The Preserved, Tablet Eraseable and the Recordable Tablet
We had already hinted at Al-Lawhul Mahfuz [The Preserved Tablet], as a creature which reflects, like a mirror, the other creatures, and in which all the particularities of things, such as time, place, limits, shape etc. are strictly distinguished. If anybody could get in touch with Al-Lawhul Mahfuz, he would be able to know, beforehand, what event, with what particulars and when it would happen, as well as whether it would be voluntary or compulsory.
There are other tablets, besides Al-Lawhul Mahfuz, in which the events with their details are not minutely registered. Actually, they are ambiguous, or only parts and sections of the events and their taqdir are recorded. Suppose that it is registered in a tablet that so-and-so in such-and-such date would move from such-and-such place, but it is not stated when he would reach such-and-such place. It is gathered from the ayahs and narratives that besides al-Kitab-al-Mubin, Ummul Kitab, or al-Lawhul Mahfuz, in which the inevitable and final destines are registered, there are other Lawhs in which ambiguous or conditional events are reflected. There are persons who can get in touch with those middle tablets, but not with al-Lawhul-Mahfuz. By way of contacting the middle tablets, they can foretell some events, though there may be some discrepancies in them. As regards the prophets and Imams, probably some of their profecies were based on their contact with those middle tablets, which are called 'the tablets for erasing and recording'.
It is narrated that the Prophet (S.A.) was one day sitting with his companions, when a Jew passed by them. The Prophet said: "This man is going to the desert where a snake will bite him". It happened that in the evening the same man showed up from the distance, carrying a bundle of firewood. The companions told the Prophet that that was the same man.
The Prophet said: "Let him get nearer". Then he called the man and told him to undo his bundle. There they saw a snake coiled in the middle of the bundle. The Prophet said: It was in the taqdir that this snake should bite the man. But, as he left his house he gave alms. The alms protected him against this misfortune. The taqdir which I first told you about was a suspended one, and its normal course was that this snake should bite this man, but there appeared an obstacle, though not a physical one. The natural effect of alms-giving is not to prevent the snake from biting. There is no such physical connection between the alms and the snake to prevent its biting. The connection is a metaphysical one.
The changes in the suspended and conditional taqdirs are termed as "bida"'. [Allah's innovation]. For example, observing family relations, being kind to one's parents, giving alms, and the like, change the taqdirs, while, on the other hand, disregarding family relations and incurring the wrath of one's parents, change the good taqdirs to bad ones.
It happens that Allah, the Prophet or the Imam may announce something, but not decisively, yet, the hearer takes it to be decisive because he does not notice its condition. Later on, the condition changes and the event does not take place. This is bada'.
In some narratives it is stated that one of the best worships is to believe in the bada'. That is, if we believe that the taqdirs are final and unchangeable, and that we are deprived of the chance to choose, then we shall not implore Allah and exert no activity nor any effort, and say: let happen what it may, and we do not ask Allah to lift the calamity from us, because the belief in the effectiveness of benediction comes when we believe that the taqdirs are suspended and conditional, and that the du'a' [invocation] can make an obstacle blocking the way of some taqdirs, only at that time the motive for praying Allah obtains.
Those who do not believe in the bada', i.e. in the changeability of the suspended taqdirs, will have no motive for invocation and for being active in that. That is why the disbelief in the taqdir and qadar cause a kind of inactivity, weakness, stillness and backwardness. It should not be so from the monotheistic point of view. The reasons and the conditions of each are effective at their proper time. Taqdir does not deprive man from his free will.
The very ability to choose is one of the things moving within the limits of taqdir, and one's optional acts should be carried out through one's attempts and hard work, despite the fact that we do not know what the final destiny is. Our duty, nevertheless, is to try. If our efforts are successful, we shall attain to our aim, but if we are not successful, we will be doing our duty. At any rate, it will have a definite result with Allah, which will never be lost.
As a result, the monotheist will always be thinking of what his duty is. You had repeatedly heard the Imam saying: "We perform our duty, but what would happen is not our concern. Our duty is to struggle, but whether we are going to be successful or not is not our concern. Whatever Allah wants will happen. Such a person will never feel perplexed, nor will he regret his work. So, this belief is a factor of success, not of failure. Consequently, qada' and qadar, if correctly understood, can be regarded as factors of progress, improvement and integrity of knowledge which is monotheism, not that they are factors of stagnancy, weakness and seeking excuses.
