Human Free Will in Destiny: The Balanced Path

(Background of the Question)

A question was asked whether it is correct that a person’s actions are already written in the Divine Decree (Qadr), while the manner in which these actions are performed and their specifics are under the person’s control? For example, if Allah Almighty has written in someone’s Qadr that he will build a mosque, then he will definitely build the mosque, but the method of building the mosque, its structure, and the timing, etc., will be decided by the person himself. Similarly, if a sinful act is written in someone’s Qadr, then that sin will occur, but the nature, intensity, and circumstances will be determined by the person’s intellect. The summary of this theory is that the existence of the action is fixed in Qadr, but the specifics are left to the person. Is this theory correct?

Qadr: An Ancient and Controversial Issue

الحمدللہ، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!

The issue of destiny has been a cause of disagreement among humans for centuries. There are three groups of opinions regarding this:

First Group: Those who are excessive

◈ These are the people who, considering the universality (general nature) of Allah’s destiny, completely reject the free will of the servant.
◈ According to them, a person is completely compelled in his actions, like falling from a roof due to a strong wind and descending stairs by one’s own will are the same.

Second Group: Those who are negligent

◈ These people believe in the complete free will of the servant.
◈ Their view is that a person is fully autonomous in all his actions, and these actions have no relation to Allah’s destiny.

Third Group: Those who follow the middle path

◈ These people considered both aspects and adopted a balanced perspective.
◈ According to them:
➊ Human actions come into existence through both Allah Almighty’s decree and human free will.
➋ For example, falling due to a strong wind is a non-voluntary act, whereas descending stairs is a voluntary act.
➌ Both situations are connected to Allah’s divine decree, but a person is accountable only for the action that occurs by his own choice.

Accountability and Responsibility

◈ The rulings of Shariah pertain to those actions of a person which are within his control.
◈ If someone says, “This action was written in my destiny, so I did it,” this excuse is not acceptable because:
➊ A person does not have knowledge of the hidden secrets of destiny.
➋ He does not know what Allah has written in his destiny until the action actually occurs.

Example of Building a Mosque

◈ Saying that building a mosque is written in destiny but its manner is under human control is not correct.
◈ There are two misconceptions in this:
➊ It implies that the intention to build a mosque is in destiny, but the manner is fully under reason’s control.
➋ It implies that the manner is not related to destiny but to human intention.
◈ The reality is that:
➊ The intention to build a mosque is also under human control.
➋ And Allah Almighty has included both this intention and manner in destiny.
➌ A person does not know at the time of intending and performing an action whether he is acting according to Allah’s destiny.

Example of committing a sin

◈ This is also of the same nature as the example of building a mosque.
◈ If Allah Almighty has written a sin in a servant’s destiny:
➊ That sin will only occur when the servant commits it intentionally.
➋ The servant does not know at the time of committing the sin whether he is compelled or not.
➌ When the sin is completed, it becomes known that it was part of destiny.
➍ The condition of this action is also part of destiny.

Evidence from the Holy Quran

﴿أَلَم تَعلَم أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعلَمُ ما فِى السَّماءِ وَالأَرضِ إِنَّ ذلِكَ فى كِتـبٍ إِنَّ ذلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسيرٌ﴾

“Do you not know that whatever is in the heavens and the earth is known to Allah? It is all recorded in a Book. Indeed, all of it is easy for Allah.”

﴿ وَكَذلِكَ جَعَلنا لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ عَدُوًّا شَيـطينَ الإِنسِ وَالجِنِّ يوحى بَعضُهُم إِلى بَعضٍ زُخرُفَ القَولِ غُرورًا وَلَو شاءَ رَبُّكَ ما فَعَلوهُ فَذَرهُم وَما يَفتَرونَ﴾

“And thus We have made the devils (an attribute) to humans and jinn, making them enemies to every prophet. They insert embellished speech into the hearts of one another to deceive. And if your Lord had willed, they would not have done so. So leave them and what they invent.”

