Summary: Islam, like some branches of Christianity, adheres to the idea of predestination. For Muslims, Allah knows and sees everything ndash; he knows the outcomes good or bad. Nothing happens in this world that Allah does not know, that Allah has not permitted. Even things considered ldquo;evilrdquo; are not outside Allahrsquo;s realm ndash; itrsquo;s thought the evils that happen now will eventually result in human good man cannot understand. But, although God knows all, that does not mean there is no free will in Islam. Muslims believe Allah has written down all things in the Preserved Tablet ndash; all that happens or will happen is in there; itrsquo;s there now because God exists outside time. So, Allah knows what choices men and women will make, but does not stop them from making them. Quite often, when Muslims refer to the future they preface what they say with the phrase ldquo;Insharsquo;Allahrdquo; or ldquo;god willingrdquo;. Itrsquo;s an acknowledgment that humans do not know whatrsquo;s coming ndash; they can only hope for certain outcomes but, in the end, it all rests in Godrsquo;s hands.
