Supplication for Protection from Evil and Its Relation to Qadar
Source: Fatāwā Amanpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amanpuri
❖ Question:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to encourage making this supplication:
أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ جَهْدِ الْبَلَاءِ، وَدَرَكِ الشَّقَاءِ، وَسُوءِ الْقَضَاءِ، وَشَمَاتَةِ الْأَعْدَاءِ
“O Allah! I seek refuge in You from severe trials, falling into misery, evil destiny, and the gloating of enemies.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6616; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2707)
If everything has already been decreed in Qadar, then what is the benefit of asking Allah for protection from it?
❖ Answer:
Seeking refuge through such supplications is itself part of Qadar.
- Qadar is Allah’s pre-eternal knowledge.
Allah already knew what every servant would do, so He wrote it in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lawḥ al-Maḥfūẓ). - Dua itself is written in Qadar.
If a servant prays to Allah for protection from trials, misery, or evil decree, then this very prayer is part of what Allah had written in Qadar. - Acceptance or postponement of dua is also decreed.
Allah has written which supplication will be accepted immediately, which will be delayed, and which will be exchanged for something better.
Conclusion:There is no contradiction between Qadar and making dua. Both the trial and the protection from it through supplication are encompassed within Allah’s eternal decree.
