Shaykh Ḥāfiḍh al-Ḥakamī (رحمه الله) said:[1]
The believers console themselves during calamities with (the affair of) al-Qadar, and when they are granted success in doing good, they acknowledge it for He who deserves it, “Praise is for Allāh who guided us to this…” (7:43-), and they do not say as the sinner (Qārūn) said: “Indeed, I was given this due to knowledge I have…” (28:78-).
And when they commit a sin, they say, as the two parents said: “O our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and show mercy to us, we will surely be among the losers.” (7:23-), and they do not say as the accursed Satan said: “My Lord, because you led me astray…” (15:39-).
And when they are afflicted with a calamity: “They say: Indeed, to Allāh we belong and to Him shall we return.” (2:156-), and they do not say as those who disbelieved said: “… if only they remained with us, they would not have died and would not have been killed…” (3:156-)
01 Because the believers affirm al-Qadar, its good and its evil, and see no conflict between al-Qadar and al-Sharʿ (legislation), they respond to the decrees of Allāh in a particular way, other than the ways of the disbelievers and the misguided.
02 So when it comes to calamities, they use their belief in al-Qadar as a means of consolation and excuse from blame, such as what happens when there is harm, injury or loss to property or life. This leads them to patience and resilience.
03 When they are granted success in doing or acquiring good, they ascribe it to Allah, as there is no power nor might but that of Allāḥ, and so they thank Him, as all favour and bounty belongs to Him, and they do not ascribe it to themselves, to their intelligence, or their efforts and skills.
04 When they commit a sin, they ascribe it to themselves, their own wrongdoing, and seek His forgiveness and mercy, and they do not invoke al-Qadar as an argument, claiming it was decreed upon them.[2]
05 And when a calamity befalls them such as fear, hunger, loss in wealth, life and provision, they say that they belong to Allāh and will return to him. They do not question and find fault with al-Qadar by saying, “If we did or did not do this, the calamity would not have occurred” and what is similar.
So this is how the believer responds to the decrees of Allāh (عز وجل).
The believers are opposed to:
01 The deniers of al-Qadar, the Qadariyyah Majūsiyyah who make man an independent creator of his own actions, and they are the Muʿtazilah. However, Allāh (عز وجل) said: “And Allāh created you and whatever you do.” (37:96-)
02 And the Qadariyyah Iblīsiyyah, they claim a contradiction between what Allāh decreed and what He legislated, contending with Allāh and finding fault with Him. Iblīs said: “My Lord, because you led me astray…” (15:39-).
03 And the Qadariyyah Mushrikiyyah, they use their affirmation of al-Qadar to justify their opposition to the Sharīʿah, as they said: “Those who associated partners (with Allāh) will say: ‘If Allah had willed, we would not have associated [anything] and neither would our fathers, nor would we have prohibited anything.’” (6:148-).
04 And those who exaggerate in al-Qadar and claim that man does not have will and power by which to performs actions that are his actions in reality and ascribed to him, and they are the Jabariyyah, and when they also negate the asbāb (causes and effects), as is the way of the Ashʿarīs, they undermine the affair of reliance (tawakkul) as well.