Question
When Allah is All-Knowing and knows who will fail the test and become fuel for Hell, what is the purpose of creating such people? Is it merely to fill the Hellfire?Two Dimensions of the Discussion
This issue can be examined from two vantage points:① From Allah’s Perspective Toward the Servant
② From the Servant’s Perspective Toward Allah
① From Allah to the Servant
Key Principle:- Human understanding cannot fully encompass Allah’s viewpoint.
- Allah is Eternal (أزلِيّ), beyond time and space.
- Humans are limited creatures bound by time and place.
Analogy (Two-Dimensional vs. Three-Dimensional Beings):
- Imagine beings confined to a flat, two-dimensional world (length and width only).
- They cannot perceive “depth,” so they would never grasp the reality of our three-dimensional space.
- Similarly, we cannot fully comprehend Allah’s timeless reality.
On “Time” as a Dimension:
- For us, time is linear; for Allah, everything occurs simultaneously.
- The objection—“If Allah already knew, why create them?”—is based on human notions of “before” and “after,” which do not apply to Allah’s timeless knowledge.
Summary:
Allah’s decisions and wisdom transcend human comprehension, so questions founded on human limitations are misplaced.
② From the Servant to Allah
Free Will vs. Divine Decree:- The universe manifests Allah’s attributes, including His “Will” (إرادة).
- Humans enact their will within the scope Allah has granted them.
Qur’anic & Prophetic Clarification:
- Humans possess genuine choice; being created does not predetermine eternal damnation—actions do.
- Allah’s Knowledge vs. Human Awareness:
- Allah’s foreknowledge does not compel our choices.
- We feel ourselves to be freely choosing, unaware of Allah’s eternal decree.
Summary:
Allah’s knowledge does not negate human responsibility; each person acts by their own will and is accountable accordingly.
③ The Purpose of Trials
Is Divine Testing Unjust?- The very essence of a “test” presupposes free choice.
- If outcome were predetermined, there would be no meaningful trial.
Addressing the Atheist’s Objection:
- Claiming injustice in creating those known to fail misunderstands the philosophy of trials.
- A trial’s validity depends on genuine freedom to choose.
Conclusion
- Allah’s wisdom and human freedom coexist:
- Allah’s eternal knowledge encompasses all choices without forcing them.
- Humans, unaware of that knowledge, exercise real freedom and bear responsibility.
- Divine justice remains intact: true tests require free will, and accountability follows from our own choices.
And Allah knows best.
