The Servant’s Being Directed and His Being Given Choice
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Question:
This questioner says: I read in the book *Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din* by al-Ghazali that man is created compelled in his actions, whether they are good or evil, and that he has no choice. He cited the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Insan:30] and he cited the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which states that it is written for every person, while he is in his mother’s womb, his action, whether he is wretched or happy.
And I read in some books that man has a choice in his actions; as evidenced by the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Fussilat:40]. So I am now confused. Please inform us, O Shaykh, about this, for I want to know the correct answer?
Answer:
The people of the Sunnah and the community hold that the servant is both given choice and directed, and that he does not go beyond the divine decree of Allah. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, gave him intellect to act, to eat and drink, to work and command and forbid, to travel and stay. He has actions, as He said:[At-Takwir 81:28] AND YOU DO NOT WILL EXCEPT THAT ALLAH WILLS [At-Takwir:28-29]. He gave them a will. He said: [Al-Muddaththir:55]. He said: [Al-Baqarah:110], [An-Nur:30].
So the servants have actions: they command and forbid, they travel and stay, they pray, they sleep, they hate and they love. They have actions, but they do not go beyond the divine decree of Allah. Allah decreed things , He decreed things in His prior knowledge. They do not go beyond the divine decree of Allah, but they are not compelled; rather, they are given choice, they have a choice, and they have actions. For this reason, Allah addressed them, commanded them, and forbade them, and He informed about their actions that He is All-Aware of their actions: OF WHAT THEY USED TO DO [Al-Hijr:92-93], [An-Nur:30] Sunan Abi Dawud 2650Sahih (Al-Albani) for the people of Badr, and so on.
So it is obligatory for the believer to know this. The people of the Sunnah and the community say: the servant is given choice, he has action and choice, and he has will and work, but he does not go beyond the divine decree of Allah. It is established in the authentic hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And likewise, He decreed the actions of the servant in his mother’s womb after the fourth month has passed: his provision, his lifespan, his action, and whether he is wretched or happy. Nothing goes beyond the divine decree of Allah, but he has actions and dispositions that do not take him beyond the divine decree of Allah. So he travels, prays, fasts, commits unlawful sexual intercourse, steals, is undutiful to parents, severs family ties, obeys, travels, maintains ties with so-and-so, severs ties with so-and-so, shows mercy to so-and-so, and harms so-and-so. He is kind to so-and-so, and he is unkind to so-and-so. He has good and bad actions, so he is rewarded for the good and punished for the bad.
And Allah rewards him for his good and bad actions. For the good, He rewards with good recompense, and for his bad actions, He gives what he deserves. And He may forgive if he is a monotheist, for He, Glorified and Exalted is He, is the Forgiver, and He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), is the Great Forgiver, (Exalted and Majestic is He). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about it:Sunan Ibn Majah 3850Sahih (Darussalam) When he was asked, it was said: “O Messenger of Allah, if our dwellings in Paradise are known...” When he said to them: Sahih al-Bukhari 4945 They said: “O Messenger of Allah, if this has preceded in the knowledge of Allah, then what is the work for? How do we work?” He said: Sahih al-Bukhari 4948 Then he recited His saying, the Exalted: AND HE WHO VERIFIED THE BEST THEN WE WILL MAKE EASY FOR HIM THE EASY AND AS FOR HE WHO WAS CHURLISH AND SELF-SUFFICIENT AND DENIED THE BEST THEN WE WILL MAKE EASY FOR HIM THE DIFFICULT [Al-Layl:5-10]. And He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), says: [Yunus:22].
So the servant is directed by the divine decree of Allah, but he has choice, and he has will, and he has action. He is rewarded for his good action, and he deserves punishment for his bad action, except that Allah forgives, as He, Glorified and Exalted is He, informed in His saying, the Exalted: [An-Nisa:48]. He may forgive some sins for whom He wills if he dies upon the oneness of Allah. And likewise, in this world, He may forgive and pardon some of His servants out of His favor and kindness , and He may punish for the sins in this world before the Hereafter. Yes.
The presenter: Thank you, O Shaykh, and may Allah bless you, and your knowledge, and benefit Islam and the Muslims through you.
This questioner says: I read in the book *Ihya' 'Ulum al-Din* by al-Ghazali that man is created compelled in his actions, whether they are good or evil, and that he has no choice. He cited the saying of Allah the Exalted:
And you do not will except that Allah wills
وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُAnd I read in some books that man has a choice in his actions; as evidenced by the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Do whatever you will
اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْAnswer:
The people of the Sunnah and the community hold that the servant is both given choice and directed, and that he does not go beyond the divine decree of Allah. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, gave him intellect to act, to eat and drink, to work and command and forbid, to travel and stay. He has actions, as He said:
For whoever wills among you to take a right course.
لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ Then whoever wills will remember it.
فَمَنْ شَاءَ ذَكَرَهُIndeed, Allah of what you do, is Seeing.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌIndeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَSo the servants have actions: they command and forbid, they travel and stay, they pray, they sleep, they hate and they love. They have actions, but they do not go beyond the divine decree of Allah. Allah decreed things , He decreed things in His prior knowledge. They do not go beyond the divine decree of Allah, but they are not compelled; rather, they are given choice, they have a choice, and they have actions. For this reason, Allah addressed them, commanded them, and forbade them, and He informed about their actions that He is All-Aware of their actions:
So by your Lord, We will surely question them all.
فَوَرَبِّكَ لَنَسْأَلَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ Indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what they do.
إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا يَصْنَعُونَDo what you wish, I have forgiven you.
اعملوا ما شئتم فقد غفرت لكمSo it is obligatory for the believer to know this. The people of the Sunnah and the community say: the servant is given choice, he has action and choice, and he has will and work, but he does not go beyond the divine decree of Allah. It is established in the authentic hadith that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Indeed, Allah decreed the destinies of the creatures fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and His Throne was over the water
إن الله قدر مقادير الخلائق قبل أن يخلق السماوات والأرض، بخمسين ألف سنة، وكان عرشه على الماءAnd Allah rewards him for his good and bad actions. For the good, He rewards with good recompense, and for his bad actions, He gives what he deserves. And He may forgive if he is a monotheist, for He, Glorified and Exalted is He, is the Forgiver, and He, (Exalted and Majestic is He), is the Great Forgiver, (Exalted and Majestic is He). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about it:
Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul-'afwa, fa'fu 'anni (O Allah, You are Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me)
اللهم إنك عفو، تحب العفو، فاعف عنيThere 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 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 الشقاوةAs for he who gave and feared Allah
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى It is He who enables you to travel on land and sea
هُوَ الَّذِي يُسَيِّرُكُمْ فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِSo the servant is directed by the divine decree of Allah, but he has choice, and he has will, and he has action. He is rewarded for his good action, and he deserves punishment for his bad action, except that Allah forgives, as He, Glorified and Exalted is He, informed in His saying, the Exalted:
Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَغْفِرُ أَنْ يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُThe presenter: Thank you, O Shaykh, and may Allah bless you, and your knowledge, and benefit Islam and the Muslims through you.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.