The Difference between Qada' and Qadar
Traditionally, qada' and qadar are of almost the same meaning and reciprocally used. It seems that this reciprocity has occurred long ago, in early days of Islam, as they thought them to be synonyms. But by careful study of these two terms and their lexical differences it can be realized that they differ in precedence, degree and status. Qadar's status is prior to that of qada'. Qadar means measurement, while qada' denotes an end and finishing. Comparing these two concepts, it can be observed that the status of qada', logically, comes later, because it is the finishing stage, whereas the concept of qadar denotes weighing and measuring, a stage which, logically, takes place before finality, and is regarded to be part of the preliminaries.
Therefore, it can be said that qadar is the stage in which the phenomenon has not yet reached the stage of necessity, i.e. the details of its Complete Cause have not yet been fulfilled completely, leaving them subject to possible changes, as they have not yet obtained their finality. But qada, being a final stage, is reached at when the complete cause is implemented, and there remains no room for expectations.
In some narratives, qada' and qadar are used, in general, as synonyms, such as the narrative which divides the qada' into two kinds: the changeable qada', and the unchangeable qada'. According to our studies, the changeable qada' is the very taqdir. Some other narratives confirm the difference between qada' and qadar, and that qadar precedes the qada'. In order to clarify the difference between the concepts of qadar and qada', and that the qada' comes after the qadar, as the qada' is the last and unchangeable stage, we shall study the Qur'anic ayahs using the term qada'.
The Qada' in the Qur'an
We refer first to the places in the Qur'an where the term qada' is used in order to study its concept as is intended through its exact meaning. Afterward we shall discuss the term according to its special meaning, which is intended by us.
1- The word qada' is used in the Qur'an, in some instances, to mean a prescribed duty: "And your Lord has decreed [qada] that you worship none save Him, and (show) kindness to (your) parents."
What does qada [as a verb] mean here?
This verb denotes here that: you should worship none except Allah; and that you should be kind to your parents. These two are among the very much stressed duties which have no exception. The duties, as a matter of fact, are numerous, but two of them receive exceptional stress. There is no doubt that qada' in this ayah means a strict decree or an order which goes as a strong and confirmed law. The Schismatics used to grasp such instances as an excuse to say that, as far as man's optional acts are concerned, qada' is but a command, and nothing else.
2- In some other instances qada' means judgement, arbitration and settling disputes.
The Qur'an says: "And Allah Yaqdi (judges) with truth".
3- Sometimes it is used to denote "announcement, such as the ayah in Surat Bani Israel
"And We decreed [qada'] for the children of Israel in the Book: You shall make mischief in the land twice, and you shall act with too great insolence",
and finally says: "...But if you repeat We shall repeat."
That is, if you repeat your mischief making, We shall also repeat our punishment. It seems that it refers to the attach of Nebuchadnezzer on Palestine and severely routed the Jews and destroyed al-Aqsa mosque and humiliated the children of Israel, dispensing them out to other countries. Group of the Jews moved to Arabia and dwelt in Khaybar and near Yathrib [al-Madinah]. Before this happened, Allah had announced it to the Jews: "And We decreed for the Children of Israel in the Book: You shall make mischief in the land twice." There is no doubt that the word "qada" "announced" is understood.
In fact, "qadayna" [We decreed] does not originally mean "We announced". There is in the Arabic literary language style called tadmin and ishrab, which is to incorporate two meanings together, and the transitive article, or the genetive case, of one of them is transported to the other, a process which denotes that the incorporation has taken place, and that the twin meaning is wanted.
The verb "qada'" is transitive and it does not need the preposition "ila": Wa qadayna ila bani Israel", means that a meaning is incorporated in it, and the preposition "ila is used to make it transitive, without having to plainly state it. That is, instead of saying: We decreed, and announced that decree, the announcement is omitted. Or. We decreed and revealed the decree, but the word "revealed" is not mentioned and is satisfied with the genetive case instead of the very words. So, the concepts "announce" or "reveal" are not originally in qada, but they are incorporated in it.
