Do We Have Free Will?

DO WE HAVE A FREE WILL TO CHOSE OUR LINE OF ACTION ?

Many people observe the common used expression in the Qur'an,

"..Then God leaves to go astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills.." [14:4]

And by just taking this portion they come to the conclusion that people do not have any free will of their own and rather,everything that they are doing is not a result of their own intention and choice but has been divinely ordained for them in their 'fate' or 'destiny',and no matter what they do,they can not change their 'destiny',and are helpless.

However this is a result of a narrow minded approach towards the Qur'an and is a conclusion formed by just looking at a portion of the verse and not observing the other verses regarding this subject at other Suras.First of all let us see what does the Qur'an say whether we have the free will to chose our line of action or is everything we do pre planned for us ?

The following verses inform us clearly about this matter:

18:29-"Say The truth is from your Lord : Let him who WILL believe and let him who WILL reject (it):."

Above verse clearly states that, to accept or reject the truth rests on a persons free will.

76:4-"WE have shown him the way, WHETHER he be grateful or ungrateful."

73:19-"Verily this is an Admonition: therefore WHOSO WILL let him take a (straight) path to his Lord!"

25:57 "Say: "No reward do I ask of you for it but this: that each one WHO WILL may take a (straight) Path to his Lord."

The above verses are quite clear in informing that man HAS got the free will to chose either way,or any path of action according to his choice.God further informs:

29:69-"And those who STRIVE in Our (cause) - We will certainly GUIDE them to our Paths: For verily God is with those who do right."

Had our fate already been decided or sealed,God would have never said to strive in His cause,as it would have been meaningless to strive and struggle for something which has already been decided. Hence by informing that to strive in His cause we would be guided to His ways it is confirmed that it is our struggle and action that will lead us to the path and pleasure of God and not what has been pre destined for us in our 'fate'.We are further reminded:

39:7 "If ye reject (God) Truly God hath no need of you; but HE LIKETH NOT INGRATITUDE FROM HIS SERVANTS: if ye are grateful He is pleased with you. No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another. In the end to your Lord is your Return when He will tell you the truth of all that ye did (in this life). for He knoweth well all that is in (men's) hearts."

If our fate was already decided,God would have never said; "...but HE LIKETH NOT INGRATITUDE FROM HIS SERVANTS.." As it would not be fitting to say that a certain action is not liked by God when it is God himself who has written that action for man in that persons fate !

Again we are reminded that to take guidance of God rests upon a persons free will and choice,and he is not under any compulsion ,but it is entirely upto him whether he chooses God's guidance or not.God informs us through His messenger:

80:11-"By no means (should it be so)! For it is indeed a Message of instruction:"

80:12-"Therefore LET WHOSO WILL keep it in remembrance."

Finally God in clear terms informs us that you have the freedom to act according to your choice,but your actions are under the supervision of God's laws of requital.

40:41-".......Do what YE WILL: verily He seeth (clearly) all that ye do."

God gives you the freedom to work AS YOU WILL.The above verses are proof that we have the freedom of choice when it comes to selecting the path of God and we are not under any pre ordained compulsion or any state of helplessness that what ever we are doing is not because of our will but was already decided in our 'fate'.We very much have the freedom to chose the path we wish and use our free will in chalking out a line of action for ourselves.

WE HAVE THE FREE WILL AND FREEDOM OF CHOICE TO WORK AS YOU LIKE,BUT EVERY ACTION WE DO PRODUCES A RESULT

Every action we do produces a result.An action consistent with the laws of God produces a good result and working against those laws produces a negative result. We have been given the free will to chose as we wish,but it is not in our hands to change the results of the actions we did , ie you have the freedom to eat very dangerous toxic substance or poison,and as a result you can die.

You did that act of your own free will,but it is not in the scope of your will to change the result of that action,ie it is not possible that you consume poison and as a result get very good health,instead of dying or detoriating your condition.

Whatever law God has framed for that poisonous substance,you will get the results of that law.The type of act you do,that type of result you will get:

[53.31] "And God's is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, that He may reward those who do evil according to what they do, and (that) He may reward those who do good with goodness."

Every action and deed we do will be rewarded according to its nature;

[45.22] "And God created the heavens and the earth with truth and that EVERY SOUL MAY BE REWARDED FOR WHAT IT HAS EARNED and they shall not be wronged."

