سورة يوسف

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Imam Ali (peace be upon him) was asked about the different meanings of qada (decree). He said: "Qada is of ten kinds, and their meanings differ from one another: one of them is qada in the sense of finishing a task; another in the sense of a covenant and pact; another in the sense of announcing; another in the sense of doing; another in the sense of becoming obligatory; another in the sense of becoming certain; another in the sense of completing; another in the sense of ruling; another in the sense of creating; another in the sense of the descent of death... As for qada in the sense of the [certain] necessity of the punishment, it is like the words of Allah in Surah Ibrahim (peace be upon him): وَ قالَ الشَّیْطانُ لَمَّا قُضِیَ الْأَمْرُ [And Satan will say when the matter has been decreed] (Ibrahim/22), meaning: when the punishment became obligatory [and certain]; and like the verse قُضِیَ الْأَمْرُ الَّذِی فِیهِ تَسْتَفْتِیانِ [The matter concerning which you both inquired has been decreed], meaning: that which you asked me about has become obligatory and certain [it will surely come to pass]."