Concept of Destiny

Concept of Destiny

1. Concept of Destiny – Qadr in Islam
‘Qadr’ is the concept of Destiny. Certain aspects of human life are predestined by our Creator Almighty Allah. For example, where and when will a person be born, the surroundings and conditions in which he will be born, how long will he live and where and when he will die. These are predetermined by the Creator.

2. Concept of Destiny in Hinduism

Concept of Destiny in Hinduism is somewhat similar to that of Islam

3. Present Conditions are a test

There are several verses in the Qur’an which clearly specify that our Creator Almighty Allah tests us in several different ways

It is mentioned in the Qur’an:

“Do men think that they will be
left alone on saying, “we believe”,
And that they will not be tested?”
(Al Qur’an 29:2)


“Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of Bliss)
without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you?
They encountered suffering and adversity, and were shaken in spirit that
even The Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried:
“When (will come) the help of Allah?”
Ah! Verily, the help Of Allah is (always) near!
(Al Qur’an 2:214)


“Every soul shall have a taste of death
And we test you by evil and by good by way of trial -
to Us must ye return.”
(Al Qur’an 21:35)

“Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger,
some loss in goods or lives, or the fruits (of your toil),
but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.”
(Al Qur’an 2:155)




And know ye that your possessions
And your progeny, are but a trial
And that it is Allah with whom lies
Your highest reward.
(Al Qur’an 8:28)

4. Judgement will be based on the facility provided

Each human being undergoes a test in this world. The test an individual undergoes differs from person to person, depending upon the comforts and the conditions in which Allah puts an individual. He passes His judgement accordingly. For example if a teacher sets a difficult examination paper, the correction is usually lenient. On the other hand if the teacher sets an easy examination paper, the correction is strict.

Similarly some human beings are born in rich families while some others are born in poor families. Islam instructs every rich Muslim, who has a saving of more than the Nisaab level, i.e. 85 gms of Gold, to give 2.5% of his excess wealth in obligatory charity every lunar year. This called the system of ‘Zakaah’ in Islam. Some rich persons may be giving the minimum required charity; some may be giving less than what is required while others may not be giving at all. Thus for a rich man, he may get full marks in Zakat i.e. charity, some may get less, some may get nil. On the other hand, a poor person who has a saving of less than 85 gms of gold gets full marks in Zakat, because he does not have to give this compulsory charity. Any normal human being would like to be rich and not poor. Some may appreciate the rich people and sympathise with the poor, not knowing that the same wealth may take that person to hell if he does not give charity and due to this wealth falls prey to temptations of character, while poverty for the poor man may be an easy path to paradise if he follows the other commandments of Almighty God. The converse may be true. A wealthy man may earn paradise by his philanthropy and humility, while a poor person who covets luxuries and hence resorts to unfair means to get them may be in trouble on the Day of Judgement.

5. Children born with congenital defects are a test for their parents

Some children are born healthy while others are born handicapped or with a congenital defect. Irrespective of whether a child is born healthy or handicap, in Islam he is Masoom i.e. sinless. There is no question of the child being handicapped due to a carried forward baggage of past sins from ‘a previous life’. Such a belief will not inculcate a charitable attitude in others. Others might say that the child deserves his birth defects or the handicap since it is a result of his ‘bad karma’.

Islam states that such handicaps are a type of test for the parent whether they are yet thankful towards their Creator or not. Do they retain their patience? Do they continue to persevere?

There is a famous saying that a person was sad because he had no shoes to wear until he saw a person who had no feet.

It is mentioned in the Qur’an:

And know ye that your possessions
And your progeny, are but a trial
And that it is Allah with whom lies
Your highest reward.
(Al Qur’an 8:28)

Allah (swt) may be testing the parents whether they yet are thankful to their Creator or not. May be the parents are righteous and pious and deserve Jannah. If Allah wants to give them a higher place in Jannah, He will test them further, e.g. by giving a handicap child. Yet if they are thankful to their Creator, they will deserve a higher reward i.e. the Jannatul Firdous.

There is a general rule that the more difficult the test, higher the reward. To pass graduation in Arts and Commerce is relatively easy and if you pass you are called as a graduate without any special title but if you graduate in the field of medicine which is comparatively a much more difficult examination, besides becoming a graduate you are also called as a doctor and the title Dr. is put in front of your name.

In the same way Allah (swt) tests, different people in different ways, some with health, some with disease, some with wealth, some with poverty, some with more intelligence, some with less, and depending upon the facility He gives the individual, He tests accordingly.

Thus the main reason for the differences in the human being is that this life is a test for the hereafter. Life after death is mentioned in the Qur’an as well as the Vedas.

Individual differences are not due to transmigration of souls or ‘Samsara’, These beliefs were added on in subsequent scriptures like the Upanishad, Bhagvad Gita and the Puranas. The repetitive cycle of birth and death, birth and death, was unknown and unheard of in the Vedic period.

English translation of verses of the Glorious Qur’an is taken from Abdullah Yusuf Ali

In the subsequent articles in the present series, we shall InshaAllah study the similarities between the concept of worship and between other teachings in Islam and in Hinduism.

And all praises are for the One and Only God and Creator Allah, who alone is worthy of devotion, complete submission and worship.