Author Topic: Destiny and Free will  (Read 4183 times)

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Offline Emre_1974tr

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Destiny and Free will
« on: July 12, 2022, 05:34:30 PM »
This world is not a world of testing "from Allah's point of view". Because He already knows what we will do. This world is a miniature - a sample life that "symbolizes what we would do if we lived forever". And since we don't know what will happen, it is a world of trial for us.

That is why some people's test is terminated by Allah "at the very moment of their disbelief". But if that man had lived two more years, perhaps he would have died a believer.

In the same way, another person is made to die by Allah "at the very moment of being a believer ". But perhaps if he had lived two more years, he would have died as a disbeliever.

"If we are eternally good or bad", we are made to live a representative short life accordingly. And this two-day life is a paper sample that summarizes what we would do if we lived forever in this world.

- They set off again. After a while they came upon a boy; he killed him. Moses said: "You have killed an innocent man, not even for a life? By Allah, you have done a very bad deed!" (Surat al-Kahf, verse 74)

"As for the boy: his parents were believers. We feared that he might lead them to disbelief. " (verse 80)


"We wished that their Lord would give them a child superior to him in purity and more advanced in mercy. " (verse 81)

Here the test is ended before the child grows up and commits his sins. So it is like it is clear from the beginning what a person deserves or does not deserve... Also, if the child had lived, he could have led his parents astray. But since they did not deserve to go astray, they are saved.

Again, some verses say that the unbelievers in hell will demand to return to earth, but they are told that even if they were sent to be tested again and again, they would still be among those who lose the test. So even in eternal trials it is already known what we will and will not do.

In the same way, another verse says that some people are created as the people of hell. That is, they are the ones who are wicked at heart and their destination is known from the beginning. They are made to live this brief life of testing so that in the hereafter they can see the filth in their hearts and have no right to object. Don't misunderstand, because those people will choose evil with their free will, and because Allah knows this, He created them for hell. Otherwise, He would not have created those who would go to hell at all, and there would only be those in paradise. But He allows them, the evil ones, to come into existence.

In short, you get what you deserve. This worldly life is nothing but an example that represents - summarizes - the virtue or vice in your heart. The righteous are always put on the path to paradise in one way or another, the wicked are always taken astray in one way or another, and their trials are terminated at the very moment of their hellishness. A person can be a believer all his life and become a disbeliever in his last days and lose, whereas another person can be a disbeliever all his life and become a believer and repent in his last days and end up in paradise. In other words, "the good ones are always won" and "the bad ones are always lost".

If Allah Almighty presents us with options A and B, He knows which one we will choose, so He ensures that we get the result we deserve by using our free will. In other words, we are not robots in this 2-day test, and the choices really belong to us. But as I said, since it is known what we will do if we are faced with choices, we are presented with choices (scenarios) that will help us get what we deserve so that we can face the good or evil in our hearts.

There is also another function of this world. It is to give us a taste of some small troubles and rewards. In short, if the first function of this world is to separate the good and the bad, the second function is to start giving small punishments and rewards in this world.

***
Let us give a few more examples for those who are in doubt about this:

Surah Al-Qasas 50 So if they cannot answer you, know that they are only following their own desires. Who is more astray than he who follows his own desires without guidance from Allah! Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

Surat al-Tawbah: 85 Let not their wealth or their children envy you. Allah wants to torment them with these in this world. He will bring them out as disbelievers.

Surah Yunus Surah 70 Enjoy a little in this world, then they will return to Us. Then We will make them taste a severe torment for what they disbelieved.

9:55 Let not their money and their children impress you. Allah wants to punish them with them in the life of this world, and to make them die as disbelievers.

Surah A'raf: 179 By Allah, We have created many of mankind and jinn for Hell. They have hearts, by which they do not understand; they have eyes, by which they do not see; they have ears, by which they do not hear. They are like cattle. Perhaps even more confused. They are the heedless.

In short, since Allah knows before He creates a person whether that person will choose good or evil, He creates the person He knows will choose evil, knowing that he will go to hell. And He gives that evil person this brief example of 2 days. But again, completely free will is exercised.

27. Oh, if you could only see them standing by the Fire and saying: "What if we were sent back, and did not deny the verses of our Lord and were of the believers?"

28. The truth of the matter is that what they used to conceal has been brought against them, and if they were sent back, they would certainly repeat what they were forbidden. Indeed, they are liars.(Anam)

In other words, even if the wrongdoers are tested millions of times, they will still lose the test. Anyway, this 2-day scenario makes us face the goodness or treachery-evilness in our hearts. Otherwise Allah already knows what we deserve.

And in this representative test, since it is known which options we will choose, the scenario is brought to us exactly the options that we will face what is in our hearts. Then the moment of the end of our test is realized at a moment when we will be in paradise if we are among the good ones and in hell if we are among the bad ones.

Otherwise, a person's thoughts can change constantly, a person can have periods of faith and periods of disbelief throughout his life. Here, it is not a matter of chance and coincidence whether the moment of that person's death will coincide with a believing or unbelieving moment. The test of those who deserve paradise with faith and the test of those who do not deserve paradise ends in a moment of faithlessness by the Creator.


***
All the options (scenarios) that are presented to us allow us to face the good or evil in our hearts and also to get what we deserve.


