Question Summary:
If Dajjal is pre-destined to be evil and to create havoc on earth, will he be judged and go to Jahannam on the Day of Qiyamah? Shaytaan will definitely go because he directly disobeyed Allah SWT…

Question Detail:

If Dajjal is pre-destined to be evil and to create havoc on earth, will he be judged and go to Jahannam on the Day of Qiyamah? Shaytaan will definitely go because he directly disobeyed Allah SWT - it was a choice he made, meaning he was good and then through his arrogance, he became evil. What about Dajjal who is already pre-destined to be evil from the beginning?

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
It appears that your query is based on your misunderstanding of pre-destiny (Taqdeer). In brief, taqdeer refers to the absolute and perfect knowledge of Allah. He knows ahead of time what everyone will do in the future out of their own will. The absolute knowledge of Allah does not interfere with the independent will of people. People will be judged and rewarded or punished by Allah due to their own will.
We believe that the knowledge of Allah is perfect and everything will fall in place according to the knowledge of Allah without imposing anything against the will of people. Had the knowledge of Allah (Taqdeer) been imposed against the will of people, that will bring to question the entire concept of the day of Qiyamat. Then rewarding through Jannah and Jahannam will be against justice or it will be oppression respectively.
The crimes and punishments of Shaitaan and Dajjal should be viewed in the light of the above explanation. Dajjal will commit acts of Kufr and Shirk out of his own will. Allah having prior knowledge of this does not obstruct the will of Dajjal. Dajjal will be punished for his direct crimes like Shaitan.
Wassalam


Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah