Explain different Muslim views about predestination (qadar).

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2022). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [10] A01 – Knowledge and understanding
2. Al-Qadar basically means the Muslim belief in predestination, one of the six main beliefs in Sunni Islam. God has pre-determined the course of human history in advance and holds a record of this, written on a tablet held with God. This means that God, the all-powerful creator, has already decided everything and knows what will happen.
3. Muslims believe people are still free to make choice in their own lives, but God already knows what those choices will be. Instead, it means that God knows what choices people are going to make before they are made. The Qur'an 87.2–3 states God: 'Who hath created, and further, given order and proportion; Who hath ordained laws. And granted guidance.' The order includes predestination in God's wider plan.
4. Human beings are tested through their life on earth and are judged in the afterlife, suggesting God's plan allows a degree of free will. However, this judgement is totally up to God, and God can decide whatever he likes, according to the destiny that God has already written for each Muslim.
5. Shi'i Muslims accept predestination but also believe that it is possible for God to decide to change his plan as a result of seeing human actions. These are also part of God's will, as God has the power to be continuously creative.
6. Mu'tazilah and Ashari take different perspectives on predestination (qadar). The Mu'tazilah emphasise free will, and the separation of God from happenings on earth. Ash'ari put emphasis on predestination, with events in people's lives ultimately decided in advance by God. A third perspective is Maturidi, which is an intermediate position.
7. Candidates might refer to this from the perspective of the everyday lives of Muslims, when they refer to God's will. An event will happen if God wills, so Muslims say: Inshallah. After the event, Muslims give thanks to God saying: Alhamdulilah. Regardless of whether it might be thought of as good or bad news, it is from God so part of God's plan, and Muslims are thankful for it, even if they don't yet understand what it is meant for.
8. Some Muslims may say extra prayers on the Night of Power, commemorating when the Qur'an was first revealed. Also, it is believed God sends down the decrees for the next year, good fortune, births, deaths and so on, so Muslims think of this particularly in their personal prayers (du'a), and some believe this may even have the power to change a person's predestination.
9. [15] AO2 – Analysis and evaluation
10. The future of Muslims might refer to prosperity in their worldly life as well as entry into eternal life in paradise after judgement in the afterlife. Muslims believe that God decides and judges them in the afterlife, according to their intentions and actions in their worldly life.
11. If God decides everything, it is presumptuous and arrogant to think that a human being can influence God's decision, because God knows infinitely more than humans and always knows best without anything that humans can do.
12. Hadith traditions include various stories in which people from different backgrounds, who have done different actions (good and bad) in their lives and then faced God's Judgement. The point behind these stories is that it is God who decides, and humans do not necessarily influence this.
13. It can be argued that the focus of Muslim's lives should be to follow God's will, and to carry out all actions for God, because God is in control of their destiny. This argument suggests that the reason behind any action is not the desire for paradise, because that is totally God's preserve.
14. If Muslims are not able to influence their destiny, then they could do whatever they wanted and it would not make a difference. There would be no incentive to follow the rules. Muslims do strive to follow God's commands, such as by praying and fasting, in order to gain reward from God and enter into paradise as a result.
15. Muslims believe the angels are recording their deeds so they can influence their future because if they do good, the angels will report to God. Furthermore, many Hadith warn Muslims to follow the straight path and suggest the reward for their actions will be paradise, which means they can influence this. There is also a Hadith that personal prayer (du'a) and charity (sadaqah) can change a person's destiny.
16. There is a difference between God's knowledge and control. God knows what everyone will do, according to the pre-written plan, but at the same time Muslims were sent to earth as a test of faith and have free will in order to pass the test by carrying out the right actions.
17. A personal judgment should be made, balancing out the extent, if at all, Muslims might be able to influence their destiny according to the evidence discussed.