Free Will vs Predestination: My Fate is prewritten?
If Allah Knows I’ll Fail, Why Let Me Try? Allah loves you and gave you the gift of free will. But how does it fit with the idea that our fate is already written? Explore the balance between your choices and destiny in Islam. – Free Will vs Predestination
Blog post summary:
- An Easy Example to Understand Free Will vs. Predestination in Islam
- Allah’s knowledge is far greater
- Allah can see the whole track, we are dependent upon time not Him
- Why did Allah give you free will?
- How can I change my destiny?
✨An Easy Example to Understand Free Will vs. Predestination in Islam
I came across this simple example while studying this topic, and although I’m not sure of the scholar’s name, it really helped me understand the concept. So, I’m sharing it:
Imagine a magician comes to you and says,
“Pick any card from this deck, and I’ll predict what you’ll choose.”
He shuffles the cards and writes something down on a piece of paper. You pick a card, and when you look at it, it matches exactly what the magician wrote—like magic! But here’s the twist: even though you had the choice to pick any card, somehow, it still ended up being the one the magician predicted.
So just like that, I have the choice to do good things or bad things. Yup—free will is real, my friend! 😎
Allah isn’t forcing me to eat that extra slice of cake at 2 a.m. 🍰 (even though He knows I will 💀).
Why? Because He already knows everything—past, present, future, and even what’s in your group chat 👀
But knowing something doesn’t mean controlling it. Allah has ultimate knowledge, not a remote control. 📺✨
It’s that simple. You choose. He knows.
“And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him…”1
So next time you mess up and say, “Well, Allah already knew I was gonna do that…”
Remember:
That’s like blaming Google Maps for missing your exit—you had the steering wheel, bro. 🚗😂
🙌 Allah’s knowledge is infinite and beyond human comprehension
Allah’s knowledge is way beyond anything we can imagine. When we talk about predestination, we mean that Allah knows everything—even what we will do, because time isn’t a hurdle for Him. He created time! 🕰️
So, Allah already knows whether our choices will lead us to paradise or, well… the other place. But here’s the kicker: this doesn’t take away our free will.
It’s like that magician example—he knows what card you’ll pick, but you’re still the one choosing it. You’re the one making the choice, even if the magician already wrote it down on a piece of paper. It’s your choice, just like that card—you pick, but somehow, he knew!
For example, let me give you another example,
Kid: “Mom, why are you putting broccoli in my pizza?! That’s illegal!” 🥦🍕
Mom: “Trust me, it’s good for you.”
Kid (after one bite, the whole dramatic scene): “This is betrayal. I thought you loved me.” 😩
But here’s the thing: just like Mom isn’t trying to ruin pizza night (even though it feels that way to the kid), Allah doesn’t send challenges to make us suffer. His actions aren’t random or cruel. He knows what we don’t. He sees the whole journey—start to finish.
We might see the “broccoli moments” in life as punishment 🍕💔, but Allah sees them as necessary ingredients for our growth.
His knowledge is beyond time, beyond space, beyond Google and your grandma combined 🧠✨
“But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you…”2
And no, this doesn’t cancel your free will. You still chose to pick up the slice, my dude. You still make your own choices—He just knows the ending before you watch the movie.
If Allah is loving and merciful, why does He allow evil and suffering? Explore how Islam explains suffering, divine wisdom, and the deeper purpose behind life’s trials.
If Allah Loves Us, Why Is There Evil in the World? A Merciful Perspective
Allah can see the whole track – Free Will vs Predestination
Just like a child’s circle of knowledge is small and limited 🎈, a mother’s circle is much bigger. 💡
She knows that if her child keeps eating candy for breakfast 🍭, skipping sleep 😴, and wrestling the neighbor’s cat 🐈—it’ll cause trouble later.
She sees what’s coming, even if the child doesn’t.
Now imagine that… but on an infinite scale. ♾️
Allah’s circle of knowledge is the greatest. 🕋✨
He doesn’t just see what’s in front of us—He sees all of time at once. Past, present, future—it’s all clear to Him like an open book 📖.
Time is a barrier for us, not for Him.
We move through time like passengers on a train 🚆, seeing one moment at a time…
But Allah is the One who sees the whole track—beginning to end. 🛤️
So yes, He already knows what we’ll do—but that doesn’t mean He forces us to do it. You still have the controller in your hands 🎮—He just already knows what move you’ll make.
His knowledge is beyond anything we can grasp.
“He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they do not encompass it in knowledge.”3
🤔✨ Why did Allah give you free will? – Free Will vs Predestination
Now, the big question is: If Allah is all merciful and loves us, and He knows that because of our choices, some might end up in Hell, then why did He give us free will? Was it to hurt us or to show off His power and knowledge?
The answer is no. He didn’t give us free will for that reason.
So, why did Allah give us free will if He already knows some people will end up in Hell?
Because true love and mercy include freedom. True love moves through many stages.
And when it’s real—with kindness and sympathy—you don’t force hearts, you give them space to choose.
Allah didn’t create us as robots. He gave us minds, hearts, and the ability to choose—because only through choice can we grow, learn, love Him sincerely, and earn Jannah (Paradise) with real effort.
He doesn’t want anyone to go to Hell. In fact, the Quran says:
“Allah does not wrong anyone, not even the weight of an atom.” 4
If we end up in a bad place, it’s because of our own continuous choices—not because Allah wanted to punish us. He shows us the right path, sends guidance, forgives again and again, and gives countless chances.
Free will is a gift, not a trap. It’s what gives your good deeds meaning. It’s what makes your patience, kindness, and faith valuable. Because you chose them.
And remember:
“Allah is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child.”5
So no—He didn’t give us free will to hurt us. He gave it to us because He loves us enough to let us write our own story.
Dua 🤲 can change your destiny
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Nothing repels the Divine Decree but supplication, and nothing increases the lifespan but righteousness.”6
Yes—you read that right. Your sincere, heartfelt du’a has power.
Not just to comfort you, not just to bring peace to your heart—but to literally rewrite your destiny. 🖊️📜
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Nothing can change the Divine decree except du’a.”7
SubhanAllah. That’s huge. 💥
It means that even if something is written in your fate—hardship, delay, difficulty—your du’a has the power to shift it.
Your hands raised in prayer can shake the heavens before they shake the earth. 🌌
So next time you’re feeling stuck, hopeless, or like nothing will change—make du’a. Cry. Whisper. Shout it in your heart if you can’t with your tongue.
Because your Lord is listening. And He is closer than you think.
“Indeed I am near… I respond to the call of the caller when he calls upon Me.”8
Allah loves you my dear. Click here: Divine Love Revealed: How and Why Allah Loves You
🛑 Don’t underestimate your du’a. It’s not a last resort—it’s your strongest weapon.
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