Surah Ali Imran:


154-Then He sent down on you after that sorrow a security and a sleep that enveloped a group of you, while another group were in their own troubles, and they had an unrealistic opinion of Allah, like the opinion of the ignorant: "Is there anything for us to do?" Say: "Verily, all work is Allah's." They conceal something in their hearts which they do not reveal to you, saying: "Had we been consulted in this matter, we would not have been killed here." Say: "Even if you had been in your homes, those who were destined to be killed would have gone out to their deaths. Allah has brought this upon you to test what is in you and to reveal what is in your hearts. Allah knows what is in your hearts.


165-When a calamity befalls you which you brought twice as much upon your enemies, do you say: "Where is this from?" Say: "It is from your own side." For Allah is all-powerful.

166-And what befell you on the day when the two armies clashed is by Allah's permission. And He will make the believers known.

167-as well as that it may reveal the hypocrites, to whom it was said: "Come, fight in the way of Allah or defend yourselves!" They said: "If we knew how to fight, we would have followed you." On that day they were closer to disbelief than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts, and Allah knows best what they conceal in their hearts.

178 - And let not those who disbelieve think that Our abandonment of them is good for them. We leave them only to increase their sins, and for them is a humiliating torment.

Muhammad

29. Or do those whose hearts are sick in their hearts think that Allah will never reveal their bitter hatreds?

30. And if We had willed, We could certainly have shown them to you, and you would certainly have recognized them by their faces. You would also recognize them by the manner of their words. Allah knows all that you do.

Surat al-Tawbah 64 The hypocrites fear lest a Surah should descend upon them which will inform them of what is in their hearts. Say: "You mock. Allah will reveal to you what you are afraid of."
***
There is also the side of the event that involves angels and jinns.

They too are confronted with what is in their hearts.

Iblis' confrontation with the treachery in his heart in the incident of prostration to Adam showed him that he could not actually be a high ranking angel.

Because Iblis was one of the wrongdoers who chose evil of his own free will. He just needed to be exposed on some occasion:

ARAF

11. We created you, then gave you form, then We said to the angels: "Prostrate yourselves to Adam"; they all prostrated, but Iblis did not, he was not of those who prostrated.

12. (Allah) said: "What prevented you from prostrating when I commanded you?" (Iblis) said: "I am better than him, you created me from the fire and you created him from clay."

13. (Allah) said: "So come down from there; it is not for you to be arrogant therein. Get out, for you are of the despicable."

14. (Iblis) said: "(At least) give me time until the Day when they will be resurrected."

15. (Allah) said: "You are of those who have been given time."

16. So, he said: "I swear by Allah that I will sit on your right path to lead them astray, in return for your leading me astray.


Notice that Iblis realizes that Allah has revealed the evil in his heart through this event. That is, he realizes that Allah has led him astray. Of course, Iblis knows that all the blame here lies with him, because of his free will he has revealed what was in his heart. He faced the truth.

That is why he also made his request in anger:

HIJR

39. (Iblis): "My Lord," he said, "because You have tempted me, I will certainly adorn them on the earth and I will tempt them all.

40. Except the servants among them who have been given piety (My temptation will not affect them).

When his true identity is revealed and his mask is unmasked, Iblis gets very angry and wants to lead people astray himself.

But Iblis knows that his misleading people will only lead some evil people to confront the treachery in their hearts. That is why he expresses his helplessness by saying "except for the servants who are given ihlas".

In short, at least two birds are killed with one stone. Both the true face of Iblis has been revealed and he will be instrumental in unmasking evil people until the Day of Judgment.

Surah Al-Zuhruf 36 Whoever disregards the Reminder of the Most Merciful and turns away from it, We will cause a devil to haunt him, and he will be his companion.

Surat al-Maryam 83 Have you not seen that We have set the devils upon the disbelievers and they make them move and twist?

In short, in the life of this world-universe, servants attain what they deserve through their free will, and they see and experience the good or evil in their hearts.

***
As we said before, Allah makes everyone face what is in their hearts by taking advantage of their free will, and at the same time He makes sure that they get what they deserve in this 2-day test:

ENFAL

8:5 Indeed, your Lord took you out of your house for the fulfillment of a certain plan. A group of the believers did not like it.

8:6 They disputed with you about it as if they were being driven to their deaths, even though the truth had come to light.

8:7 Allah had promised you to defeat one of the two groups, but you wanted to meet the weaker of the two. But ALLAH wishes to realize the truth by His words and to cut off the pursuit of the disbelievers.

8:8 That He may realize the truth and remove injustice, even though the guilty dislike it.

8:11 He was lulling you into slumber as a security from Himself, and He was sending down on you water from the sky to cleanse you (from thirst), to drive away from you the filth of Satan (despair), to convince your hearts and to strengthen your feet.

8:17 You did not kill them, but God did. And when you threw, you did not throw, but ALLAH did. But thus He tested the believers with a good test. ALLAH is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

Since the righteous deserved to do as they were commanded, and the wicked deserved to lose by fighting the Prophet, they were made to face each other so that each might get what he deserved:

8:42 You were on the far side of the valley and they were on the other side of the valley. And the caravan was lower than you. If you had decided on this encounter, you would have disagreed about it. But Allah was carrying out a pre-planned work. So that the destroyed may be destroyed with a clear proof, and the living may be kept alive with a clear proof. ALLAH is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.

8:43 Allah made them seem small to you in your dream. If He had shown them to you many, you would have scattered and disputed about it. But ALLAH saved (you). He knows the essence of the breasts.

8:44 And when the time came and you met them, He made them little in your eyes, and He made you little in their eyes, so that ALLAH might accomplish what was planned beforehand. The affairs return to ALLAH in the end.

