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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Theological Instructions LESSON NINETEEN: DIVINE DECREE AND DESTINY The concepts of destiny and decree The term destiny (qadar) means dimension and pre-determination (taqdīr) means measurement, and measuring and building something to determine a size. The term decree (qadā’) is used in the meaning of bringing to an end, finishing, and judgement (which, figuratively, is a kind of finishing of finishing).

Occasionally decree and destiny are used as synonyms in the sense of destiny (masīr). By destiny it is implied that God has decided the limits and dimensions, time and space, quantity and quality of the phenomena, which are established through the influence of gradual causes and agents. Likewise decree is known as the final and inevitable termination of a phenomenon after creating their grounds and conditions.

According to these definitions the classification of divine destiny is prior to the classification of divine decree and they are comprised of hierarchical degrees, which include conditions that are immediate, intermediary, and remote and by the innovation of some means and conditions they are transformed.

For example the gradual development of a foetus from a sperm to an embryo goes through different stages, which includes distinctive time and space, and finally its deliverance, which is considered from the realm of its destiny. However the classification of instant decree is related to the generation of all factors and conditions and at the same time it is inevitable as the Noble Qur’an has referred: “And when He decides on a matter, He just says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is”(al-Baqarah :117).

As has already been indicated, occasionally decree and destiny are used as synonyms, and due to this it is divided into certain and uncertain, and from this aspect we find in our traditions and supplications that the decree can be averted through giving charity, supplication and strengthening the blood-kinship.

Objective determination and epistemic-determination Occasionally the divine pre-determination (taqdīr) and decree are known as the knowledge of God, with regards to the conditions and grounds for the birth and actualisation of a phenomenon. This is named as epistemic-decree, and destiny (qada’ wa qadar ‘ilmi).

Similarly the objective decree and destiny (qada’ wa qadar ‘ayni) are known to be related to the gradual evolution of a phenomenon and its realisation in the realm of the external world (its materialisation).