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In
the Quran, Allah says:
اعْمَلُوا مَا شِئْتُمْ
إِنَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
بَصِيرٌ
...Do whatever you will. Surely He sees whatever you do
[41:40]
فَاعْبُدُوا مَا شِئْتُم مِّن دُونِه
So worship whatever you will, besides Him (or Serve whomever
you will, besides Him) (but)...[39:15]
18/29 And say: The truth is from your Lord, so let him who
wills (or causes himself) to, believe, and let him who wills
(or causes
himself) to, disbelieve
25/57 Say: I do not ask you aught in return
except that he who wills (or causes himself) to, may take the way to
his Lord.
73/19 Surely this is a reminder, then let
him, who will (or causes himself to) take the way to his Lord.
74/36-37 A warning unto men . To him among
you who wills (or causes himself) to go forward or remain
behind.
74/54-55 Verily this Quran is an
admonition. So whoever wills (or causes himself to,) may mind
it.
76/29 Surely this is a reminder, so
whoever wills takes to his Lord a way.
78/39 ... whoever wills may take refuge
with his Lord.
80/11-12 This is indeed an admonition. So
let him who wills mind it.
81/28 Verily this is a reminder to the Alimeen
(the worlds). For him among you who wills to go straight.
All the above verses indicate that man
has a free will.
*******************
But there is a
POINT TO PONDER
وَمَا
تَشَاؤُونَ إِلَّا أَن يَشَاء اللَّهُ
[76:30, 81:29]
The 76:30 and 81:29 (also see 74:56) are translated by
various translators as follows:
1. And ye will not, unless (it be)
that Allah willeth, the Lord of Creation. [Pickthal]
2. But ye shall not will except as
God wills, - the Cherisher of the Worlds. [Yusuf Ali]
3. And you do not please except
that Allah please, the Lord of the worlds. [Shakir]
4. And you desire not a thing
except that ALLAH, the Lord of the worlds, desire it. [Sher
Ali]
5. Whatever you will is in
accordance with the will of GOD, Lord of the universe. [Khalifa]
6. but ye will not please, except
God, the Lord of the world, should please. [Palmer]
7. But ye shall not will, unless
God willeth, the Lord of all creatures. [Slale]
8. But will it ye shall not, unless
as God willeth it, the Lord of the worlds. [Rodwell]
9.
Yet, you cannot will it unless you align your free will with
the Will of Allah (76:30). AND But you cannot will it unless
you abide by the Laws of the Lord of the Worlds (81:29).
[Dr. Shabbir]
As can be seen almost all
of the translations (Dr. Shabbir's with a partial exception)
contradict with the basic idea of free will given in the
various verses quoted in the beginning of this article.
In Quran, Allah claims
that there is no contradiction in the Quran. Hence, the
verses should in rendered in a way that they do not
contradict with each other yet the rendition remains according to
the rules and meanings of the Arabic Language.
One suggested rendition
of the verses 76:30 and 81:29 is as follows:
"You
cannot cause something to be or happen except as Allah's Law
of causation necessitates." OR
"You cannot cause
yourself to be except as Allah's Law of causation
necessitates"
The
primary signification of the word "mashiyyat" is
"causing to be or exist" although it can also be
rendered as "willing, or wishing, or desiring".
According to the context and general teachings of the Quran,
the most appropriate meanings has to be selected to render
a particular verse.. If it is said in one verse that "Let
him who will, take to the way of Lord" and in the next
verse, it is said, "you cannot will except what Allah
wills", there is an obvious contradiction. But there
has to be no contradiction {and definitely, there is no contradiction,
if we ponder enough) in the Quran, as the Author of the Quran
claims [4:82].
Le
us take an example. Suppose I say, "let him who wills
sow the wheat". There is complete freedom of will according
to the sentences. Whoever wills, sow the wheat. Now I say,
"you cannot wish except as Allah's law of causation necessitates".
Now what would Allah's law necessitate when you will sow the
wheat? Obviously, only wheat will grow out of wheat seeds.
You cannot wish to grow barley after sowing the wheat seeds
because Allah's laws of causation necessitates the growth
of only wheat plants out of wheat seeds. That is what is meant
by the verses 76:30 and 81:29, i.e. you can do ANY action
or deed that you will or wish but you cannot will or wish
ANY reaction or consequence for your action or deed. You can
will or wish only THAT reaction of your action or THAT result
of your deed which Allah wills. In other words, for actions
or deeds, you have free will but for reaction of your action
and consequences of your deeds only that will happen what
Allah wills i.e. what His law of causation necessitates.
For
more on the concept of mashiyyat, click
HERE
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