﴿وَكَذلِكَ زَيَّنَ لِكَثيرٍ مِنَ المُشرِكينَ قَتلَ أَولـدِهِم شُرَكاؤُهُم لِيُردوهُم وَلِيَلبِسوا عَلَيهِم دينَهُم وَلَو شاءَ اللَّهُ ما فَعَلوهُ فَذَرهُم وَما يَفتَرونَ ﴾

“And in the same way, many of the polytheists had made the killing of their children beloved to their gods so that they would destroy them and make their religion doubtful for them. And if Allah had willed, they would not have done so; so leave them and what they invent.”

﴿وَلَو شاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقتَتَلَ الَّذينَ مِن بَعدِهِم مِن بَعدِ ما جاءَتهُمُ البَيِّنـتُ وَلـكِنِ اختَلَفوا فَمِنهُم مَن ءامَنَ وَمِنهُم مَن كَفَرَ وَلَو شاءَ اللَّهُ مَا اقتَتَلوا وَلـكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَفعَلُ ما يُريدُ﴾

“And if Allah had willed, those who came before them would not have fought among themselves after clear signs had come to them, but they differed. So some of them believed, and some disbelieved. And if Allah had willed, they would not have fought each other, but Allah does what He wills.”

The Conduct of the Companions, May Allah Be Pleased with Them

◈ The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, a sacred and knowledge-loving group, also refrained from disputing the mysteries of destiny.
◈ Their focus was on action, not on complicated questions.

Clear Guidance of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

In the authentic hadiths of Sahih Bukhari and Muslim, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ encouraged leaving the debate on predestination and focusing on action:

«مَا مِنْکُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا وَقَدْ کُتِبَ مَقْعَدُهُ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ وَمَقْعَدُهُ مِنَ النَّارِ فَقَلنا يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ أَفَلَا نَتَّکِل؟ (وفی رواية أفلا نتکل علی کتابنا وندع العمل) قال:لاَ اِعْمَلُوا فَکُلٌّ مُيَسَّر»

“Each one of you has his place written either in Paradise or in Hell.” We asked: O Messenger of Allah! Should we then not trust and remain inactive? And in one narration, the words are: “Should we not trust what is written for us and stop acting?” You said: “No, you should act; for everyone, their deeds have been made easy.”

«اِعْمَلُوا فَکُلٌّ مُيَسَّرٌ لِمَا خُلِقَ لَهُ أَمَّا مَنْ کَانَ مِنْ أهْلِ السَّعَادَةِ فَيُيَسَّرُ لِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ السَّعَادَةِ وَأَمَّا مَنْ کَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشِّقَاءِ فَيُيَسَّرُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الشَّقَاوَةِ»

“You should act; everyone is granted the ability to perform the deeds for which they were created. Thus, for the one among the people of felicity, the deeds of felicity are made easy, and for the one among the people of misery, the deeds of misery and wretchedness are made easy.”

Quranic Confirmation

After this hadith, you ﷺ recited the following verses:

﴿فَأَمّا مَن أَعطى وَاتَّقى، وَصَدَّقَ بِالحُسنى، فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِليُسرى،وَأَمّا مَن بَخِلَ وَاستَغنى، وَكَذَّبَ بِالحُسنى، فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلعُسرى﴾

“Then whoever gives (in the way of Allah) and fears Allah and believes in the best [reward], We will ease him toward ease. But whoever withholds and considers himself free of need and denies the best [reward], We will ease him toward difficulty.”

Conclusion and Prayer

◈ Belief in destiny is obligatory, but getting entangled in its mysteries is prohibited.
◈ Abandoning action and relying entirely on destiny is misguidance.
◈ A person should engage in righteous deeds and pray to Allah Almighty for well-being and success.

O Allah! Grant us the ability to perform righteous deeds, guide us to easy paths, protect us from difficulties, and forgive us in this world and the Hereafter.آمین۔