Such is the wisdom of the Imams, the progeny of the Seal of Prophecy (PBUH&HP).

Such is the wisdom of the Imams, the progeny of the Seal of Prophecy (PBUH&HP). So Qada Wa Qadar is a matter between two matters: Some things we can control, and others we can’t; it is a mixture of Free Will and Allah’s Will. This belief is closer to reason than what all the other schools say. Moreover, a human being is ONLY liable for that which he has a will [and control] over; and Allah will judge him on those deeds that he voluntarily committed, NOT the ones that he has no control over.

Allah says: “By the soul, and the proportion and order given to it; and its inspiration as to its wrong and its right;– Truly he succeeds that purifies it, and he fails that corrupts it.”(3) Indeed, he who purifies his soul is destined to succeed, and he who corrupts it is destined to failure. That is where your choice comes in.

Again, things like the operation of the Universe, the movement of the planets, ones own sex at birth, one’s colour of skin, one’s parents, and so on, we have no will or control over, and we will NOT be held responsible for; but whether or not to be believers, killers, hypocrites, commit adultery, feed our children, and so on, we do have control over, and we WILL be held accountable for them.

As a conclusion to the matter and a final display of the superior knowledge of the Imams, I quote the following: al-Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-Rida (PBUH), the Eighth Imam, was 14 years old when he (PBUH) was asked about what al-Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) meant by “a matter between [those] two matters?” At 14 years of age, al-Imam Ali Ibn Musa al-Rida (PBUH) said: “He who says that Allah FORCES us to do our actions, subscribes to the school of Fatalism (Jabriyyah).

He who says that Allah has left the matter of birth, creation, and wealth to the Hujjahs, subscribes to the school of Free Will (Qadariyyah).” [NOTE: Hujjah means “Proof.” It includes Prophets, Messengers, and the Imams.

The significance of the word is that the Prophets, Messengers, and Imams command what Allah wants, and serve as proof against the people they have been sent to; as such, they are Allah’s “Proofs” on Earth.] Then Imam (PBUH) continues… “He who subscribes to Fatalism (Jabriyyah) is a Kafir (Nonbeliever), and he who subscribes to Free Will (Qadariyyah) is a Mushrik (Polytheist). As for the matter between two matters, it is the seeking of the path that leads to the fulfilment of Allah’s orders.