12th December 2025
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Question: Does Dua change taqdeer? I heard somewhere it does so could you provide evidence from Hadith for this? If so, does that mean by doing dua if death was written for you, then by doing dua you can extend your life? Or by doing dua, if illness was written for you, that you can stop illness happening?
الجواب حامداً و مصلياً
In the name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer: In response to your inquiry, dua is among the most effective means through which Allah may repel or delay certain manifestations of taqdeer (divine decree). This is established from Hadith in which Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam stated: ‘Nothing repels Divine decree except dua’[1]
It must be understood that Allāh Almighty’s decree is of two kinds: one which is absolute and unchangeable, and the other which is conditional, wherein outcomes are dependent on certain causes such as dua, charity, repentance, and maintaining ties of kinship. The Hadith is referring to conditional decree.[2]
Allāh Almighty already knows from His eternal knowledge whether a person will make dua and the effect of that dua. He may, through barakah of dua and righteous deeds, remove or delay a calamity, avert illness, or bless a person’s life with beneficial years. This does not mean that Allah’s eternal knowledge or absolute decree changes. Rather, the dua itself was written as part of decree and serves as a cause for the resulting outcome.
If calamity or illness has been written in a conditional form, Allāh may, through dua, repentance, good actions, remove or postpone that hardship. Likewise, with dua and righteousness, a person’s life may be extended in the sense of being blessed with productive and peaceful years, or causes of death may be averted by the will of Allah. Acceptance of dua rests solely with Allah’s wisdom. Dua is both an act of worship and a means decreed by Allah for the attainment of His mercy.
[Allāh Knows Best]
Written by: Apa Sumayya Qazi Reviewed by: Mufti Abdul Waheed
Attested by: Shaykh Mufti Saiful Islam
JKN Fatawa Department
[1] Tirmidhi, Hadith no. 2139.
لا يرد القدر إلا الدعاء
[2] Sharah Sahih Muslim, Vol 16, pg 208-209.
قال النووي رحمه الله: قال العلماء: هذا في القدر المعلق الذي تكتبه الملائكة، أما القدر المبرم فلا تبديل فيه.
Ibne HajarAsklani, Fath-Al-Bari, Vol 10, pg 417.
قال ابن حجر العسقلاني رحمه الله: والمراد بزيادة العمر: الزيادة في القدر المعلق، أما القدر المبرم فلا يقع فيه تغيير.
Imam al-Tahawi, Sharah-Al Aqidah Al-Tahawiyyah, pg 266-267.
قال ابن أبي العز الحنفي: وقد دلت النصوص على أن من القضاء ما هو مبرم لا يغير، ومنه ما هو معلق بالاسباب.