And Satan, after dragging the wicked after him, flees the scene in panic:

8:48 Satan embellished his deeds for them and said: "None of the people can defeat you this day, I am on your side." And when the two armies came face to face, he turned back on his heels and said, "I have nothing to do with you, I see what you do not see, and I fear Allah. Allah's punishment is severe."

8:51 "This is in recompense for what your hands have done. Surely God is not unjust to servants."

8:54 Like the followers of Pharaoh and those before them. They denied the signs of their Lord. So We destroyed them for their sins. We drowned the followers of Pharaoh. They were all wrongdoers.


Those who are working to send people to hell are in fact only enabling the truly wicked to confront what is in their hearts. Otherwise, they cannot roll any good person into hell.

Saffat

161. You and what you serve,

162. You shall not cause anyone to fall into temptation against Him.

163. except the one who will be released into Hell.

***
Let us continue to give evidence from the relevant verses:

Ta-Ha

110. He knows their past and their future, while none can comprehend Him in knowledge.
(Allah already knows who will do what in the future)


133. They said, "He should have at least brought us a sign (a miracle). Did not the evidence (proof) in the previous Books come to them?

134. And if We had destroyed them with a punishment before that, they would have said: "Our Lord, if You had sent us a messenger, we would have followed Your verses before we became so lowly and disgraced!"

(He knows what they would have done if they had been tried in another way)


Enam

109. They swore by Allah with all their oaths that if a miracle came to them, they would surely believe in it. Tell them: "Miracles are only with Allah." Do you not understand that they will not believe even when a miracle comes to them?

110. We turn their hearts and their eyes upside down, and We leave them as they did not believe the first time, and they wander blindly in their transgression.

111. And if We had sent down to them the angels, and the dead had spoken to them, and We had gathered all things and set them before them, they would not have believed except by Allah's will. But most of them show ignorance.
(He knows what they would do if different options were put before them)


Rum

51. By Allah, if We send a wind and they see that the earth has turned yellow, then they will be ungrateful.

52. So you cannot make the dead hear. Nor can you make the deaf hear the call if they turn away.

53. And you cannot enlighten the blind from their error. You can only make those who believe in Our verses to hear, and they become Muslims.


QASAS

56. You cannot guide whom you love. It is only Allah who guides whom He wills. He knows best those who deserve to be guided.


Almighty Allah knows very well that if people were tested in infinite variations for eternity, He knows which of them would be among the good ones and which would be among the bad ones. That is why He ends everyone's test as they deserve in this 2-day representative-miniature test. But again, he does this without touching free will. Since He knows what His servants will choose in this 2-day test, He brings them the choices that will allow them to face exactly what is in their hearts, and He takes the good ones to paradise and the bad ones to hell in a moment.

For example, Iblis was doing as he was told, but Allah knew that he was one of the wicked. And in order to reveal the treachery in his heart, He put the option of "prostrating to Adam" in front of him. He knew he would not do it. And then Iblis realizes that he was trapped and he says, "in response to your temptation".

***
Let us continue with the subject:

Our Lord knew what those people would choose before He created them. He created them to get what they deserve. So that those who would choose good would go to Paradise and those who would choose evil would go to Hell:

HUD

119 Except those whom your Lord has mercy on. For that He has created them. Your Lord's words, "By Allah, I will fill Hell with mankind and jinn" will be fulfilled.

He also knows from the very beginning who will have the best morals and who will be worthy of being chosen as prophets. This goes without saying.

In the story of Moses, this "2-day summary test, confrontation with what is in the heart" is also evident:

Surah 28 - Qasas

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful and the Most Gracious.

1. Ta, Sîn, Mîm.

2. These are the verses of the Book, which declare clearly to you.

3. We will recite to you a portion of the story of Moses and Pharaoh in truth for a people who will believe.

4. The truth is that Pharaoh had established himself in that place and divided its people into groups. He despised and oppressed a group of them: He slaughtered their male children and treated their women shamelessly/exploited their wombs/released their women into the world. He was indeed one of those who spread mischief.

5. And We desire that We may bestow mercy on those who are oppressed in the earth, and make them leaders, and make them heirs.

6. And give them means and power in the earth. And We will show Pharaoh and Haman and their armies what they feared.

(Since Allah knows how His servants will react to which option, He is implementing His plan to give their free will what they deserve)

7. And We revealed to the mother of Moses: breastfeed him! And when you feel fear against him, let him fall into the river. Do not fear, do not grieve! We will bring him back to you and make him one of the Messengers."

8. Finally, Pharaoh's family found him as a lost thing and took him. He was to be an enemy and a worry for them. The truth is that Pharaoh and Haman and their armies were on the wrong path.

9. Pharaoh's wife said: "He is a light in my eyes and in yours. Do not kill him, for he may be useful to us, or we may adopt him as a child." They did not realize it.

10. And the heart of the mother of Moses was empty in the morning. She was in a state that she would have revealed it if We had not given her a binding in her heart so that she might be among the believers.

11. His mother said to Moses' sister, "Watch him." So she watched him from the sidelines. They were not aware of it.

12. And We had forbidden him women who suckled before, so his sister said: "Shall I introduce to you a household who will take care of him for you, and take it upon themselves to educate and teach him?"

13. Finally We returned Moses to his mother so that she may be enlightened and not grieve and know that Allah's promise is true. But many do not know this.

14. And when Moses reached the age of valor, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. Thus do We reward those who think well and act well.

