There is no animate being that He does not hold (program with the Name Fatir) by its forehead (brain) (i.e. subjugate to His command)...[1]
Say, “Everyone acts according to his own creation program (natural disposition; fitrah)”[2]
Say: ‘Allah’ and let them amuse themselves in their empty discourse (their illusory world) in which they are absorbed[3]
Indeed, We have created everything with its program (qadar – fate)[4]
There are many more verses in the Quran regarding this topic, however let us suffice with this much for now and take a look at some of the hadith from the Sahih Muslim collection, the section called, “Book of Destiny”:
Abu al-Aswad reported that 'Imran b. Husain asked him:
What is your view, what the people do today in the world, and strive for, is it something decreed and preordained for them or will their fate in the Hereafter be determined by the fact that their Rasuls and Nabis brought them teachings which they did not act upon?
I said: Of course, it is something that is predetermined for them and preordained for them.
He (further) said: Then, would it not be an injustice (to punish them)?
I felt greatly disturbed upon hearing this, and said: Everything is created by Allah and lies in His Power. He is not questioned (called to account) for what He does! But they will be questioned (they will live the consequences of their actions)![5]Thereupon he said to me: May Allah have mercy upon you, I did not mean to ask you but for testing your intelligence.
Two men of the tribe of Muzaina came to Allah's Rasul (saw) and said: Allah's Rasul, what is your opinion regarding the things people do in the world and strive for, is it something decreed and preordained for them and will their fate in the Hereafter be determined by the fact that their Rasuls and Nabis brought them teachings which they did not act upon and thus be deserving of punishment? Thereupon, he said: Of course, it happens as it is decreed by destiny and as it has been preordained for them, and this view is confirmed by this verse from the Book of Allah, the Aziz and Jalil:
" By the self (the individual consciousness; identity) and the One who proportioned it (formed the brain);
Then inspired it as to what will lead it astray from the Truth and the system, and how to protect itself...”[6]
Jabir reported that Suraqa b. Malik b. Ju'shuin came and said:
“Allah's Rasul, explain our religion to us in a way as if we have been created just now. Whatever deeds we do today, is it because of the fact that the pens have dried (after recording them) and the destinies have began to operate or will they be determined by what we encounter in the future?” Thereupon he said: “The pens have dried and destinies have begun to operate”. Suraqa b. Malik said: “If it is so, then what is the use of doing good deeds?” Zuhair explained: Then Abu Zubair said something but I could not understand it and I asked, “What did he say?” Thereupon he said: “Act, for everyone is facilitated in what he intends to do.”