4- In other instances qada' means the end or something finished, such as in "qudiyal amr" [the affair is finished] and it cannot be altered. In this context, the word is used in the Qur'an repeatedly, such as in the story of Yusuf, who, while in prison, two of his prison-mates tell him of their dreams, asking him to interpret the dreams to them. He does, and then says: "qudiyal amrulladhi fihi tasta, ftiyan" [the matter is decreed concerning which you inquired]. The interpretation of your dreams is as I told you and it will definitely happen.
Another instance is the dialogue between Satan and his follower in Hell: "Waqalash-shaytanu lamma qudiyal amr [And Satan shall talk after the affair is decided]. After that the judgement had been completed, and everything had come to an end, and there remained no return, at that time Satan talks to his followers, who attack him and tell him it was he who misguided them. He retorts that he had no control upon them. He merely invited them to come and they came after him. This dialogue takes place when everything had ended, which is expressed through "lamma qudiyal amr" [after the affair is decided]].
From this survey of the many uses of this word we gather that the original lexical meaning of qada' denotes final end. But in other instances other meanings are incorporated in it, and it may appear later to form a single, though originally it has a single root. For example, by studying the word "qada'" we notice that when there is a dispute concerning a house. One says that it is his, the other says that it is his. A judge will hear the case and issue his decree, which is final and puts an end to the dispute.
So, when this judgement or arbitration is called "qada"', it means to put an end to an affair and to conclude the case. Therefore, there is a hint at the end included in qada', or in the duties which are confirmed, stressed and irrevocable, where "qada'" is used, the meaning is a decisive end and a finality, with no return. If in some cases there are exceptions in performing certain duties, or even abrogations and changes, in cases of qada' there can be no such thing, and the decree is final and unchangeable, and everybody should observe that. So, here also the meaning of ending is intended, though in respect of making laws, not genetically.
Hence, it can be said that the root of all usages qada' the intended meaning is finality and finishing, be it a genetic, legislative or legal affair. Another affair may be in a state of fluctuation, instable, with a possibility of changing. Sometimes it reaches a fixed state and becomes unchangeable, which is the final stage. As long as an affair has not yet finished, there is the possibility for it to change form, to be altered. But as soon as it reaches its full stop, it can never change. From this linguistic analysis we get to the conclusion that the concept of qada in the genetic affairs is proportionate to the last stage of the act, i.e. when all the parts of the Complete Cause have been implemented, the existence of the subject reaches the limit of inevitability and finality, with no possibility of return. So, if in some narratives we notice a qada' which is not inevitable and changeable, it is, in fact, qadar taken as synonym to qada', divided into two stages.
The same thing is true to qadar itself.
Traditionally speaking, any event passes through stages before reaching its finality and regarded as finished. For example, when you finish the building of a house and prepare for dwelling, if you are asked whether your house has been finished, you will answer: "Yes, we are living there now". But when you are asked whether you had connected the house to gas supply, we will say: "No , not yet, but it will be done in few days". So, the completion of an affair goes through stages. It is out of carelessness to say the house is finished, while actually it is not. Or, on a journey, the traveller says: "We reached the town", while he still has to go a few more kilometres. It is one of the journey's stages, and to arrive at home is the last stage.
In the invocations recited during "the nights of qadr during the month of Ramadan, we implore Allah: "O' Allah! if it is in Your qada' and qadar that should be miserable, change this qada' very night and make me of the happy and the fortunate". So, if "qada' was unchangeable, then our invocation would be of no avail. It is also narrated that invocations change the qada' "even if completely ratified". At any rate, it is understood that there is a qada' which is stressed and ratified, and there is a qada' which is not finally ratified,. Even the ratified qada' can be changed through invocations. These changes denote that traditionally qada finishing and ratification pass through stages, and a change may be expected. Nevertheless, careful study of the concept of qada' implies that this word should be used when the stage is final and unchangeable.
Divine Qada'
In the previous discussion the difference between qada and qadar has been explained. It has also been said that sometimes both are taken to be synonyms. If qada' is used instead of qadar, there will be no need for a particular explanation. We need two discussions under the titles "qada'" and qadar only when each of these has a separate concept and particular precepts.