************************

(Then Pharaoh and his followers face the evil in their hearts and leave the land of testing in the middle of the closing sea)

41. We made them leaders calling to the Fire, and they will not be helped on the Day of Resurrection.

42. We put a curse on their backs in this worldly life. On the Day of Resurrection they will be among the disfigured.

***

In the story of Joseph, again we see that our Lord knows the future and that in this 2-day representative and summary test, He ensures that people get what they deserve with their free will:


YUSUF

4. Joseph once said to his father, "My father, I saw the eleven planets, the sun and the moon, and I saw them prostrating themselves to me."


5. (His father Jacob said:) "My child," he said, "do not tell your dream to your brothers, lest they plot against you. For Satan is a clear enemy to man.


6. "So your Lord chooses you, and teaches you the interpretation of dreams, and completes His favor upon you and the family of Jacob, as He completed His favor upon your fathers Abraham and Isaac before you. Your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise."

Since our Lord knows how people will react to whatever choice is put before them, He is giving Joseph and those around him the adventure that will enable them to confront themselves in this way.


21. The one who bought him in Egypt said to his wife, "Take good care of him, lest he be of use to us, or we adopt him as a son." So We established Joseph on the earth and taught him the interpretation of dreams. God is the One who accomplishes His work, but most of the people do not know it.

22. And when he grew up, We gave him wisdom and knowledge, and thus do We reward those who do good.

Again, with the free will of people, fate weaves its web and events follow one another in line with the plan of our Lord.

Even the fact that Joseph was shown the future through dreams, in itself, shows that it was already known what was going to happen. Our Lord knows who will do what in the face of which option, and He presents such options, representing what that person would do if he lived forever - if he were tested - that in this 2-day world, people are confronted with the good or evil in them with the option they choose.


47. He said: "What you have sown for seven years, leave it in its ears and store it up, except a little of it which you eat."

48. Then seven dry years will come after it, and it will devour what you have stored up for those years, except a little of what you have stored up

49. "And after that comes a year in which the people will be refreshed and in which they will press (fruit) and milk (animals)."

54. The king said: "Bring him, and I will appoint him to work for me." And when he had spoken to him, he said, "You are a trustworthy man who has a high position with us today."

55. He said: "Put me in charge of the country's finances. Surely I can guard well and know well."

56. So We established Joseph in that land, and he could move about as he pleased. We shower Our mercy on whom We will. We do not leave those who do good without reward.

Our Lord continues to carry out His plan.

After Joseph was reunited with his family, he witnessed the fulfillment of the dream he had told his father about:

100. He raised his parents on the throne. They all prostrated for him. He said: "My father, this is the fulfillment of the dream I had before. My Lord has fulfilled it, and He has done me good by bringing me out of prison and bringing you from the desert after Satan had driven a wedge between me and my brothers. Indeed, my Lord is very compassionate to whom He wills. He is All-Knowing, All-Wise."

101. "My Lord, You have given me sovereignty and taught me the interpretation of dreams. You are the Creator of heaven and earth. You are my Wali (owner) in this world and the Hereafter. Take my life as a Muslim and include me among the righteous."

***
There are also examples of even more accelerated trials that Allah uses to confront His servants with what is within themselves and to show them what they deserve.

In fact, these two days of brief trials are being prepared and finalized in a way that corresponds to what we would do if we were tested forever.

Our Lord sometimes tries the wrongdoers with requests outside of His ongoing law in order to confront them with the evil in them one last time. More precisely, He confronts them with this reality because He knows what they will do.

PROHIBITION OF TOUCHING THE CAMEL

ARAF

73. And We sent to Thamud their brother Salih. He said: "O my people! worship Allah. You have no god but Him. A clear proof has come to you from your Lord. This is the camel of Allah. A miracle for you. Leave it alone, let it graze on Allah's land. Do not touch it with evil intent. Otherwise a terrible torment will seize you."

77. Meanwhile they slaughtered the she-camel. And they departed from the command of their Lord and said: "O Salih! If you are of those sent from Allah, bring before us what you threatened us with."

78. Then they were seized by a violent tremor, so that they fell down in their own homes.

This is the opposite of the command to slaughter a cow that Moses' people were tested with, this time there is a command not to touch an animal. But when the wrongdoers slaughtered the camel, their cruelty was once again exposed and their trial was ended red-handed by the Creator.


PROHIBITION OF WORK ON SATURDAY

Surat al-Nahl: 124 Saturday has been made obligatory only for those who dispute about it. Your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection about what they disputed.

Surah A'raf
163 Ask them about the city by the sea; on Saturday they were wicked and unrestrained. On the Sabbath their fish would come to them in abundance, but when they did not keep the Sabbath they would not come to them. Thus did We test them because of their deviation from the way.

164. A group among them said: "Why do you advise a people whom Allah will destroy or torment with a severe torment?" They said: "So that it may be an excuse against your Lord and in the hope that they may be protected."

165. And when they forgot the advice given to them, We saved those who restrained them from evil, and We seized the wrong-doers with a painful torment for their apostasy.

166. When they became angry at what they had been forbidden and began to commit other excesses, We said to them: "Be despicable, mocking monkeys!"

This time a ban on Saturday work is imposed on a cruel people to make them face themselves one last time. And when they disobey this ban (after the good among them are saved), they face the bitter truth.

An example of such a different way of testing the wrongdoers is that for a period of time, some Jews were made unlawful things that were normally lawful:

Surah Al-Nisaa 160 And We made unlawful for the Jews that which was lawful for them before, because of their wrongdoing and because they kept many people from the way of Allah.

Enam Surah 146 We also forbade them the fat of cattle and sheep, except the fat of the backs and intestines of cattle and sheep and the fat mixed with the bones. We did this to them as a punishment for their transgression. Surely We are the keepers of Our word.

