In surat Aali-Imran, Allah (swt), says:
"Nor shall a soul die except by Allah's leave, the term being fixed by writing. " [Aali-Imran: 145]
In surat al-Aaraf, He (swt) says:
"To every people is a term appointed. When their term is reached, not an hour can they delay it, nor (by an hour) can they advance it (in anticipation)." [Al-A’raf: 34] In surat al-Hadeed, He (swt) says:
"No misfortune can happen on earth nor in your souls but it is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence. That is truly easy for Allah." [Al-Hadid: 22]
Al-QaDaa wal Qadar In surat at-Tauba, He (swt) says:
"Say: Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us. He is our Protector and in Allah, let the believers place their trust." [At-Tauba: 51]
In surat Sabaa, He (swt) says:
"From Whom is not hidden the least little atom in the heavens or on earth, nor is there anything less than that, or greater, but it is in the Clear Record." [Saba: 3]
In surat al-Anaam, He (swt) says:
"He it is Who gathers you at night and knows that which you commit by day. Then He raises you again to life, that the term appointed (for you) may be fulfilled. And afterward unto Him is your return and He will show you the truth of all that you did." [Al-An’am: 60]
In surat an-Nisa, He (swt) says: "If some good befalls them, they say: This is from Allah. But if evil, they say: This is from you (O Prophet). Say: All things are from Allah. But what has come to these people, that they fail to understand a single fact?" [An-Nisa: 78]
These ayat of the Qur'an, and other ayat similar in meaning, are used by many as evidences in the question of QaDaa and Qadar. They take the understanding from these that man is compelled to undertake actions; man undertakes his actions under compulsion through the decree and will of Allah (swt); and that Allah (swt), created man and his actions. They try to support their opinion by the saying of Allah (swt):
"But Allah has created you and your handiwork!" [As-Saffat: 96]
They also support their point with the hadeeth of the Prophet , such as:
"The Holy Spirit inspired in my soul that nobody will pass away until they receive in full their livelihood, term of life (ajal), and what is decreed for them."
The question of QaDaa and Qadar has occupied a great deal of discussion amongst the Islamic schools of thought. Ahlus Sunnah held the opinion which in summary is man has Kasb Ikhtiari (free will) in carrying out his actions, so he is accounted because of this Kasb Ikhtiari. Al-Mu'tazilah were of the opinion that man is the one who creates his actions and so he is accounted on them because it is he who initiated them. Al-Jabriyah held the opinion that Allah (swt), is the one who creates man and his actions, therefore man is compelled to carry out his actions and does not have free will, so he is like the feather which floats in the air according to where the wind carries it.
If one was to come to an accurate understanding of the subject of al-QaDaa wal Qadar he must first have an understanding of the correct basis upon which the argument is built. This basis should not be whether the actions of man are created by himself or by Allah (swt). It is also not the knowledge of Allah (swt) (ilmullah), in terms of the fact that He (swt) knows that man will perform such an action and that His (swt) knowledge encompasses it. Nor is it the decree of Allah (swt) (iraadatullah) in terms that His (swt) decree was related to the servant's action, i.e., that the action must happen because of this will. It also shouldn't be that the servant's action is recorded in the Al Lauh Al MahfooTH (Protected Decree or Register), so as a result he is inevitably going to carry out this action in accordance with what is recorded.
Indeed, the basis upon which the subject is built is neither of these matters, since they have no relationship to the subject in terms of reward and punishment. They are rather related to the subject in terms of creation, the knowledge that encompasses everything and the will of the Creator, which is related to all the possible matters, and the inclusion in Al Lauh Al MahfooTH of everything. This relationship is detached from the subject of reward and punishment for the action. In other words, is man compelled to perform an action, good or bad, or does he have a choice? And does man have the choice to perform an action or abandon it? Or does he not have the choice?
Any individual who studies the actions of man accurately will observe that man lives within two spheres: one of them he dominates, which is the sphere that falls within the domain of his free will and within it, his actions, which he carries out by his own free will occur. The other sphere dominates him and it is the sphere within whose domain he lives and within it the actions, which he has no free will in, occur; whether they occur from him or not.
In regards to the actions that fall within the sphere that dominates man, man has nothing to do with them or in their existence. They can be divided into two types: A type which is required by the law of the universe (wujood), and a type within which actions that are beyond man's control, but are not within the law of the universe (wujood). As far as the actions, which are within the laws of the universe (wujood), man is in complete submission to them. Therefore, he is forced to proceed in accordance with them because he proceeds with the universe and life subject to a particular law that does not change. Subsequently, man's actions in this sphere occur without his will and he is compelled and has no choice. Man came to this life without his will and he shall leave it without his will. He cannot fly in the air with his body only, walk in his natural being on water, nor create the colour of his eyes. Man did not produce the shape of his head nor the size of his body. Indeed, it was Allah (swt) Who created all of this without the created servant having any say in that. This is because Allah (swt) created the law of the universe (wujood), made it the regulator of the universe, and made the universe proceed in accordance to it, without being able to function differently.