In the past discussion we took qadar to be changeable and explained it in details, whereas qada' is a stage past that of instability and changeability, and reached finality where no change would be possible, where one would say: It is the end. Allah had ratified the matter. So, our discussion concerns this concept, and therefore, we shall study "qada' as a separate topic.
Connection Between Divine Qada' and Man's Freewill
The dubicosity of determinism in respect to the divine qada' is more obvious, and explaining it is more difficult. If we have to accept the idea that all the world's phenomena, including man's voluntary acts, are governed by the divine qada', and that it is Allah Who brings everything to its final stage of fulfilment, and that every phenomenon exists by the divine command, there arises the question: "What about man's freewill, then?" As regards qadar we could say that Allah would not bring the affair to its final stage. It would be as preliminaries for man to practice his right to freewill. Therefore, the qadar does not contradict freewill. But if the meaning of divine qada' is that Allah brings every phenomenon to its end, and, after the preparation of the preliminaries for its existence according to the divine taqdir, the final end is also brought about by His command: "When He decrees (qada') an affair, He only says to it:
"Be, and it is"
Thus, there remains no chance for man's freewill activities.
In order to explain this dubiosity within the limit proportional to this discussion, a preliminary is needed:
When we try to study the causes of the appearance of a thing, and to know the parts of the Complete Cause, we usually take into our notice the immediate and direct causes. For example, we say that for the water to exist there must be measured quantities of oxygen and hydrogen and a space with a given temperature, no more, no less. These we regard to be the conditions needed for a chemical interaction to take place and a new chemical matter to appear. In this study of the parts of the Complete Cause we never ask about the one who created this laboratory and measured the degrees of temperature and pressure, let alone the more distant causes, factors and conditions which are necessary for each of the nearer causes and conditions.
So, to point out the parts of a Complete Cause we consider only the near and direct causes, and never the middle and remote ones. Another point is that, in order to know the parts of a Complete Cause, we are used to study only its physical experimental causes, neglecting its metaphysical cause which, naturally cannot be sensually examined in our laboratories, although it is effective. We confine ourselves to the natural and material factors which can be experimented and formulated.
But if we looked at a thing scrutinizingly and philosophically in order to obtain a strict philosophic account about its genetic existence, we must study everything that has, whatever trinsial, an effect in its bringing to existence, and find out the successive causes upto wherever they lead us. It happens, however, that we can mentally follow up the series of the causes, though of a general nature. If it could be proved that a metaphysical power had any role in the appearance of the thing, whether directly or indirectly, it would philosophically be regarded as a cause, too, and must be studied. It is noticed that even the Muslim scholars, in stating the causes of the appearance of a phenomenon, they do not mention Allah along with them. They do not say that for a chemical interaction to happen, Allah's presence, the Creator of the world, is necessary before everything else.
But when we carefully consider the statements of the Qur'an, we realize that it says that even the simplest natural phenomenon is created by Allah. We have already explained that to ascribe the appearance of the phenomena does not mean denying the near and middle causes, but it stresses a subject which had been neglected. The people's materialistic way of living does not require them to count upon them, nor they consider even the remote material causes, let alone the metaphysical or supernatural ones.
The divine teachings, however, are based on the command that we should insist, before everything else, on Allah's effect, ascribing the original effectiveness to Him, it is He Who is the originator of the whole existence, the Guardian and the constant Protector. The divine insight requires that man should direct his attention to Him, because the constancy of existence and the options are in His hands, the Sustainer, so how could He be forgotten. This is why this point is stressed in the Qur'an, which says: "We did, We shall do. He it is Who moves the sun, He it is Who sends down the rain, He it is Who grows the plants, it is He Who creates you, He it is Who forms you: "Into whatsoever form He wills, He casts you"
"He it is Who shapes you in the wombs as He wills."
"He grants to whom He wills daughters and grants to whom He wills sons".
None of these ayahs implies any denial of the materialistic and middle causes. They draw attention to the metaphysical cause, which is above them all and parallel to them.
