DESTINY IN ISLAM (Part 2)

Allah is all-seeing and all-hearing, nothing escapes his grasp. He has knowledge over all things.
Allah says in quran "No calamity occurs on the earth or in yourselves but it is inscribed in a record before We bring it into existence. Verily, that is easy for Allah". (57:22)
And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darkness of the earth and nothing wet or dry but that it is in a clear record. (6:59)

Everything is in a clear record (LAWHE MEHFUUZ) and non can change our destiny except Allah himself.

Narrated by Ubadah ibn as-Samit Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘The first thing which Allah created was the Pen. He commanded it to write. It asked: ‘What should I write?’ He said:’ write the Decree (al-Qadr).’ So it wrote what had happened and what was going to happen up to eternity. (Tirmezi )

Above hadith makes it clear that the decree is already written up to eternity. Its obvious that the pen to whom Allah ordered to write the destiny of everyone didn't write anything on its own, It wrote with the will and guidance of Allah. So in another words its nothing more than the documentation of the Absolute and Perfect Knowledge of the LARD ALL-MIGHTY.

Narrated 'Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (pbuh) as saying:
There was argument between Adam and Moses, and Adam came the better of Moses. Moses said to him: You are the same Adam who misled people, and caused them to get out of Paradise. Adam said: You are the same (Moses) whom Allah endowed the knowledge of everything and selected him amongst the people as His Messenger. He said: Yes. Adam then again said: Even then you blame me for an affair which had been ordained for me before I was created.(Muslim)

The above hadith just another example to show that the decree was written even before Adam was created. Its a perfect Knowledge of Allah so noting can be added or deleted from it according the below narration.

Narrated 'Ibn Mas'dd (ra) reported that Umm Habiba(ra) said:
0 Allah, enable me to derive benefit from my husband, Allah's Messenger (pbuh), and from my father Abu Sufyan, and from my brother Mu'awiya. Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said to her: Verily, you have asked Allah about the durations of life already set, and the steps which you would take, and the sustenances the share of which is fixed. Nothing would take place earlier than its due time, and nothing would be deferred beyond that when it is due. So, if you were to ask Allah about your safety from the torment of Hell-Fire and from the torment of the grave, it would have been better for you. A person said: Allah's Messenger, what about those apes and swine which suffered metamorphosis? Thereupon Allah's Apostle said: Verily, Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, did not destroy a people or did not torment a people, and let their race grow. Apes and swine had been even before that (when the deniers of truth were tormented and suffered metamorphosis). (Muslim)

Supplication can change your destiny.

Although it's a fact that destiny can't be changed, but dua has the power to change our Destiny.
The Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said: “Nothing can change the Divine decree except Dua.” ( Ahmad, Tirmezi)
We have not even begun to understand the perfect Knowledge of Allah. It is beyond our comprehension. Certainly " there is neither might nor power except with Allah "
When the hadith says that supplication can change destiny it's contradicting with the earlier hadith (narrated by Umm Habiba).

Let me relate an example from Qur'an. Zakariyah( as ) didn't have any kids until his old age. So when he supplicated for an offspring. Allah bestowed him with Yahya (as ).
It is not as if it was Decreed in the ‘QADAR’ of Allah that He would not bestow a son to His Noble Slave and Prophet Zakariyah (a.s.), and only because Prophet Zakariyah (a.s.) supplicated Allah to grant him an offspring, Allah had to now change the destiny and grant him a son!
It was already documented in the Pre-Ordained Destiny that Allah Lord All-Mighty would not bestow a child to Zakariyah (a.s.) until his old age as a trial, and when the time of trial would come to pass, Zakariyah (a.s.) would supplicate his Lord to bestow him with a son, and the Lord Most Gracious would accept the supplication of His slave and Prophet and bestow upon him his son and heir, Prophet Yahya (a.s.).
Thus it is not that Allah (Aoodobillah) does not know that His slave will ask for something, and He would have to change the 'Destiny’ every time He accepts the supplications of His believing slaves, but rather the ‘supplication’ one makes unto their Lord for something is already in the Perfect and Absolute Knowledge of Allah The Most High, which He recorded in the ‘Qadr’ with Him. (1)

There are many verses in the Quran where Allah asks the believers to invoke Allah. There are many Hadiths too regarding supplications. Which says, supplication is a form of worship. Surah fatiha is a dua, Dua/supplications is our only way to ask forgivness from Al- Ghaffar (the forgiver) Allah the Compassionate gets angry on a person who doesn't asks or invokes Allah, etc.

Allah also clearly says in Qur'an "And your Lord said: ‘Invoke Me I will respond to your (invocation). Verily, those who scorn My worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not believe in My Oneness] they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!" (40:60)
“And when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad PBUH) concerning Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near (to them). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant when he calls on Me” ( 1:186)

Finally, the last hadith to conclude the topic.

Narrated 'Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (pbuh) as saying:
A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don't say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do and your" if" opens the (gate) for the Satan. ( Sahih Muslim).

The hadith mentioned above Narrated by 'Ibn Mas'dd (ra) reported by Umm Habiba(ra) also brings out What a believer should actually be asking from Allah I.e safety from HELL-FIRE! and torment of the GRAVE!

"..... Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said to her: Verily, you have asked Allah about the durations of life already set, and the steps which you would take, and the sustenance the share of which is fixed. Nothing would take place earlier than its due time, and nothing would be deferred beyond that when it is due. So, if you were to ask Allah about your safety from the torment of Hell-Fire and from the torment of the grave, it would have been better for you.....'" ( Muslim)

Reference:-

1) Islamhelpline.com

Destiny in Islam (PART 1)