Source: Fatawa of Ahl-e-Hadith Scholars, Kitab al-Salah, Volume 1
"وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ"
("And whomever Allah misguides—there is no guide for him.")
Does Allah misguide people? If so, are people not compelled?
Allah has commanded righteous deeds and has granted humans intellect and consciousness so they may distinguish between good and evil. A person is unaware of his fate, and it is incorrect to use destiny as a justification for committing sins.
The polytheists of Makkah attributed their shirk to destiny, but Allah rejected their claim.
Allah says:
"If Allah had willed, we and our forefathers would not have committed shirk." (Al-An‘am: 148)
And in another place:
"If the Most Merciful had willed, we would not have worshipped these idols." (Az-Zukhruf: 20)
Yet, Allah still declared them polytheists and refuted their argument.
➊ Jabariyyah Belief:
This view holds that a person is completely compelled in all actions, and everything he does is solely by fate.
Outcome: A person would not be accountable for their deeds.
➋ Qadariyyah Belief:
This view claims that a person is entirely free in all his actions and does everything of his own will.
Outcome: A person is fully responsible for all his actions.
➌ Balanced Belief:
The belief of Ash‘arites and Maturidites is that a person is compelled in some actions and free in others.
Outcome: A person is accountable only for the actions done by his own choice.
Reference: Fatawa of Ahl-e-Hadith, Kitab al-Salah, Volume 1
❖ Question:
What is the meaning of the Qur'anic verse:"وَمَن يُضْلِلِ اللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ هَادٍ"
("And whomever Allah misguides—there is no guide for him.")
Does Allah misguide people? If so, are people not compelled?
❖ Answer:
This question pertains to Qadar (Divine Decree) and the wisdom of Allah, and it is recommended to avoid delving into such questions unnecessarily. One cannot object to Allah’s decree, for He does what He wills, and none can question Him.Allah has commanded righteous deeds and has granted humans intellect and consciousness so they may distinguish between good and evil. A person is unaware of his fate, and it is incorrect to use destiny as a justification for committing sins.
❖ Allah’s Will and Misguidance
Every action in the universe—whether good or bad—occurs by the will and permission of Allah. It is impossible for anything to happen outside of His will. However, Allah loves goodness and hates evil.The polytheists of Makkah attributed their shirk to destiny, but Allah rejected their claim.
Allah says:
"If Allah had willed, we and our forefathers would not have committed shirk." (Al-An‘am: 148)
And in another place:
"If the Most Merciful had willed, we would not have worshipped these idols." (Az-Zukhruf: 20)
Yet, Allah still declared them polytheists and refuted their argument.
❖ Different Views on Qadar
In Islam, there are three main perspectives regarding Divine Decree:➊ Jabariyyah Belief:
This view holds that a person is completely compelled in all actions, and everything he does is solely by fate.
Outcome: A person would not be accountable for their deeds.
➋ Qadariyyah Belief:
This view claims that a person is entirely free in all his actions and does everything of his own will.
Outcome: A person is fully responsible for all his actions.
➌ Balanced Belief:
The belief of Ash‘arites and Maturidites is that a person is compelled in some actions and free in others.
Outcome: A person is accountable only for the actions done by his own choice.
❖ Conclusion
Allah's misguidance means that He decrees guidance or misguidance based on His wisdom. Humans are commanded to perform righteous deeds and are capable of distinguishing between good and evil through intellect and understanding. Reference: Fatawa of Ahl-e-Hadith, Kitab al-Salah, Volume 1