By the way, let us give an example of how our Lord knows what a person would do if he were tested with a different option:

ISRA

73 And they would almost have put you in mischief, that you might turn away from that which We have revealed to you and fabricate something other than it and attribute it to Us. Then they would have taken you as a friend.
74 And if We had not strengthened you, by Allah, you would have inclined to them a little.

76 They would have almost pressed you out of this land. In such a case they would have stayed there behind you for a little while.

If the prophet had been left there without support, he would have made the wrong choice. But because the prophet does not deserve it, he is saved from making that mistake.

Because what is important is what that person would do if they were tested for eternity. In this two-day sample-miniature life of trial, people are made to live a life in this direction, that is, in line with the outcome they deserve. Since it is known what each person will do with his free will in the face of which option, the options that will enable him to have the experience he deserves are put before him, so that he can be saved or deviate. Then, those who deserve heaven say goodbye to the world of trials in a moment of paradise and those who deserve hell say goodbye to the world of trials in a moment of hell.

In addition, what is done in this 2-day world is also instrumental in either solidifying or sealing hearts. But the real reason is what they would do if they lived forever in the world of trial, if they were tried in endless options...

***
Also, these verses explain very well that people are confronted with themselves in this world and are made to face what they deserve in the Hereafter:

HAJJ

53 This is that Allah may make what Satan throws a Fitnah for those whose hearts are diseased and whose hearts are hardened. The wrongdoers are in an irreversible separation and separation.

54 This has been done so that those who have been given knowledge may know that it is the truth from your Lord, and they may believe in it and their hearts may respect it. Verily, Allah is the All-Wise, and He will surely guide those who believe to the straight path.

55 And those who disbelieve will remain in doubt about the Qur'an until the Day of Resurrection suddenly bursts upon them, or until the torment of a barren day comes upon them.

------------------------------------------------------------ -----------

Our Lord already knows who will do what in the face of which choice, and accordingly, He provides them with the testing environment and options that will enable them to achieve what they deserve.

***

Another way of providing an insight into fate and free will is through the way the Qur'an was revealed. As is well known, the verses of the Qur'an were revealed in parts. Sometimes the verses even provided answers and explanations to the events and questions people asked.

Surah al-Ma'ida

101. O you who believe! Do not ask questions about things that will trouble you when they are revealed to you. If you ask about them while the Qur'an is being revealed, they will be explained to you. Allah has forsaken them. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, All-Merciful.

102. A people before you also asked about them, then they disbelieved.

Surah Al-Baqarah: 215 They ask you what they should spend and give. Say: "What you give in charity should be for parents, relatives, orphans, the poor and helpless and the wayfarer. Allah knows best what you do in charity. "

Surah Al-Ahzab Surah 63 People ask you about the Hour. Say: "The knowledge of it is with Allah. " What do you know, perhaps that hour is near!

And in the eyes of Allah, who is timeless and spaceless, the Qur'an was already prepared to answer these events and the questions of people. In other words, since our Lord already knows what people will do with their free will, what they will ask, what will happen, the Qur'an performs its mathematical and other miracles in a complete way, even though it came down in parts and with answers. This is because God does not travel in time or space and the Qur'an was already ready before Him in its entirety. In other words, He knew how it would be in its completed form.

For God, who is timeless, there is no question of being in states of time such as "forward, past, present". We, on the other hand, are traveling forward in time.

Since our Creator knows how each person will react to which choice, and even what they would do if they were tested with infinite choices for eternity, He gives them a two-day confrontation with themselves, an example of a life of testing. The sending of the Qur'an and the coming of the prophets are also part of this confrontation, this test. In this way, people see the good or evil in themselves and have no right to object in the Hereafter:

Surah Al-Ma'idah 19 O People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you at a time when the messengers were cut off; he is making clear explanations. Do not say, "Neither a bearer of glad tidings nor a warner has come to us." Here has come to you the bearer of glad tidings and the warner. Allah is all-powerful.

Surah Al-Baqarah 26 It is a fact that Allah does not tire of giving the example of a mosquito or even a being above it. In such a case, the believers know that it is a truth from their Lord. But the disbelievers say: "What does Allah mean by giving this as an example?" Allah leads many astray by it, and guides many to the truth and the good by it. Allah leads astray with it none but the transgressors.

Surah Al-Muddatair 31 We have made the inhabitants of Hell angels. And We have made their number nothing but a trial for those who disbelieve, so that those who have been given the Book may know clearly and clearly. That the faith of those who have believed may increase. Let not those who have been given the Book and those who believe be in doubt. And let those in whose hearts is a disease and those who have disbelieved say: "What does Allah wish to illustrate by this?" Thus it is. Allah leads astray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills to the truth and the good. Only He knows the armies of your Lord. This is nothing but an admonition and a reminder for man.

We said that this 2-day life of confrontation (test) with what is within oneself removes the right of the servants to object in the Hereafter. Let us continue to give examples from the relevant verses:

Nisa

165 And We sent messengers bringing glad tidings and warning, so that mankind may have no proof against Allah after the messengers have come. Allah is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

7:172 When your Lord brings forth the offspring from the loins of the sons of Adam, He makes them witnesses to themselves: "Am I not your Lord?" They say, "Yes, we bear witness." So you will not be able to say on the Day of Resurrection, "We were unaware of this".

7:173 Or you will not be able to say, "Our forefathers used to associate partners and we are their descendants after them; will you destroy us because of those who practiced innovations and superstitions?"

