How should one respond to those who cite the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And of them, some Allah guided” as evidence that man is compelled and not given a choice?

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Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah reward you. Did he begin with His favor as a habit? Some of them claimed that man is compelled and not given a choice. So how is that attributed to him?

Answer:
“Whom Allah guided” means whom Allah granted success. The action is the action of the servant, while guidance and success are from Allah. He is given a choice in this; the actions of the human being are within his choice. If he wills, he acts, and if he wills, he refrains. “Whom Allah guided” means whom Allah granted success. And Allah does not grant success except to one who has in his heart a desire for good and a love for good. So when Allah knows from his heart the desire for good and the turning toward good, He grants him success.

⁽⁵⁾ As for he who gives and fears Allah ⁽⁶⁾ And believes in the best [reward], ⁽⁷⁾ We will ease him toward ease.

فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ

[Al-Layl 92:5-7]

⁽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.

وَأَمَّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَىٰ وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ

[Al-Layl 92:8-10]

So the cause is from the servant, and the success is from Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He.

Source قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 2- كيف يرد على من استدل بقوله تعالى: ﴿فمنهم من هدى الله﴾ على أن الإنسان مسير لا مخير؟ - صالح الفوزان — youtube.com

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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