1.1. Definition of the divine will and decree (al-qada’ wa’l-qadar) in linguistic terms
1.1.1. Definition of al-qada’ in linguistic terms

The word qada’ refers to the completion of a thing in terms of words and actions. Thus qada’ al-shay’ (completion of the thing) means doing it, making it with precision and finishing it. The root word qadiya is indicative of doing something with precision and proficiently, and sending it to where it is meant to be.

The word al-qada’ and its derivatives appear frequently in the Holy Qur’an; all meanings thereof boil down to the root meaning mentioned above.

1.1.2. Definition of al-qadar in linguistic terms
In linguistic terms, the word al-qadar refers to making a decision and passing judgement. It refers to what Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, decrees of decisions and what He ordains of matters, and their ultimate outcome that He wills for them. The root word qadara is indicative of the ultimate fate of a thing, its nature and how it will end.

1.2. Definition of the divine will and decree (al-qada’ wa’l-qadar) in Islamic terminology
In Islamic terminology, the divine will and decree (al-qada’ wa’l-qadar) refers to the decree of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, from eternity regarding all things; His knowledge that they will take place at a specific time known to Him, in a particular manner; His writing of that and His willing of it; its coming to pass according to what He decreed; and His creation of it.

Al-Khattabi said, “Many people may think that what is meant by the divine will and decree is that Allah forces and compels the individual to act according to what He has willed and decreed… But it is not as they think. Rather what is meant is that He is telling us that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has prior knowledge of what will happen in terms of people’s actions and deeds, and all that happens on the basis of His decree and His creation of it, whether it is good or bad. The word al-qadar (decree) is a noun which refers to what happens on the basis of what has already been decreed by the One who has decreed it, just as destruction, holding and spreading are nouns which refer to what happens on the basis of the actions of the one who destroys or holds or spreads. In this context the word al-qada’ (divine will) refers to creation, as in the verse in which Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning), 'So He completed their creation (fa qadahunna) as seven heavens in two days.'" (Fussilat 41:12)
That is, He created them, and as that is the case, then all that remains of this matter after Allah’s knowledge concerning them is their actions and deeds, and their starting to do these things and doing them intentionally, on the basis of their own will and choice. Hence they will have no excuse because their actions were done intentionally, and they are answerable for them.”

1.3. Development of the innovated view that denied the divine decree
The Qur’an and Sunnah explained the concept of the divine decree very clearly, and this correct view of the divine decree was prevalent during the lifetime of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and after he died, during the period of the Rightly Guided Caliphs (R#), then some people began to drift away from the right path, individually and in groups, regarding the matter of the divine decree, which led in turn to some serious negative consequences. Ibn Taymiyah said, “At the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, no one denied the divine decree.”

There are differing scholarly views regarding the development of the group which denied the divine decree and at whose hand it developed. There are several views, the most significant of which include the following:
That the first one to deny the divine decree was Ma‘bad al-Juhani in Basra, at the end of the era of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them). Or it was said that the first person to introduce the denial of the divine decree was a Zoroastrian man from Basra whose name was Sawsan or Sisawayh. Then this view was adopted from Ma‘bad by the leaders of the Mu‘tazilites, such as Wasil ibn ‘Ata’, ‘Amr ibn ‘Ubayd and Ghaylan al-Dimashqi. As for Wasil ibn ‘Ata’, who was the leader of the Mu‘tazilites, he claimed that evil could not be attributed to Allah, because Allah is Most Wise, so it is not possible that He could will that people should do anything other than what He enjoined, and make it inevitable that they would do something then punish them for it. He stated that the individual is the one behind his own actions, whether he does good deeds or bad deeds, believes or disbelieves, obeys Allah or disobeys Him, for he is the one who will be requited for what he does, and the Lord Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, gave him the power to do all of that. Al-Nazzam, who was one of the Mu‘tazilites, was of the view that Allah cannot commit evil and sinful deeds, and that is not within His capability.

Ibn Taymiyah said, “When these people introduced the innovation of disbelieving in the divine decree, those of the Sahabah who were still alive – such as ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and Wathilah ibn al-Asqa‘ – refuted their false notion. Most of these ideas were to be found in Basra and Syria, and there was very little of that in the Hijaz.”

This is the group whom the scholars called the Qadaris (al-Qadariyyah). They were called by this name because they affirmed that the individual has the ability to create his actions on his own, independently of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, and they denied that things happen by the prior will and decree of Allah.

Then towards the end of the Umayyad (Umawi) period, some people began to spread the idea that man is compelled to do what he does, and has no choice with regard to what he does or does not do. The first one to come up with this idea was al-Jahm ibn Safwan, and from this innovation developed many abhorrent views and grave misguidance.