Human beings will have no excuse in the Hereafter for their deviations, such as disbelief, associating partners or following fabricated ancestral teachings. Both the revelations and proofs given at birth and the revelations and proofs we meet later on ensure this.

It is known what we would do with our free will if we were tried in infinite options for eternity, and accordingly we are made to face ourselves for 2 days (test). In this way, the evidence we deserve for or against us is collected.

Surat al-An'am: 123 In this way We have made the bigwigs in every city/every civilization the criminals of that city and civilization, so that they may plot and set traps therein. In fact, they do not play tricks on anyone other than their own selves, but they do not realize it.

Surat al-Anfal: 30 Those who disbelieved were plotting against you that they might bind you or kill you or drive you out of your land. They plot, and Allah also plots. But Allah is the best of plotters.

Surat al-Tur 42 Or do they wish to lay a trap? Verily, those who disbelieve are themselves caught in a trap.


***

Also pay attention to these verses:

ISRA

4. And We decreed in the Book to the Children of Israel: "Twice you will make mischief in that land and you will be very proud (you will be overbearing)!

5. And when the time came for the first time, We sent upon you Our servants who were very strong, and they went into the houses and searched you. This was a promise to be fulfilled.

6. Then again We enabled you to defeat them and We supported you with wealth and sons and multiplied your warriors.

7. If you do good, you do good to yourselves. And if you do evil, it is against yourselves. And when the time of your last transgression comes (We will send again such servants) that they may make your faces evil (cause your faces to fall in grief) and enter the Masjid (Jerusalem) as they entered it the first time, and destroy what they seized.

Again, our Lord says that He knows who will do what and what they deserve in the Hereafter.

Meanwhile, the fact that Allah knows who will go to heaven or hell before He even creates them, and that He created the people of heaven for heaven and the people of hell for hell, causes some people to falter philosophically for some reason.

That is to say, there are some people who raise strange objections such as, "If it is clear who will go where in the hereafter, why are we struggling?"

Nothing is certain from our point of view. Whatever we are going to do, we will do it with our own free will and then we will find out who goes where.

And this two-day representative test will take place in parallel with what we would do if we were tested forever. So no one goes to paradise or hell by accident. On the contrary, since it is clear what you would have been if you had lived forever, you will go to the eternal realm that you really deserve.

Otherwise, if Allah did not know what you would do if you lived forever, then everyone would be going to paradise and hell by chance. Whatever came out of the bingo, how you would come across in the world of 2 days, how you said goodbye, you would accidentally fall into paradise or hell.

But no, everyone is being brought to exactly what they deserve in a perfect way by our Almighty Lord.

Imagine a wounded person. You see him on the road and he needs urgent help. Now God knows whether this person will live or not. But you don't. That's why you immediately rush to that person's aid and work hard to save that person.

This is exactly the logic and reality of the test. We do not know whether we (and others) are going to paradise or hell. That is why we should run to the aid of both ourselves and all people. Both for the sake of worldly pleasure and for the sake of eternal happiness....

We should constantly produce good behaviors that will make people happy.


(My Turkish article translated with machine)

https://emre1974tr.blogspot.com/2011/07/kader-ve-ozgur-irade.html

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Offline Emre_1974tr

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Re: Destiny and Free will
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2022, 02:35:04 PM »
Our Lord's knowledge does not affect free will

The fact that God knows what we will do with our free will is interpreted by some people as "there is no free will". "That means we cannot do the opposite of what is known," they object.

No, knowing what we will choose with our free will does not affect the freedom of the will. There is not even the slightest connection.

It is one thing to be able to do the opposite of something, and quite another to do it.

For example, let's say a person will choose option A in such and such an event. Our Lord knows this. He(a person) has the freedom to do the opposite, that is, not to choose this option. But he will choose option A by his own decision.

In short, he may not do the act of choosing option A, but he will still do it.

It is not because God knows, but because he chooses option A with his free will that our Creator knows.

Let us give a completely different example:

Hud

107. As long as the heavens and the earth endure, they will abide therein, except if your Lord wills. Your Lord is the Doer of whatever He wills

108. And those who deserve happiness will abide in Paradise as long as the heavens and the earth endure. Except if your Lord wills. This is an uninterrupted reward.

God Almighty is telling us here what He will do in the future.

And He says, "I will never remove those in Paradise unless I will otherwise."

And he promises not to take them out.

In other words, he says, "I can change my judgment if I want to, but those in heaven will stay there forever because I freely willed that they should stay there."

This gives us a second proof, another evidence for free will.

In this case we know what God will do in the future.

But it means that our knowing what Allah will do in the future does not affect His free will.

Just as His knowing what we will do does not affect our free will.

It is one thing to be able to do something and quite another to do it. And this is the result of free will.


(My Turkish article translated with machine)

http://emre1974tr.blogspot.com/2011/07/rabbimizin-bilmesi-ozgur-iradeyi.html

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Offline Emre_1974tr

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Re: Destiny and Free will
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2022, 05:34:16 AM »
Good Always Wins 

Denying God or associating partners with Him is a derivative of confronting the evil in ourselves, just like persecuting others. Again, it is a matter of turning one's back on revelation and the promise one made at birth and wronging oneself. In fact, since the most basic revelation/divine knowledge given to us at our creation is the knowledge of Allah's existence and uniqueness, the disbelievers and polytheists have already begun to separate directly at the most fundamental point.

"When your Lord brings forth the offspring of the sons of Adam from their loins, He makes them witnesses to themselves: 'Am I not your Lord?' They say, 'Yes, we bear witness. So that on the Day of Resurrection you will not be able to say, 'We were unaware of this'" (Surat al-Araf: 172).