As for the actions, which are beyond man's control, which he is unable to avoid and they are not within the laws of the universe, they are the actions which man initiates, or they fall on him against his will without him ever being able to avoid them. Examples of such actions are, if someone on a wall accidentally falls on a person and thus kills that person; or if someone shoots at a bird and the shot hits a person he was not aware of and kills him; or if a car goes off the road or a train derails, or a plane crashes. All of these are due to, an unexpected failure without any ability on the part of the pilot or the driver to avoid the accident, thus causing the death of the passengers. All of these examples of actions and the like which occurred from man or fell on him, are not within the law of the universe, yet they occurred from man or on him without his will and it was beyond his ability to control them. All of these actions, which occur within the sphere that dominates man, are termed QaDaa, because Allah (swt) alone is the one who has predetermined them. Therefore, man is not reckoned about these actions, whether they are classified as beneficial, or harmful, or whether he liked or disliked them - though Allah (swt) alone knows the good and bad in these actions - because man has no influence on them. He has no information about them or the manner in which they came about; nor is he able to drive them away or avoid them at all. Man thus must believe in this QaDaa and that this QaDaa is from Allah (swt). As for Qadar, it is evident that the actions, which occur either in the sphere that dominates man or in the sphere that man dominates, occur involving objects in the universe, man and life. Allah (swt) created certain attributes in these objects. For example, He created in fire the attribute of burning, in wood the attribute of catching fire, and in the blade the attribute of cutting. He made the attributes indispensable in objects according to the law of the universe such that they do not change. When it appears that an attribute changes, it means Allah (swt) has eliminated the attribute of that object and such an event would be unnatural. These are miracles that happen to the Prophets. As Allah (swt) created attributes in the objects, He created in man instincts and organic needs. He created in the instincts and organic needs specific attributes. Hence, He created in the instinct of reproduction the attribute of sexual inclination. He created in the organic needs attributes such as hunger and thirst and the like. He made these attributes inseparable from them according to the law of the universe. These particular attributes that Allah (swt) has created in objects, instincts and organic needs are called al-Qadar. This is because Allah (swt) alone created the objects, instincts, and organic needs and predetermined (Qaddara) in them their attributes. These attributes are not brought about by the objects nor does man have anything to do with them nor an influence on their existence. Therefore, man must have iman that it is Allah (swt) who has predetermined these attributes in objects. However, these attributes have the capacity for man to perform by means of utilising them an action either according to the commands of Allah (swt) and thus it is good, or contradicting His commands and thus it is bad. So when performing actions utilising objects with their attributes or in responding to the instincts and organic needs, if (these actions) were according to the commands and prohibitions of Allah (swt) they would be termed good actions, and would be termed bad actions if they were in disagreement to the commands and prohibitions of Allah (swt).
Accordingly, all actions - good or bad - that occur within the sphere that dominates man are from Allah (swt). All the attributes of objects and in the instincts and organic needs - whether resulting in good or bad - are also from Allah (swt). Consequently, a Muslim must believe that QaDaa - good or bad - is from Allah (swt), i.e. he should believe that actions beyond his sphere of influence are from Allah (swt). He must also believe that Qadar - good or bad - is from Allah (swt) i.e. he must believe that the innate attributes of the objects are from Allah (swt), whether they result in good or bad, and man, the created has no effect on them. Thus man's lifespan (ajal), provision (rizq), and soul (ruH) are all from Allah (swt). On the same token, the sexual inclination, and inclination towards ownership existing in the instincts of reproduction and survival, together with thirst and hunger, existing in the organic needs, are all from Allah (swt).
This is in respect to the actions that occur within the sphere that dominates man and the attributes of all objects. As for the sphere that man dominates, it is the sphere in which he proceeds freely according to the system he chooses, whether it is the law of Allah (swt) (Shari’ah) or any other. This is the sphere in which the actions that emanate from man or fall upon him, occur with his free will. For example, he walks, eats, drinks and travels, whenever he likes. Likewise, he refrains from doing any of these actions whenever he likes. He also burns with fire and cuts with a knife when he chooses. He satisfies the instincts of reproduction and ownership and hunger of his stomach, as he likes. He freely performs that or abstains from it. Therefore, man is reckoned on these actions, which he performs within this sphere.
