The Will of Allah and the Will of Man
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Question : The questioner says: Allah the Exalted said in His noble Book: [Al-Ma'idah 5:40] And in another verse: [Al-An'am 6:107] And in another verse: [Al-An'am 6:125]. And in another verse: [Ash-Shuraa 42:8] And in another verse: [At-Taghabun 64:2] We would like an explanation of these verses regarding your sin.
Answer : It seems the questioner wants to reconcile these verses. As for their explanation, there is no difficulty in it. However, reconciling these verses—where Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, informs in some verses that the matter is in His hand, and in other verses that the matter is returned to the one obligated—lies in saying that the one obligated has will, choice, and ability, and that the Creator of this will, choice, and ability is Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Thus, you have no will except by the will of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Allah the Exalted said, clarifying the reconciliation of these texts:[At-Takwir 81:28-29] But when does Allah the Exalted will to guide a person or to misguide him?
Listen to His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Layl 92:5-10] And read the saying: [As-Saf 61:5].
You will find that the cause of a servant's misguidance is from himself; he is the cause. And Allah the Exalted creates in him the will for evil, because he is the one who desires evil. As for the one who desires good, strives for good, and is eager for it, Allah the Exalted makes the path easy for him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed his Companions that no one exists except that his place in Paradise and his place in the Fire have been written for them. They said, "O Messenger of Allah, should we then rely on the decree and leave off doing deeds?" He said, "No, work, for every person is facilitated for what he was created for." Then he recited this verse:[Al-Layl 92:5-6] to the end of it. And know, O my brothers, that it is impossible for there to be any contradiction in the words of Allah or in what is authentic from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). It is impossible for there to be a contradiction. So if you read two texts that appear to contradict each other, review them again and again, and the matter will become clear to you. If you do not know and do not reach a conclusion, it is obligatory for you to suspend judgment and entrust the matter to its scholar. Allah the Exalted said: [Ali 'Imran 3:7] And no one knows its interpretation except Allah, and those firmly grounded in knowledge say, "We believe in it; all of it is from our Lord." And no one is reminded except those of understanding.
Do you not know that to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth? He punishes whom He wills and forgives whom He wills
أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاءُ وَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاءُBut if Allah had willed, they would not have associated
وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ مَا أَشْرَكُواSo whoever Allah wants to guide - He expands his breast to [contain] Islam; and whoever He wants to misguide - He makes his breast tight and constricted
فَمَن يُرِدِ اللَّهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ وَمَن يُرِدْ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًاAnd if Allah willed, He could have made them [of] one religion, but He admits whom He wills into His mercy
وَلَوْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَجَعَلَهُمْ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً وَلَٰكِن يُدْخِلُ مَن يَشَاءُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِIt is He who created you, and among you is the disbeliever, and among you is the believer
هُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ فَمِنكُمْ كَافِرٌ وَمِنكُم مُّؤْمِنٌAnswer : It seems the questioner wants to reconcile these verses. As for their explanation, there is no difficulty in it. However, reconciling these verses—where Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, informs in some verses that the matter is in His hand, and in other verses that the matter is returned to the one obligated—lies in saying that the one obligated has will, choice, and ability, and that the Creator of this will, choice, and ability is Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Thus, you have no will except by the will of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. Allah the Exalted said, clarifying the reconciliation of these texts:
(28) For whoever wills among you to take a right course. (29) And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.
لِمَن شَاءَ مِنكُمْ أَن يَسْتَقِيمَ وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَListen to His saying, the Exalted:
(5) As for he who gives and fears Allah (6) And believes in the best [reward], (7) We will ease him toward ease. (8) But as for he who withholds and considers himself free of need (9) And denies the best [reward], (10) We will ease him toward difficulty.
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ وَأَمَّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَىٰ وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰto you?" And when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.
اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ فَلَمَّا زَاغُوا أَزَاغَ اللَّهُ قُلُوبَهُمْ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَYou will find that the cause of a servant's misguidance is from himself; he is the cause. And Allah the Exalted creates in him the will for evil, because he is the one who desires evil. As for the one who desires good, strives for good, and is eager for it, Allah the Exalted makes the path easy for him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) informed his Companions that no one exists except that his place in Paradise and his place in the Fire have been written for them. They said, "O Messenger of Allah, should we then rely on the decree and leave off doing deeds?" He said, "No, work, for every person is facilitated for what he was created for." Then he recited this verse:
(5) As for he who gives and fears Allah (6) And believes in the best [reward],
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰIt is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise - they are the foundation of the Book - and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation
هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، لقاء[216 من 216] إرادة الله وإرادة الإنسان - الشيخ ابن عثيمين - مشروع كبار العلماء — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.