The Universe & Its Natural Order

When Allah created the Universe, he made it all in proportion, and protected it with an Absolute Law (Qadr).

إِنَّا كُلَّ شَىۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَـٰهُ بِقَدَرٍ۬
Verily, all things have We created in proportion and measure. Surah Al Qamar verse 49

Qadr is mathematical, scientific, calculated. Everything has been created in proportion.

So Allah puts over this, His Ultimate Law (Qadr) in order to maintain Balance in the Universe.

An example of Qadr would be, the unseen currents that keep the planets orbiting, that regulates the movements of the sun and the moon, and which regulates the weather.

It is also in the way there is perfect percentage of different gases in the air, which holds the balance and keeps the universe as it is. In that same manner, we breathe a certain percentage of these air to maintain our existence.

The moment we do something to upset this balance, say cause an explosion that releases huge percentage of some other gases… it will be followed by a chain of reactions… our body will naturally react… the ecology of existence will be altered… and we will then find that the universe has an auto-reset mechanism… which bring things back into balance.

Allah highlights to us the importance in maintaining balance, in the Quran:

وَٱلسَّمَآءَ رَفَعَهَا وَوَضَعَ ٱلۡمِيزَانَ (٧) أَلَّا تَطۡغَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡمِيزَانِ (٨) وَأَقِيمُواْ ٱلۡوَزۡنَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِ وَلَا تُخۡسِرُواْ ٱلۡمِيزَانَ (٩

And the sky He hath uplifted; and He hath set the balance in measure. That ye exceed not the balance, But observe the balance strictly, nor fall short thereof. Ar Rahman 55:7-9

In a natural disaster happens, we say, “That has been proportioned, and what Allah wills happens”

ورود المصائب عليه، ولذا جاء في الأدب النبوي قوله صلى الله عليه وسلم: فإن أصابك شيء فلا تقل: لو أني فعلت كذا لكان كذا وكذا،

ولكن قل: قدر الله وما شاء الله فعل. رواه مسلم

Qadha is Allah’s Will and Decree – which includes the systemic laws of cause and consequence.

The Universe & the Earth, is almost mechanical. Once it reaches maximum limit, it blows, to re-set.

إِذَا قَضَىٰٓ أَمۡرً۬ا فَإِنَّمَا يَقُولُ لَهُ ۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ

When He has decreed something, He says to it only: “Be!” – and it is. Surah Ali Imran: 47

So why is this important to us?

This is because our soul, nafs and intellect together, is a world of its own. The human body, being of earth material, has the same reactionary tendencies to balance and harmony. It reacts to the changes in the weather and atmosphere – even to psychological stresses.

Allah is Fair, Gracious and Compassionate. In His Wisdom, He has chosen and decided several ground rules to help us along – to remain safe in the natural order of things. We find these rules revealed to us in the Quran.

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ

Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him (Surah Al Isra 17:23)

Humans and jinnis who recognise and act according to what Allah has decided – find themselves more resilient to the challenges of this world. However, when there is imbalance and disharmony – despair and grievances – chances are, some rule has been broken or boundaries crossed.

Human Beings and Jinnis have been given intellect – an ability to make decisions. Based on our choices and decisions, a certain pattern is set in motion – in the natural order of things. Sometimes, due to our limited capacity, we make wrong decisions. Our Most Loving and Gracious Creator, urges our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with:

قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيم
Say (O Muhammad ﷺ): O My servants who have wronged themselves! Don’t remove yourselves from the Compassion of Allah. Verily, Allah forgives sins – entirely. 
Verily, He is the Ever Forgiving, The Most Loving.
(Surah Az Zumar 53)

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ explains

الدُعَاءُ يَرُدُّ الْقَضَاء، وَإِنَّ الْبِرّ يَزِيدُ فِي الرِّزقِ، وَإِنَّ الْعَبْدُ لَيَحْرُمَ ‏الرِّزق بِالذَّنْبِ يُصِيبُهُ. رواه الترمذي والحاكم واللفظ له.‏

Supplications diverts Al-Qadha (Systematic – In the natural order of things). Righteousness will cause increase in a person’s provisions. And the slave is deprived of his provisions, by the sins that has encompassed himself.

Qadha = Decree & Decision

Qadr = Amount, Measure, Proportion, Degree

Allahu a’lam. Everything that is correct here comes from Allah – and all mistakes here comes from this faqeerah billah – Noraini Abdul Wahab.