Though the attributes in objects, instincts, and organic needs, which Allah (swt) predetermined in them and also made them intrinsic have an affect on the outcome of the action, their attributes by themselves do not initiate action, it is man who initiates the action when using them. Hence, the sexual inclination in the instinct of reproduction has the potential for good and bad; and the hunger present in the organic need has the potential for good and bad. However, the one who performs actions that are good or bad is man and not the instinct or the organic need. This is because Allah (swt) created for man the mind that comprehends and He gave the mind the quality of comprehension and judgement. He also guided man to know the path of good and bad.
"And we showed him (the man) the two paths (of good and bad)." [Al-Balad: 10]
Allah (swt) also created in man the ability to comprehend vice and righteousness.
"And He inspired it as to its wrong (fujoor) and its right (taqwa)." [Ash-Shams: 8]
When man responds to his instincts and organic needs in a manner agreeing with the commands and prohibitions of Allah (swt), then he performs the good action and proceeds in the path of righteousness. When he responds to the instincts and organic needs deviating from the commands and prohibitions of Allah (swt), then he performs the bad action and proceeds in the path of vice. Therefore, in all of that, the good and bad emanate from man. He responds to the needs according to the commands and prohibitions of Allah (swt) and thus does good, or responds to them deviating from Allah's (swt) commands and prohibitions and thus does bad. Consequently man is reckoned on his actions, which occur in the sphere that he dominates, thus he is either rewarded or punished because he has undertaken those actions freely without any coercion. Although the attributes of the instincts and organic needs are from Allah (swt), and their potential for good and bad is also from Allah (swt), Allah (swt) didn't fashion the attribute in a manner that forces man to use it, whether in a way that pleases or displeases Allah (swt), i.e. in good or bad. Likewise the attribute of burning was not fashioned in a manner that compels man to burn anything, whether this pleases or displeases Allah (swt), i.e. in good or bad. Rather, these attributes are fashioned in the objects, instincts, and organic needs, in a way that they result in these attributes when anybody uses these matters (objects, instincts and organic needs) in the proper manner.
When Allah (swt) created man with his instincts, organic needs, and the mind, He (swt) endowed him with the choice to carry out or abstain from an action. Allah (swt) did not compel him to carry out or to abstain from the action. Furthermore, He did not make the attributes of the objects, instincts and organic needs in a manner that compels man to carry out or abstain from an action. Man is therefore free, to perform or abstain from an action by the use of what He granted him of the distinguishing mind, and He made it the place of shar’ai responsibility. Accordingly, Allah (swt) will reward man for performing the good because his mind chose to perform actions according to the commands of Allah (swt) and abstain from His prohibitions. He would also punish him for performing the bad actions because his mind chose to disobey the commands of Allah (swt) and do what He prohibited by responding to his instincts and organic needs in a way contrary to the orders of Allah (swt). Therefore, man's accountability is right and just, because he is free to carry out his action and is not compelled. In this question, the QaDaa and Qadar is irrelevant. It is rather to do with man carrying out his actions freely and therefore he is responsible for his actions.
Allah (swt), says:
"Every soul is a pledge for what it earned" [Al-Muddaththir: 38]
As for the knowledge of Allah (swt) (ilmullah), this does not force man to carry out an action. Allah (swt) knows that man is going to freely undertake an action. To carry out this action is not based on the knowledge of Allah (swt), rather, the eternal knowledge of Allah (swt) means that He knows that man is going to carry out the action. With regards to "the writing in the Al-Lauh al-MahfooTH, it is an expression that the knowledge of Allah (swt) encompasses everything.
With regards to the will of Allah (swt) (iraadatullah), this does not compel man to carry out any action. Its meaning, however, is that nothing can take place in His Kingdom without His will, i.e. nothing takes place against His will. Thus, if man carried out an action and Allah (swt) did not prevent or compel him from doing so, and instead left him to act freely, without any compulsion, then man has acted by the will of Allah (swt) and not contrary to His (swt) will. Man's action was undertaken by himself and by his choice, and the will of Allah (swt) did not compel him to carry out the action.
This is the issue of al QaDaa wal Qadar which will drive man to do good and avoid bad when he realises that Allah (swt) is watching him and will account him (for his actions); and that He has endowed him with the choice to act or abstain; and if he does not choose the right actions, he will be severely reprimanded and punished. Therefore, we find the true believer, who understands sincerely the concept of al QaDaa wal Qadar and who is fully acquainted with the mental faculties and choice that Allah (swt) has endowed him with, is very conscious in observing Allah's (swt) orders and being afraid of Him. He endeavours to comply with the commands of Allah (swt) and to abstain from the prohibitions, because of his fear of the punishment of Allah (swt), his desire to be in His Jannah, and his yearning in attaining that which is greater than all of this, namely the pleasure of Allah (swt) (RiDwan Allah).