"You should devote yourself to religion as a monotheist (hanif). Indeed, ALLAH has created mankind with such a creation. There is no change in God's creation. This is a perfect religion, but most people do not know" (Surah Rum 30).

The verses that speak of the "breathing of the spirit" into the first human being and later into Jesus also describe this situation. This is because in the Qur'an, spirit is used in the sense of "revelation" (we also see the term Spirit used as a proper name for the "angel of revelation").

Surat al-Sajdah 9: Then he gave him a form and breathed into him of his own spirit. He created for you hearing, eyes and hearts. How little you give thanks!

Thanks to this knowledge that is implanted in us at birth, we are born with the belief in one God and the virtues of being kind to others (for those who do not exclude the verses/revelation within).

And as I have always said, it is because of this divine knowledge in our genes that we are obliged to believe in the Quran. The revelation that the Qur'an conveys is in harmony with the verses within us, and this is the greatest and fundamental proof that it is the holy book sent by Allah.

Surat al-Fussilet 53 We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within their own selves. That it may become clear to them that it is the truth. Is it not enough for your Lord that He is a witness over everything?

I have said that a person who behaves in harmony with the divine knowledge within him lives in goodness and faith in the truth. As an objection to this statement, one may try to present the evil deeds of some believers as evidence against it. But when we look at such people who persecute others and yet are called believers, we will see that most of them are in shirk and believe in false things. A person who is truly free from shirk and has a true religious belief will live as far away from evil and wrongdoing as possible. Or even if he is temporarily misbehaving, he will soon realize it and put himself in order.

Or, to give another example from another point of view, even if a good person is in disbelief or shirk, one day he will surely come to the right belief in this world. Even if he is in the last stages of his trial, he will reach religious acceptance, even if it is at a minimum level sufficient to take him to Paradise. The point to be noted here is that we need to look at people's lives as a whole. Both in terms of time and in terms of evaluating what they have done in all areas...And only our Lord knows who will be among the good ones, who will successfully complete the test... Therefore, we cannot know whether someone is one of the eternal bad ones or one of the good ones by looking at what they did in a certain period of time or in certain areas.

I have explained this issue in my article titled "Destiny and Free Will":

http://emre1974tr.blogspot.com/2011/07/kader-ve-ozgur-irade.html

Those who choose to do good of their own free will will surely win in the Hereafter, and will also enjoy blessings in this world.

"Allah has given them the blessings of this world and the good reward of the Hereafter; for Allah loves those who do good deeds." (Surah Al Imran, verse 148)

The phenomenon called goodness is one of the characteristics/attributes of Allah, who is eternal. In other words, this concept is not a set of rules that were created later for testing. Our test is completely based on this.

Surat al-Tur 28. "We used to call upon Him before; He is the Good, the Merciful."

***

I have already mentioned that when a person or a community follows false beliefs and persistently avoids turning to the truth/knowledge, to the verses, this imbalance manifests itself in other behaviors as well.

In history, we have already seen that societies that persist in their disbelief, in addition to their false beliefs, also exhibit other erroneous behaviors, especially those that harm/oppress people.

If we prove this in the light of the verses;

The cruelty of some of the Arabs towards their children during the period of ignorance:

Surah Al-Takvir 8 - When asked about the girl child who was buried alive,

Surah Al-Anam: 137 - So their associates made even killing their children seem a good thing to most of the polytheists. Thus they ruined them and confused and corrupted their religion. Had Allah willed, they could not have done this. Stay away from them and what they fabricate.


The oppression perpetrated by Pharaoh and his rulers in ancient Egypt:

Al-Qasas 4. The truth is that Pharaoh ruled in that place and divided its inhabitants into groups. He despised and oppressed one group of them: He slaughtered their male children and treated their women shamelessly/exploited their wombs/released their women into the world. He was indeed one of those who spread mischief.


The people of Lot were abusive even to guests:

Surah Hijr

67. The people of the city came rejoicing to hear the messengers.

68. Lot said: "These are my guests, do not disgrace me!"

69. "Fear Allah, do not disgrace me."

70. They said: "Did we not forbid you from dealing with the affairs of the world?"

71. Lot said: "If you are going to do anything, here are my daughters!"

72. By your life, they were wandering in their own stupor.

73. At last that terrible vibrating sound seized them at sunrise.

74. And We brought the upper part of that city down to its lower part, and We rained down on them stones of baked clay.

(By the way, it should be noted that the people of Lot, like other tribes, were destroyed primarily because of their disbelief. Not all members of this society, probably half or nearly half of whom were women, were homosexual, adulterous or abusive. The clearest evidence for this is that Lot's wife was among the wicked who were left behind and destroyed. Again, the main sin that gripped them all was associating partners with Allah and denying the signs. Their other unbalanced behaviors and sins were the side manifestations and consequences of turning their backs on revelation and cruelty).

Surat al-Ankabut 32 Abraham said: "But there is Lot there." They said: "We know better who is there. Surely We will save him and his family. Except his wife. She will be among those left behind."

The tyranny of the People of Ad:

Surah Shu'ara

128.Do you amuse yourselves by erecting on every high hill/road an astonishing building/sign!

129.Do you hope to become eternal by acquiring places that produce industry?

130.And when you seize them, do you seize them with force?


We see that the people of Median were also insensitive and oppressive towards people by cheating in trade and destroying the property of others:

Surah Hud

84. And We sent to Median their brother Shu'ayb. He said: "O my people! worship Allah. You have no gods besides Him. Do not under-measure and misweigh. I see you in blessing and prosperity, but I fear for you the torment of a day that will envelop you."

