Written by: Maulana Abu al-Hasan Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani
Question:
Some of our friends argue that if someone is destined for evil, then why are they punished and considered sinful for committing that evil? After all, they were compelled to do so. Please clarify this issue for us.
Answer:
The issue of predestination is among those topics that are prohibited from being debated and scrutinized according to Shariah, as such discussions can lead to the deprivation of reward, misconduct, and misguidance. A Hadith mentions:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came out to his companions and found them disputing about predestination. He became so angry that it seemed as if pomegranate seeds were being squeezed onto his face. He said, 'Were you commanded to do this? Were you created for this? You are striking the Quran against itself! It was through this that the nations before you were destroyed.'"
[Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Qadr: 85, Musannaf Abdul Razzaq: 11/216, 20367, Musnad Ahmad 2/178]
Allah Almighty has mentioned in several places in the Quran that He has shown the paths of good and evil, and has given mankind the freedom to choose whichever path they desire.
✿ Allah Almighty says:
"Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful."
(76:3 - Al-Insan)
✿ In another place, it is stated:
"And We have shown him the two ways."
(90:10 - Al-Balad)
These verses indicate that Allah has shown mankind the paths of both good and evil and has endowed them with intellect and understanding to choose the right path for themselves. If a person chooses the straight path, one of goodness and blessings, they will enter Paradise and save themselves from the painful punishment of Hell. But if they abandon the right path and follow the path of misguidance and Satan, they will enter the fire of Hell. The predestination that Allah has written is based on His knowledge, for nothing is hidden from Allah. He knows everything about every person—how they will live in the world, what they will do, and what their end will be. Therefore, He has written everything down based on His knowledge beforehand. His knowledge can never be wrong, and everything written in predestination will occur just as He has recorded it. In other words, it is a declaration of Allah’s perfect knowledge and comprehensive understanding. It does not mean that humans are compelled to act according to what is written.
Thus, it is incorrect to say that adulterers, alcoholics, thieves, robbers, etc., will go to Hell because it was predestined for them to commit adultery, drink alcohol, steal, and commit robbery. Consider this analogy: A teacher who is well aware of the mental and academic abilities of his students, and their interest or lack thereof in studying, may write in his diary that a certain diligent and intelligent student will secure the top position in his class, while another mischievous and dull student will fail the exam. The teacher then continues to make both the intelligent and the dull student work equally hard, explaining everything together. When the exam occurs, the intelligent student scores high marks and secures the top position, while the dull student fails. Is it correct to say that the intelligent student succeeded only because the teacher had previously written in his diary that he would secure the top position, and the dull student failed only because the teacher had written that he would fail? Certainly, no sensible person would blame the teacher for this. The teacher’s predictions were not the cause of the outcomes; instead, they were based on his prior knowledge of the students’ abilities. The diligent student succeeded because of his hard work, while the dull student failed because of his negligence.
Similarly, Allah, whose knowledge is undoubtedly the most perfect and complete in the universe, wrote down everything based on His complete knowledge before the creation of the world. He did not deprive humans of choice, intellect, or awareness but continued to guide them by sending prophets and messengers to distinguish between good and evil paths. Even after the end of prophethood, the inheritors of the prophets, the righteous scholars, continue to call people to faith and righteous deeds and warn against disbelief, polytheism, disobedience, and sin. Despite all these warnings, when a disbeliever persists in their disbelief and rebellion, and a sinner does not repent from their sins, then if Allah punishes them for their evil deeds, what objection can there be? This is pure justice and fairness. On the contrary, treating the righteous and the wicked, and believers and disbelievers, all the same, would be the essence of injustice and unfairness.
Question:
Some of our friends argue that if someone is destined for evil, then why are they punished and considered sinful for committing that evil? After all, they were compelled to do so. Please clarify this issue for us.
Answer:
The issue of predestination is among those topics that are prohibited from being debated and scrutinized according to Shariah, as such discussions can lead to the deprivation of reward, misconduct, and misguidance. A Hadith mentions:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came out to his companions and found them disputing about predestination. He became so angry that it seemed as if pomegranate seeds were being squeezed onto his face. He said, 'Were you commanded to do this? Were you created for this? You are striking the Quran against itself! It was through this that the nations before you were destroyed.'"
[Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Qadr: 85, Musannaf Abdul Razzaq: 11/216, 20367, Musnad Ahmad 2/178]
Allah Almighty has mentioned in several places in the Quran that He has shown the paths of good and evil, and has given mankind the freedom to choose whichever path they desire.
✿ Allah Almighty says:
"Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful."
(76:3 - Al-Insan)
✿ In another place, it is stated:
"And We have shown him the two ways."
(90:10 - Al-Balad)
These verses indicate that Allah has shown mankind the paths of both good and evil and has endowed them with intellect and understanding to choose the right path for themselves. If a person chooses the straight path, one of goodness and blessings, they will enter Paradise and save themselves from the painful punishment of Hell. But if they abandon the right path and follow the path of misguidance and Satan, they will enter the fire of Hell. The predestination that Allah has written is based on His knowledge, for nothing is hidden from Allah. He knows everything about every person—how they will live in the world, what they will do, and what their end will be. Therefore, He has written everything down based on His knowledge beforehand. His knowledge can never be wrong, and everything written in predestination will occur just as He has recorded it. In other words, it is a declaration of Allah’s perfect knowledge and comprehensive understanding. It does not mean that humans are compelled to act according to what is written.
Thus, it is incorrect to say that adulterers, alcoholics, thieves, robbers, etc., will go to Hell because it was predestined for them to commit adultery, drink alcohol, steal, and commit robbery. Consider this analogy: A teacher who is well aware of the mental and academic abilities of his students, and their interest or lack thereof in studying, may write in his diary that a certain diligent and intelligent student will secure the top position in his class, while another mischievous and dull student will fail the exam. The teacher then continues to make both the intelligent and the dull student work equally hard, explaining everything together. When the exam occurs, the intelligent student scores high marks and secures the top position, while the dull student fails. Is it correct to say that the intelligent student succeeded only because the teacher had previously written in his diary that he would secure the top position, and the dull student failed only because the teacher had written that he would fail? Certainly, no sensible person would blame the teacher for this. The teacher’s predictions were not the cause of the outcomes; instead, they were based on his prior knowledge of the students’ abilities. The diligent student succeeded because of his hard work, while the dull student failed because of his negligence.
Similarly, Allah, whose knowledge is undoubtedly the most perfect and complete in the universe, wrote down everything based on His complete knowledge before the creation of the world. He did not deprive humans of choice, intellect, or awareness but continued to guide them by sending prophets and messengers to distinguish between good and evil paths. Even after the end of prophethood, the inheritors of the prophets, the righteous scholars, continue to call people to faith and righteous deeds and warn against disbelief, polytheism, disobedience, and sin. Despite all these warnings, when a disbeliever persists in their disbelief and rebellion, and a sinner does not repent from their sins, then if Allah punishes them for their evil deeds, what objection can there be? This is pure justice and fairness. On the contrary, treating the righteous and the wicked, and believers and disbelievers, all the same, would be the essence of injustice and unfairness.