If we do an act consistent or in consistent with the laws of God,we will get its result on our own self.We cannot transfer the results of our wrongdoings to anyone else.We have to pay for what we did. A person has to carry his own weight.Some other person can not be held accountable for what we did.

[45.15] "Whoever does good, it is for his own soul, and whoever does evil, it is against himself; then you shall be brought back to your-- Lord."

THE TYPE OF RESULTS WE GET IS NOT BECAUSE GOD HAD ALREADY DECIDED OUR FATE,WE HAD NO SAY IN IT,AND WERE HELPLESS, BUT THE RESULTS WE GET DEPEND ON THE ACTIONS AND DEEDS WE DO.

27:90 "And if any do evil their faces will be thrown headlong into the Fire: "Do ye receive a reward other than that which ye have EARNED BY YOUR DEEDS?"

[37.38] "Most surely you will taste the painful punishment." [37.39] "And you shall not be rewarded except (for) WHAT YOU DID."

If your actions and deeds where not consistent to the laws and commandments of God,you will get the results for those deeds as God has ordained;

52:13 "That Day shall they be thrust down to the Fire of Hell irresistibly."

52:14 "This: it will be said Is the Fire - which ye were wont to deny!"

52:15 "Is this then a fake or is it ye that do not see?"

52:16 "Burn ye therein: the same is it to you whether ye bear it with patience or not: Ye but receive THE RECOMPENSE OF YOUR (OWN) DEEDS."

If your actions were consistent and in accordance with God's laws you will get their results likewise;

52:17 "As to the Righteous they will be in Gardens and in Happiness - "

52:18 "Enjoying the (Bliss) which their Lord hath bestowed on them and their Lord shall deliver them from the Penalty of the Fire."

52:19 "(To them will be said:) "Eat and drink ye with profit and health BECAUSE OF YOUR DEEDS" Each and every action will be recompensed and rewarded.Whether it is done by a man or a woman;

3:196-"So their Lord answered their prayers, saying, `I will suffer not the WORK OF ANY WORKER from among you, whether male or female, to be lost. You are from one another...."

YOU WILL MOST CERTAINLY BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE TYPE OF ACTIONS YOU CHOSE TO DO,AND THE BLAME IS DEFINITELY NOT ON GOD.

7:147-" I shall soon TURN AWAY from My Signs those who behave PROUDLY IN THE LAND IN AN UNJUST MANNER; and even if they see all the Signs, THEY WILL NOT BELIEVE THEREIN; and if they see the way of righteousness,THEY WILL NOT ADOPT IT AS THEIR WAY; but if they see the way of error, they will adopt it as their way. That is because THEY TREATED OUR SIGNS AS LIES AND WERE HEEDLESS OF THEM."

7:148- "And those who reject Our Signs and the meeting of the Hereafter - their works are vain. CAN THEY EXPECT TO BE REWARDED FOR ANYTHING EXCEPT FOR WHAT THEY DO ?"

If you chose to behave in the manner described in the above verse,then you will be turned away from the signs of God according to the law of God which is expressed as His will.You are to blame yourself for this as you chose to behave in this manner by your free will.

It is you yourself who is responsible for the negative results you get for your actions and God is not to be blamed.He reminds in clear terms;

10:45-"Certainly,God wrongs not men at all; it is they who wrong their own souls."

The following verses are more specific in informing that incase we do an act inconsistent with God's law because of that we will be held accountable,and it is not God who is to blame:

16:33-"Do they wait until the angels come to them or there comes the Command of thy Lord ? So did those who went before them. But God WRONGED THEM NOT :NAY THEY WRONGED THEIR OWN SOULS."

16:34-"BUT THE EVIL RESULTS OF THEIR DEEDS OVERTOOK THEM and that very (Wrath) at which they had scoffed hemmed them in."

We are responsible for our actions by ourselves,and in case we do wrong then the blame is on our own self,not on God,as the verse reminds:

[41.46]"Whoever does good, it is for his own soul, and whoever does evil, it is against it;AND YOUR LORD IS NOT IN THE LEAST UNJUST TO THE SERVANTS."

THE WILL OF GODEXPRESSED AS HIS LAWS.

God has expressed His will as His laws.His laws are ordained and in action in the physical universe,ie in the phenomena of Nature as well as in the form of His guidance for Mankind contained in Al-Qur'an,which governs human affairs,and which also is unchangable and permanent.