85. "O my people! Measure and weigh with complete honesty. Do not take from people's belongings. Do not go about in the earth making mischief."

86. "If you are believers, the profit left by Allah is better for you. I am not a watchman over you."

(Another detail that is noteworthy when we think of the destroyed societies of the past is that Allah sometimes brings the wicked/evildoers together in the world and makes them face themselves collectively. A society that was destroyed in the past means that Allah has brought together a group of wrongdoers who would have chosen evil of their own volition in the same history and geography).

In Surat al-Buruj, we again see the unbelievers torturing Muslims:

Buruj

5. Those men of the kindled fire,

6. They were sitting at its head.

7. And they were all watching what they were doing to the believers.

8. They took revenge on them only because they believed in Allah, the Exalted, the Mighty

9. Allah, to whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. Allah is a witness to everything.

10. Verily, for those who torture believing men and believing women and then do not repent, for them is the torment of Hell. For them is also the torment of fire.

11. As for those who believe and do deeds of good and peace, for them are Gardens beneath which rivers flow. This is the great success.


In short, people who do not turn to the verses can drift into diseased thoughts and behaviors in many areas. In fact, the correct and beautiful behavior or thought is only possible by reaching out to the knowledge and commands of our Lord. Both what was given to us at creation and what we later learn from the Book... Whether we realize it or not...

The virtues and righteousness of everyone, including atheists, are based on this. Even if they are not aware of it, people behave in good and healthy ways when they listen to the verses within them.

Let us continue to see in the Qur'an that a Muslim, that is, a person who submits only to Allah, who will successfully complete the journey of testing, is also a good person, whereas those who will go to hell are the wicked:

Surah Beled

12. What makes you know what a steep slope is?

13. It is to untie the shackles of those who are chained.

14. Or to feed on the day of hunger and misery,

15. An orphan nearby,

16. Or a poor person who is oppressed and downtrodden.

17. Then to be of those who believe and offer patience and mercy to one another.

18. Such are the friends of good fortune and prosperity.


Surah Haqqa

30 "Take hold of him, bind him at once!"
   
31. Then shake him to hell!"

33. "Because he did not believe in Allah Most High."

34. "He did not encourage the poor to feed themselves."

35 "There is no warm friend for him here today."

Surah Ali Imran 198 But for those who fear their Lord there are gardens beneath them rivers flowing, abiding therein with a hospitality from Allah, and the rewards with Allah are better for the righteous.
   
Surat al-Nahl 122 We gave him beauty in this world, and in the Hereafter he will surely be among the peace-loving righteous.


Surat al-Infitar

13. And this is certain: The righteous are in full bliss,

14. the wicked are in the middle of hell.

There is no such thing as a person whose heart is full of beauty going to hell by accident because he does not believe, or a cruel servant going to heaven when he does not deserve it. The good ones always win the test.

Believing in Allah and avoiding shirk is a manifestation of righteousness, while disbelief or associating partners and trying to get other masters is at least an injustice to oneself.

Accepting true knowledge and avoiding false beliefs and living virtuously are also part of good morals.

In addition, since what Allah, our only Master, asks of us is also aimed at eliminating or minimizing the troubles of the world, while at the same time maximizing the enjoyment of the good things of the world, walking in His way equals goodness in every respect.

To fulfill zakat constantly (sharing in all areas from the economy to our knowledge), to help those in need and exhibit good behavior, to stay away from lies, theft, murder and other evils, to produce beauty for the benefit of the whole world, to ensure material and spiritual wealth and peace, not to be a slave to anyone other than Allah and not to take anyone as a slave, to fulfill promises... These are all essential parts of compassion and goodness. The Qur'an demands these and even more from its servants.

Surah Al-Baqarah 83 And We took a promise from the Children of Israel: Worship none but Allah, and do good to parents, relatives, orphans, and the poor. Speak good and kindness to people. Perform the prayer and pay the zakat. After all this you turned away, except for a few of you. And you are still turning away.

Enam 151 Say to them: "Come, let me recite to your faces what your Lord has forbidden you: "Do not associate anything with Him. Be kind to your parents. Do not kill your children for fear of poverty; We will provide for you and them. And do not approach the evils, both the visible and the hidden. And do not kill a life that Allah has made honorable and cherished, except in defense of a right. Allah has recommended these things to you so that you may use your reason."

To summarize, the people of Paradise are the good people who think and produce beauty in the world, while the people of Hell are those who betray themselves in the first place.

Surah Yunus Surah 44 Allah does not oppress people in any way. But people persecute their own selves.

He who does not have mercy on himself will not have mercy on others in general. And so it is, as seen in the parables described in the verses.

Moreover, every evil done is also a cruelty to one's own self.

Every malicious trap he sets for others is actually a trap set for himself and into which he falls (as evidence against him in the Hereafter and to confront his cruelty).

***

Our Lord created us both to serve and for everyone to get what they deserve. So that the selves who deserve goodness will reach paradise, and those who are violent and corrupt will reach hell... Therefore, those who choose goodness will surely win, while those who choose oppression will lose.



(My Turkish article translated with machine)

http://emre1974tr.blogspot.com/2013/03/iyiler-mutlaka-kazanr.html

Peace

Offline Emre_1974tr

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Re: Destiny and Free will
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2023, 09:43:52 AM »
By the way, it should be noted that our prayers do not change our destiny. Because even before Allah created us, He already knew what we would pray with our free will and wrote our destiny accordingly from the very beginning

 

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