Destiny and freedom of choice….., just how can these opposites of religious teachings be reconciled.
With the name of Allah, most Beneficient, ever Merciful.
The Prophet ﷺ has said: “When the drop of (semen) remains in the womb for forty days, the angel comes and says: My Lord, will he be good or evil? And both these things would be written. Then the angel says: My Lord, would he be male or female? And both these things are written. And his deeds and actions, his death, his livelihood; these are also recorded. Then his document of destiny is rolled and there is no addition to and subtraction from it. Sahih Muslim Bk 33, Number 6392.
Believing in destiny is a very important branch of having “Emaan”/ faith.
On the contrary, there are a large number of verses in the Holy Qur’an which make a pointed reference to the autonomy and freedom of choice conferred upon man.
“Man shall have nothing but that what he strives for” (Al Quran 3: 39). “Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change it themselves” (Al Quran 8:53 and 13:11).
“Allah does not compel belief and leaves the people free to believe or disbelieve” (Quran 6:35,150 and 16-9).
“…We have revealed this (Quran comprising clear arguments. Yet the truth is that Allah guides him (to the right way) who wishes (to be guided).” Al Quran 22:16
The question arises; how can we have freedom of choice if what we are going to do is already written and pre planned?
In addition, How can we be held responsible for something that is already in our destiny?
Allah Subhanatallah is all powerful and for Him to know what we are going to do, or what choices we are going to make, or whether we will be good and end up in heaven is all too easy. He is after all, the All-Knowing, All Powerful, Perfect God.
He already knows the future and it is this perfect knowledge of Him knowing exactly what choices we are going to make is known as destiny. This does not mean that we do not have freedom of choice.
He is not forcing us to make certain choices but it simply means that He already knows what choices we are going to make and this is written out as our destiny.
As human beings there are some aspects of our lives over which we have absolutely no control off, such as the time when we are going to die.
Then there are some aspects over which we have partial control, such as what we are going to eat for supper or how much we are going to earn for the day. We may plan in a certain way but circumstances may change it.
As an example we could make preparations to have chicken biryani but because the biryani got burnt we ended up eating fried eggs.
However there are some things over which we have complete control. We have the choice to give in to our carnal desires and chase after this fleeting world or we could suppress our egos and choose to follow the spiritual path.
So destiny does not mean that we do not have freedom of choice but it means that even while given the freedom of choice, Allah Subhanatallah knows what choices we will make and He has already written out what we will do and that is not going to change.
“He (Allah) created everything for its Destiny (or its Measure)” Al Quran 25:2
Allah Subhanatallah created everything for a certain reason.
“Allah knows what every female carries and (He knows) what the wombs miscarry and what they nourish and help to grow. He has the (proper and fixed) measure of everything. (He is the) Knower of the hidden realities and the visible, the Incomparably Great, the Most Exalted. Al Quran 13:8
All praises are due to Allah Subhanatallah who knows our end.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi.
Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi was founded by Dr Hakim Hazrath Khwaja Sayed Shareef Ahmed Ali Shah RA (lovingly known as Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saib RA)
Author Mahomed Hassan Gaffoor
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