It is through the story of Prophet Adam(AS) the first human being that we get the solution to what is called the oldest problem in philosophy, Decree(Qadr).

1. The Lessons of Decree fromthe Story of Prophet Adam (AS)
One of the mostdifficultaspectsof Islamicteachingstograspnot onlyfornon-Muslimsorreverts,but
alsofor bornMuslimsisthe conceptof Final Decree or how it isknowninArabicas Qadr. First thingto
realize isthatthiscan be explainedinseveral waysandalsowe mustunderstandthatthiscan neverbe
a short conversationwheneverittakesplace.The veryconceptof Predestination andthe common
questionof ‘If Allah(SWT) already knowswhatIwill do, how is it my fault?’ takessome understanding
and time tograsp.
SlappingSomeSense into thatQuestion
Accordingto a verylearnedIslamicScholar,he saysthatif someone washavingthatconversationwith
himor askingthat questionof him,the firstthinghe woulddoisslapthe one askingthe question.Which
isa bitstartlingright?The personwhogot slappedwill ask,‘Why did you slap me?’ Andthe Imam
responds,‘You can’tblamemefor that,it wasAllah’s(SWT) Decree, it waspredestined.’ We askyou,
wouldthe personthatwas slappedagree tothatanswer?Of course theywill not,because the imam
slappedhimbutnowhe is sayingitisnot hisfault.Theyknow the imamhithim andwill neverbelieve or
take certainanswerthat itwas Allah’s(SWT) Decree because intheirheartstheyknow thatthe Imam
slappedhimof hisownvolition,whichbasicallymeansthatintheircore,the people askingthe question
‘If Allah(SWT) already knowswhatIwill do, how is it my fault?’alreadyknow thatthisdoesnotmake any
practical sense.The factis, the people whowanttobelievethisorwantto argue thisquestionare
simplypeoplewhowanttodo some badthingsand theydon’twantto be blamedforit. Thisisthe
psychological rootof thisproblem.
The Lessonsof Decree from the Story of the First Human Being [Prophet Adam(AS)]
The Quran doesnot have a chapteron Qadr(Decree),whichis whyitteachesus that conceptthrough
the story of ProphetAdam(AS),the firsthumanbeingtohave been created. Accordingtothe same
scholar,the Quran teachesusthat if there wasone humanbeingthathad the rightto ask Allah(SWT),
‘You already knewI wasgoing to be sentdown to earth’ it was Adam(AS). Itisthroughthe storyof the
firsthumanbeingthatwe get the solutiontowhatis called theoldestproblemin philosophy,Qadr.Letit
be knownthat the careful studyof the story of Prophet(Adam),littlebylittleisveryimportant.
Here you have to understandandbe aware of one thing.Whichis whatshaytan(devil) saidtoAllah
(SWT).Allah(SWT) saysinthe Quran,
[Iblees]said,“My Lord, becauseYou have misledme, I will surely make (disobedience) attractiveto
them on earth, and I will misleadthem all O Except, amongthem, Your chosenservants.”
(QuranSurah Al-HijrAyah15:39-40)
Thenwe have to lookat what ProphetAdam(AS) saidtoAllah(SWT).Allah(SWT) saysinthe Quran,

2. They said,“Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves,andif Youdo not forgiveus and have mercy upon
is,we will surely be amongthe losers.”
(QuranSurah Al-A’raf Ayah7:23)
1. From thisitis obvioustosee thatthe one who refusestoadmithisownfaultand says ‘Allah
(SWT) mademe slip’ iswho?The devil.
2. The one whoadmitshisownfaultand pleadstoAllah(SWT) admittinghisownfaultiswho?
Prophet Adam(AS).
That is the lessonwe learninthe storyof the firsthumanbeing. Itisquite evidentthatthe devil wants
to continue hisownfailuresandwants toinjectthatdisease intous. ThisiswhyPredestinationiscalled
the oldest problemin philosophy because itwasshaytan’sproblem.
A bookthat we recommendonthistopicisGod, Islamand the SkepticMindbySaiyadSalahuddinAhmad
&SaiyadFareedAhmad.
https://www.amazon.com/God-Islam-Skeptic-Mind-Religious/dp/1497360021
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