20. FATE AND FREE WILL OF MAN

God says:

Behold, as for those of you who turned away [from their duty] on the day when the two hosts met in battle [of Badr] – Satan caused them to stumble only by means of something that they [themselves] had done. But now God has effaced this sin of theirs: verily, God is much-forgiving, forbearing - Q.3: 155
This is an illustration of a significant Qur’anic doctrine, which can be thus summarized: “Satan’s influence” on man is not the primary cause of sin but its first consequence: that is to say, a consequence of a person’s own attitude of mind which in moments of moral crisis induces him to choose the easier, and seemingly more pleasant, of the alternatives open to him, and thus to become guilty of a sin, whether by commission or omission. Thus, God’s “causing” a person to commit a sin is conditional upon the existence, in the individual concerned, of an attitude of mind which makes him prone to commit such a sin: which, in its turn, presupposes man’s free will – that is, the ability to make, within certain limitation, a conscious choice between two or more possible courses of action.

Whatever good happens to thee is from God; and whatever evil befalls thee is from thyself - Q.4: 79
There is no contradiction between this statement and the preceding one that “all is from God”. In the world-view of the Qur’an God is the ultimate source of all happening: consequently, all good that comes to man and all evil that befalls him flows, in the last resort, from God’s will. However, not everything that man regards as “evil fortune” is really, in its final effect, evil – for, “it may well be that you hate a thing the while it is good for you, and it may well be that you love a thing the while it is bad for you: and God knows, whereas you do not know ” (2: 216). Thus, many an apparent “evil” may sometimes be no more than a trial and a God-willed means of spiritual growth through suffering, and need not necessarily be the result of a wrong choice or a wrong deed on the part of the person thus afflicted. It is, therefore, obvious that the “evil” or “evil fortune” of which this verse speaks has a restricted connotation, inasmuch as it refers to evil in the moral sense of the word: that is to say, to suffering resulting from the actions or the behavior of the person concerned, and this in accordance with the natural law of cause and effect which God has decreed for all His creation, and which the Qur’an describes as “the way of God” (sunnat Allah). For all such suffering man has only himself to blame, since “God does not wrong anyone by as much as at atom’s weight.” (4: 40).And they who give the lie to Our messages are deaf and dumb, in darkness deep. Whomever God wills, He lets go astray; and whomever He wills, He places upon a straight way - Q.6:39 God invariably shows the right path to everyone who is willing to follow it…. Since concept of morality is linked with man’s God-given-freedom of choice between good and evil, God does not “impose” His guidance upon man but leaves to him to accept or reject it.

Nothing shall be accounted unto man but what he is striving for - Q.53:39



Prophet said:

1. “No servant of God (truly) believes until he believes in four (things): he bears witness that there is no deity but God who sent me(Muhammad) with truth; he believes in death and resurrection after death; and he believes in pre-destination” – H: Tirmizi and Ibn Majah. N: Ali.

2. “(God said:) O my servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you.” – H: Qudsi: Muslim. N: Abu Zarr.

Several traditions and Quranic verses confirm pre-destination, while several others confirm freedom of will. Followers of Sharia should, therefore, believe in co-existence of both. We ,the representatives of God, should turn our attention to 59 :1 “All that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth glorifies God’s limitless glory : for He alone is almighty, truly wise.”