Now the will of God is expressed in the Qur'an,but God has given us the free will to either accept those laws and derive the benefit from them in this world as well as the next life.Or go against those laws and suffer the consequences again in this world as well as the next.

On one hand the Qur'an gives us the description and results of following the comandments of God,while on the other it also describes what would be the consequences of going against them.Both ways,if we select the path of God,or reject it,the results have been defined.The will of God is manifested by His permanent laws in the physical universe as well as human affairs.

It is the law of God which is permanent and fixed,not the fate of mankind.If man follows the commands of God he will get the results as ordained in law,if he goes against them he will again get the results as in God's law.

Man has been given the free will to select either way.Follow the commandments or go against them.In both ways the results will be produced accordingly,and those results cannot be changed.Consider the following examples:

God has ordained the law for fire that if we put our hand in it,our hand will get burned.The burning properties of fire are ordained as a law by God.It isn't possible that we put our hand in fire and get the result as if we had placed it in a cool place.

Our burned hand will not get healed unless we treat it with medicine,and apply another law of God in the form of healing properties of the medicine.Putting our hand in the fire was an act which we commited by ourself.It was our job to know and be aware that fire can burn,and incase we didnt,then it is our own fault,and not the consequences of our fate.

Coming to the portion of the verse which is causing confusion:

[14.4]-"..Then God leaves to go astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills.."

Now who are the people who are astray and what are their characteristics,this is abundantly clarified in the Qur'an at many places.Some verses that define those who are astray according to the law (will) of God are given below.Do note,if anyone has the qualities as mentioned in those verses then they are astray according to God's laws.

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LED ASTRAY ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF GOD?

(1) Those who are TRANSGRESSORS (Fasiqoon)

[2.26]"Surely God is not ashamed to set forth any parable-- (that of) a gnat or any thing above that; then as for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord, and as for those who disbelieve, they say: What is it that God means by this parable: He causes many to err by it and many He leads aright by it! but He does not cause to err by it (any) EXCEPT the transgressors"

(2) Those who take shiateen (Satans) as friends and protectors

7:30"Some He hath guided: Others have (by their choice) deserved the loss of their way; in that they took the DEVILS in preference to God for their friends and protectors and think that they receive guidance."

22:4"About the (Evil One) it is decreed that whoever turns to him for friendship him will he lead astray and he will guide him to the Penalty of the Fire."

(3) Those who disobey God and His messenger

33:36-".... and whoever disobeys God and His Messenger,he surely STRAYS off a manifest straying."

(4) Those who are oppressors and are unjust (Zalimun)

[14.27]"God confirms those who believe with the sure word in this world's life and in the hereafter, and God causes the unjust to go astray, and God does what He pleases."

(5) Those who do not use their faculties of reasoning and listening to analyse the message of God

[25.44] "Or do you think that most of them do hear or use their reasoning? They are nothing but as cattle; nay, they are straying farther off from the path."

(6) Those who follow the opinions of their chiefs and great men instead of the message of God

[33.67] And they shall say: O our Lord! surely we obeyed our leaders and our great men, so they led us astray from the path;

(7) Those who are blind and heedless to the message of God

17:72 "But those who were blind in this world will be blind in the hereafter and most astray from the Path."

(8) Those who follow the opinions of the people who are in a majority.

[6.116] "And if you obey most of those in the earth, they will lead you astray from God's way; they follow but conjecture and they only lie."

(9) Those who follow their desires

[6.56] "Say: I am forbidden to serve those whom you call upon besides God. Say: I do not follow your desires. for then indeed I should have gone astray and I should not be of those who go aright."

The above verses describe who are those people who are led astray.Anyone who has above mentioned qualities in him is astray according to the law of God.Compare above with what Quran says about who are the people who will get Gods guidance ? See these verses 39:18 , 13:27 , 6:125 etc.

Above verses are clear in describing that man has the freedom of choice to select right or wrong in his life.He will be rewarded according to the type of actions he does.God is not to be blamed for his wrongdoings but he is to blame himself.

People are led astray not because God wants them to go astray but by choosing those qualities for themselves which God has termed to be of those who are astray from his path.Their free selection of those qualities eg transgression,disobedience,following desires,not using reasoning and intellect in acertaining the truth etc is what is making them astray and not God.