Destiny by its meaning reveals what is allotted to an individual as a living plan before an individual gets to this world. Destiny is a religious concept that interprets whatever happens in life has, from timeless beginning predestined by the Creator to happen when mankind was in the spiritual realm before he could eventually meet himself in this vacuum universe. There are many philosophical engagements by philosophers to what might be possibly called destiny if probably existed.
Stoic school of thought holds the belief that anything might happen in this world has been predestined to happen by the Designer of this universe. To stoic, anything that one can do or that eventually happen is predestined regardless of human effort. It negates role that an individual can partake in the course of life. This will make one think that is this world in the hand of a human being has no influence?
Going to Islamic philosophers, two schools of thought were considered. The Quadariyyah and Jabariyyah. The Quadariyyah believes that human beings are given the ability to do and undo, the concept of free will. This free will given to mankind is an indication of human potentiality to take charge of his life and as well hold him responsible for what he does. Thus, the position of destiny as in the creeds of the religion was not considered. With this assertion, no by any means, God will be “unjust” to His creatures so taking destiny as a shade of excuse is not entertained.
The latter school of thought, Jabariyyah believes God has put everything in order so anything in this life; happens under this orderliness decree. In other words, nothing can happen except it has been predestined by God. The position of this school of thought is correlative to the stoic and the fatalism. Human’s role in this life is also considered as part of the decreed destiny.
To this end, people have the misconception with the concept destiny as it reveals the interpretation given to it and how it is being applied in their daily life. One can easily say that taking of medicine by a patient has no effect to the sickness as it has been destined and what will be would be. To juxtapose with the above school of thought one will deduce that all these schools of thought are correct with their submission but having a different perspective in their point of view.
Destiny exists has some religions teach it but how it works seem to be the bone of contention or as a point of divergence. The existence of destiny as a matter of fact does not neglect individual role to play in a matter of our lives. A scenario of a student who reads day and night, partakes in a group discussion with his colleague and get himself prepared for the exam; the failure of such a student can easily be referred to be destiny which predicated on certain causes that lead to its happening. Unlike a student who oppositely does not take any effort on his study but solely rely on exam malpractice because causation cannot be ruled out on the issue of destiny. Thus truly, “what will be will be”” but its occurrence based on some causes that attach to it.
In the world we live today, those who are influential, great, hero, famous were put themselves into a work or another before they were known in their own field. So, they create their own profile to make known to the world. The realization of the destiny of what they become lies in their effort and unrelenting effort they apply. Thus, you write your destiny yourself. It belongs to an individual to draw his life chart to where he feels like. Every step you take leads to what you want your life to be, the unleashing pack of stock in the store. Destiny exists in the help of individual’s role and his environmental influence (this include parent, society, and among others).
A person that is predestined to rule can decide by himself where to use his rulership; in that if he was raised well by his parent may find himself as a political leader, a judge, rector, top businessman or businesswoman in future to come or otherwise use his rulership among set of gangster if happened he lacks proper upbringing in his childhood age. The reality of destiny in this scenario is that he rules but in a different situation and this different situation is the impact of individual and causes to its effect.
Do you know that at a certain stage of life man is left alone to take charge of his affair?
Let reason a situation whereby a four-year child fell down from two building storeys and when he was taken to the hospital in his diagnostic, Doctor reveals he has no defect that nothing happens to him. Comparing to a situation where this same incident happens to an adult or old man would the result be the same? Apparently, the answer is no, so this explains that at a certain stage of life where man is arm-less the Divine is totally in charge but after attaining the next level of consciousness you and the Divine share responsibility.
This to my observation, is how the concept of destiny to be understood. What will be will be in the light of your effort and Divine Will which mankind walk their life through. And not the misconception taken by people as that destiny can just realize itself be it positive or negative. If a bad thing happened it is determined based on the condition surrounded the situation and in the presence of human role that leads to the happening of such event. Destiny as myth is the wrong interpretations of destiny by people which can make some argue that such a concept does not exist.