This is true of qada'. By saying that He it is Who brings the affair to an end, takes the preliminaries to their finalities, and creates the creatures, Allah draws attention to the divine factor so that it may not be forgotten, as if to say: "You are used to count only the natural factors, but you do not see the hand which is above all and which has in its powerful grasp".
Therefore, the divine qada' does not cancel the middle and immediate causes. It, actually, stresses the high and longitudinal cause, i.e. all the phenomena and their cause should be ascribed to Allah. Everything is related to its causes, conditions and dispositions of common levels. Suppose a child is born to a father and mother. It is a material being, and so are they. There were in the father and mother conditions and particular organs which make it possible for the appearance of a child. But all the three of them, the father, the mother and the child, their existence is related to Allah. But we do regard the relations among things, but the relation between things and Allah is disregarded.
Consequently, the final stage of an effect is determined by the completion of the parts of its Complete Cause so that the effect comes to existence of necessity. Yet, this necessity does not disprove freewill, because one of the parts of the Complete Cause is man's freewill act. As long as we have doubt about some act we do not do it. So, we do not do anything before we will it and decide to do it voluntarily. Nevertheless, ourselves, our will and the phenomenon implemented by our will, all are related to Allah all the time. The father, the mother and the child receive their existence from Allah. That is, all these, with all their relations, have another relation with the Creator. It is not similar to the natural relations. Man's need of Allah is not like his need of father and mother. The existential relation is not confined to natural relation, it is a different relation. The relation is between the entire nature and the nature-creator, which runs along the other relations and is above them.
The best way to know the relations with metaphysics is to refer to the relation of the spirit with the psychological phenomena. One of the aspects, which are trusted by the religious leaders, the great gnostics and the wisemen, is contemplative thinking about oneself. This is the way to understanding such facts which can never be caught in the net of experimentation. For this reason the heavenly religions direct people to self-knowing, meditation and self-reformation: "...mind your own selves"
"And in your own selves, cannot you, then, discern?"
Whoever Knows himself, Knows his Lord!"
A good many problems of knowledge can be solved through contemplation, meditation, self-observation and self-introspection, due to the fact that the soul is different from the beings of nature, it is, originally, an abstract being, though it is, in some ways, connected to, or even united with, matter. On the other hand, our soul is the nearest thing to us, and we can observe it and think about it much better. This would be a way to know about the metaphysical things.
Upon contemplating ourselves we notice a kind of connection between the psychological phenomena and ourselves - a connection unlike that which is between the natural causes and their natural effects.
The best topics to think about are the mental images and their connections to the soul which imagines them. At the moment you are sitting here, you can imagine an orchard, a person, or an animal and incarnate it in your mind. No sooner it flashes in your mind than it is embodied there. So, what kind of a connection is there between this mental image and me, the imaginer, i.e. the power of awareness which automatically creates the image? When you obtain that image in your mind, do you take something out of yourself and shape it in that image? Is anything deducted from you? Does anything from outside enter into your mind? No, you had already been capable of imagining the image and present it into your mind.
Now that this mental image had appeared, can it continue to exist without your mind? Never! Its existence depends on you. If you do not exist, or even if you have no intention or will, the image cannot be there. Such are the connections between the things and the metaphysical causes. When we count the natural causes of a thing, this does not mean that it has no other connection with a higher level.
Divine Qada'-A Connection with the Metaphysics
Briefly, divine qada' is a kind of connection between Allah, the Creator of the world, and the world, a connection unlike the usual connections among the natural things, yet it does not negate those connections. It is a connection above them, governing them, along them and of the metaphysical kind.
We are not accustomed to take this connection into our consideration and count upon it. The Qur'an tries to draw our attention to it. So, to say that the divine qada covers our voluntary acts, too, does not negate freewill, because our freewill is a connection between us and our acts, while qada' is a connection between us, our freewill, our act and Allah, and which is along and above them. In order to throw more light on this subject, we refer to the example presented by the late Allamah Tabataba'i,
who says: imagine a person who, by his own freewill, thinks, choses a good act, goes to prepare for it, and then he performs it. This imaginary person is connected to his act. He eats, prays, moves, does an evil act. All these acts he does on his own freewill. But he himself, his will, his acts and their results are connected to you. The connection between him and his acts does not contradict their general connection with you.
The divine qada', thus, is not beside the physical causes, nor is it a substitute for them. It is something above them and a connection along the other connections. So, the relation between the voluntary act and the voluntary and freewill acter is preserved. But all of them altogether, have a different relation with Allah, i.e. the divine qada'.
In short, for an act to be regarded a voluntary it must be done by the acter on his own freewill, and his awareness, will and decision must play their role in the implementation of the act. If an act was imposed upon him, contrary to his will such that his freewill and decision had no effect on the act, it would be compulsory. Yet, both the voluntary and the compulsory acts are dependent, in a higher level, on the Creator of the existence, upon whom depend the existence of the acter, the will, the choosing, the act and its results. Had it not been for His will, there would have been no acter, no will and no act, whether voluntary or compulsory. Allah's will does not take its place so as to depend either on the acter's will or on Allah's. Actually it depends on both, but on two levels: the low one depends on the acter's will, the high one on Allah's will and qada'.
This subject, however, cannot be easily understood by those who have little experience in intellectual and philosophical question. For this reason, in many narratives it is recommended that we should not think about the truth of qada' and qadar. Amirul Mu'min [Ali] (A.S.) says: "It is a dark path do not tread upon it, it is a deep ocean, do not plunge into it."
In fact, this does not mean that absolutely no one should ever discuss it, as, actually, it is mentioned in many narratives. Such recommendations are, in fact, addressed to those who have not enough experience and trainings in such subjects.
The Advantages of Believing in the Qada' and Qadar
Taking into consideration the difficulty of solving the problem of the qada' and qadar, particularly after the recommendations of some narratives to the effect that this subject is not to be thought about, there arises this question: If the case is so, what wisdom was there in stating this problem in the Qur'an and the tradition, and the stress of some narratives upon the believe in the qada and qadar? To answer the question it must be said that to believe in the qada and qadar has many advantages, at the top of which are the two theoretical and practical advantages.
As to the theoretical advantage, it is obvious under the light of what we had already said, which, briefly is that the more complete one's tawhid [monotheism], the greater one's everlasting happiness and self-perfection. One of the higher stages of tawhid is the belief in the "Unity of Action" in its gnostic concept. Man is to believe that all the phenomena of the existence are dependent on Allah's Will, and that there is no phenomenon that can take place outside His will and arrangement. This question had been mentioned by the Glorious Qur'an and the impeccable leaders - a fact described as to be fulfilled by the divine permission, will, taqdir and qada'. so, such statements are gradual teaching for the understanding of this fact aiming at knowledge integration and tawhid. As regards the practical advantage, which can be a moral or educational advantage, too, is that, on the basis of believing in the qada' and qadar, man looks at the world's phenomena and events to be governed by a wise system ordained by Allah.
This viewpoint prepares such a psychological grounds for man that he would not feel frightened at the sight of any unpleasant event, and, at the same time. he would not be too much elated at pleasant news. He would do all his activities and efforts with the intention of fulfilling his duties and to please Allah.
The Glorious Qur'an says: "No evil befalls on the earth nor in yourselves but it is in a Book before We bring it into existence. It is easy for Allah - so that you may not grieve for what escaped you, nor be exultant at what you have been given."
Consequently, the person who believes in the wise system and divine destiny of the world he would not lose himself on encountering unpleasant events and disasters.
Likewise, he would not get inebriated and proud because of some pleasant events. No danger would frighten him off his duty nor would he be filled with despair and weakness at facing defeat and failure. nor his success and victories would cause him to feel conceited, proud and intoxicated. Understanding this subject was quite valuable and constructive to the Muslims of early Islam, who had been under great pressure, difficulties and tortures of the infidels, prior and after migration they had continually been warning against their enemies.
Today too, correctly understanding qada', qadar and Allah's unity of action, would be a great constructive factor for our new Islamic community, which resembles, from many aspects, the community built by the great Prophet of Islam (S.A.). I hope that Allah, the Exalted, will grant us all the ability to correctly understand all the learnings of Islam, so that under their light we, can ensure our personal and social happiness, as well as our eternal moral perfection.
The End
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Author: Ayatullah Muhammad Taqi Misbah Yazdi
