Is man compelled or given free will in his righteous and unrighteous deeds?
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Question:
This questioner is Sudanese and has used the initials (A. A) as a code for his name. He works in Dammam and says: Is man compelled, or given free will, in his righteous and unrighteous deeds? Please guide us in light of this question.
Answer:
Man is both compelled and given free will. He is compelled in the sense that he does not go beyond the divine decree of Allah, no matter what he does; he is under the decree of Allah. And he is given free will because he has intellect, action, and choice. Allah gave him intellect, and Allah gave him action and choice. So he acts by his choice and refrains by his choice. For this reason, obligations are attached to him, and he deserves reward for his deeds: the good deed with good reward, and the bad deed with bad reward. [Ar-Rahman:60] [Ash-Shura:40], [An-Najm:31]. And He said—(Exalted and Majestic is He)—: [Al-Layl:5-10]. And He said—(Exalted and Majestic is He)—: [Yunus:22].
The Prophet was asked about this when he said to the Companions—(peace and blessings be upon him)—:Sahih al-Bukhari 4945 And in the other wording: Sahih al-Bukhari 4945 They said: O Messenger of Allah! Then what is the use of working?—Since our seats are known, and since we are written down, why work?—He said: Sahih al-Bukhari 4948 Then he recited His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Layl:5-10]. And He said, the Exalted: [At-Talaq:3]. And He said, the Exalted: [At-Talaq:4]. And He said, the Exalted: [Al-Anfal:29].
This indicates that causes lead to their effects. So whoever fears Allah, Allah will make his affairs easy, relieve his distress, and provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever disobeys Allah and contradicts His commands, he exposes himself to the anger of Allah, His wrath, and the difficulty of his affairs. We ask Allah for well-being. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.
This questioner is Sudanese and has used the initials (A. A) as a code for his name. He works in Dammam and says: Is man compelled, or given free will, in his righteous and unrighteous deeds? Please guide us in light of this question.
Answer:
Man is both compelled and given free will. He is compelled in the sense that he does not go beyond the divine decree of Allah, no matter what he does; he is under the decree of Allah. And he is given free will because he has intellect, action, and choice. Allah gave him intellect, and Allah gave him action and choice. So he acts by his choice and refrains by his choice. For this reason, obligations are attached to him, and he deserves reward for his deeds: the good deed with good reward, and the bad deed with bad reward.
Is the reward for good [anything] but good?
هَلْ جَزَاءُ الإِحْسَانِ إِلَّا الإِحْسَانُAnd the recompense for an evil is an evil like it
وَجَزَاءُ سَيِّئَةٍ سَيِّئَةٌ مِثْلُهَاAnd to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth - that He may recompense those who do evil with [the penalty of] what they have done and recompense those who do good with the best [reward] -
وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا وَيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى(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],
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَى وَأَمَّا مَنْ بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَى وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَى فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىIt is He who enables you to travel on land and sea
هُوَ الَّذِي يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِThe Prophet was asked about this when he said to the Companions—(peace and blessings be upon him)—:
There is none of you but has his place written for him in Paradise or in the Hell- Fire.
ما منكم من أحد إلا وقد علم مقعده من الجنة، ومقعده من النارhis place written for him in Paradise or in the Hell- Fire
قد كتب مقعده من الجنة، ومقعده من النارThose who are destined to be happy (in the Hereafter) will find it easy and pleasant to do the deeds characteristic of those destined to happiness, while those who are to be among the miserable (in the Hereafter), will find it easy to do the deeds characteristic of those destined to misery.
اعملوا فكل ميسر لما خلق له؛ أما أهل السعادة فييسرون لعمل أهل السعادة، وأما أهل الشقاوة فييسرون لعمل أهل الشقاوة(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],
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَى وَأَمَّا مَنْ بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَى وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَى فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىAnd whoever fears Allah - He will make for him a way out (3) And will provide for him from where he does not expect.
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مَخْرَجًا وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَحْتَسِبُAnd whoever fears Allah - He will make for him of his matter ease.
وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًاif you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion
إِنْ تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ فُرْقَانًاThis indicates that causes lead to their effects. So whoever fears Allah, Allah will make his affairs easy, relieve his distress, and provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever disobeys Allah and contradicts His commands, he exposes himself to the anger of Allah, His wrath, and the difficulty of his affairs. We ask Allah for well-being. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.