جَفَّتِ الاَْقْلَمُ وَطُوِيَتِ الصُّحُف

Know that if the Ummah were to all gather their strength to cause you some benefit that Allah has not decreed for you, they will never be able to bring you that benefit.

And if they gather their strength to bring a harm to you that Allah has not written on you, they will never be able to harm you.

The pens have gone dry and the Books of Record have been closed.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ubadah bin Al-Walid bin Ubadah said that his father said to him,

"I went to Ubadah when he was ill, and I thought that he was going to die. So I said, `O my father, advise us and make the best effort in this regard.'

He said, `Help me sit up,' and when he was helped up, he said,

`O my son! Know that you will not taste the delight of Faith or earn true knowledge in Allah until you believe in Al-Qadar, the good and the not so good parts of it.'

I asked, `O my father! How can I know (or believe in) Al-Qadar, the good and the not so good parts of it?'

He said,

`When you know that what has missed you, would never have come to you and

what has befallen you would never have missed you. O my son!

I heard the Messenger of Allah say,

إِنَّ أَوَّلَ مَا خَلَقَ اللهُ الْقَلَمُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ اكْتُبْ فَجَرَى فِي تِلْكَ السَّاعَةِ بِمَا هُوَ كَايِنٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَة

The first thing Allah created was the Pen, right after that commanded it, `Record!'

and the Pen recorded everything that will occur until the Day of Resurrection.

O my son! If you die not having this belief, you will enter the Hellfire."'

At-Tirmidhi also recorded it and said;"Hasan Sahih Gharib."

It is confirmed in Sahih Muslim from Abdullah bin `Amr that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ كَتَبَ مَقَادِيرَ الْخَلْقِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَخْلُقَ السَّموَاتِ وَالاَْرْضَ بِخَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَة

Verily, Allah recorded the measurements for the creatures fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and earth.

Ibn Wahb added,

وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَأءِ

And His Throne was over the water. (11;7)

At-Tirmidhi also recorded it, and he said;"Hasan, Sahih Gharib."
A Warning to beware of Allah's Threats

Allah said,

وَمَا أَمْرُنَا إِلاَّ وَاحِدَةٌ كَلَمْحٍ بِالْبَصَرِ