Praising the doer of good for his good, and blaming the doer of evil for his evil, and rewarding each of them with what he deserves.
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The Shaykh : What do they call the heavy box? The box? The grocery box. An old woman who cannot lift her clothes says, "Come on, carry the grocery box." What is this? Wisdom or foolishness? It is undoubtedly foolishness. If a person did not act by his own choice and will, then directing commands to him would be foolishness that wisdom rejects. All right.
Mercy also rejects it, because Allah is more merciful to His servant than to burden him with what he cannot bear.
Thirdly: His truthful news rejects it. The news of whom? Allah, in His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:286].
Pay attention to this aspect, for it is a very good aspect.
If the servant had no will or choice, then directing commands to him would be what? Burdening him with what he cannot bear. This is also something that wisdom rejects, because commanding one who is unable to act is foolishness, is it not? All right. If you were to say to an old, elderly woman, "Carry the grocery box," people would say, "What is this? This is madness." Yes. And if you were to say to someone in the market, "Come on, go see such-and-such a group and tell them to do such-and-such," and an uneducated person like him said it, what would this be? Do you understand this speech? A person in the market confronts another person in the market and says, "Go see such-and-such a group, come on, tell them to go to the other side." What is this? It is foolishness. This is foolishness, because it is impossible. The wisdom of Allah rejects burdening one who is unable to will or act; it rejects commanding him with a command.
Likewise, His mercy, the Most Merciful of the merciful, does not allow Him to oblige His servants with what is beyond their capacity.
His truthful news also rejects it, in His saying:[Al-Baqarah 2:286].
And this is a clear, good aspect. If people had no will or choice, the matter would be as you have heard.
With this aspect, we respond to whom?
The student: To the Jabriyyah.
The Shaykh : To the Jabriyyah, and it is a clear refutation.
Second. He says: "Thirdly: Praising the doer of good for his good, and blaming the doer of evil for his evil, and rewarding each of them with what he deserves".
This indicates that the servant's action is by his will and choice. If it were without will or choice, would it be appropriate to blame the doer of evil and praise the doer of good? You say: No. I mean, I know you want to say no, or do you say it out of conviction?
The student: Out of conviction.
The Shaykh : If the servant's action were without will or choice, and even without ability, there would be no difference between the doer of good and the doer of evil. It would not be possible for praise and commendation to be directed to the doer of good, and for blame and criticism to be directed to the doer of evil, because each of them acts without choice and without ability. Therefore, it is not appropriate. Yet the Qur'an and the Sunnah are full of praise and commendation for the doers of good, and blame and criticism for the doers of evil. All right.
Mercy also rejects it, because Allah is more merciful to His servant than to burden him with what he cannot bear.
Thirdly: His truthful news rejects it. The news of whom? Allah, in His saying, the Exalted:
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعهاPay attention to this aspect, for it is a very good aspect.
If the servant had no will or choice, then directing commands to him would be what? Burdening him with what he cannot bear. This is also something that wisdom rejects, because commanding one who is unable to act is foolishness, is it not? All right. If you were to say to an old, elderly woman, "Carry the grocery box," people would say, "What is this? This is madness." Yes. And if you were to say to someone in the market, "Come on, go see such-and-such a group and tell them to do such-and-such," and an uneducated person like him said it, what would this be? Do you understand this speech? A person in the market confronts another person in the market and says, "Go see such-and-such a group, come on, tell them to go to the other side." What is this? It is foolishness. This is foolishness, because it is impossible. The wisdom of Allah rejects burdening one who is unable to will or act; it rejects commanding him with a command.
Likewise, His mercy, the Most Merciful of the merciful, does not allow Him to oblige His servants with what is beyond their capacity.
His truthful news also rejects it, in His saying:
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعهاAnd this is a clear, good aspect. If people had no will or choice, the matter would be as you have heard.
With this aspect, we respond to whom?
The student: To the Jabriyyah.
The Shaykh : To the Jabriyyah, and it is a clear refutation.
Second. He says: "Thirdly: Praising the doer of good for his good, and blaming the doer of evil for his evil, and rewarding each of them with what he deserves".
This indicates that the servant's action is by his will and choice. If it were without will or choice, would it be appropriate to blame the doer of evil and praise the doer of good? You say: No. I mean, I know you want to say no, or do you say it out of conviction?
The student: Out of conviction.
The Shaykh : If the servant's action were without will or choice, and even without ability, there would be no difference between the doer of good and the doer of evil. It would not be possible for praise and commendation to be directed to the doer of good, and for blame and criticism to be directed to the doer of evil, because each of them acts without choice and without ability. Therefore, it is not appropriate. Yet the Qur'an and the Sunnah are full of praise and commendation for the doers of good, and blame and criticism for the doers of evil. All right.