Answering Questions Through The Holy Qur'an: Do we have free will? Are we predestined?

Do we have free will? Are we predestined?

81:28 For whoever wills among you to take a straight way. 81:29 And you do not will except that Allah wills, Lord of the worlds.

76:29 Indeed, this is a reminder, so whoever wills, let him take a way to his Lord. 76:30 And you do not will except that Allah wills. Indeed, Allah is All-Knower, All-Wise.

(On one hand, Verses 81:28 and 76:29 indicate that there is free will (“whoever wills ...” (81:28, 76:29)). That’s because mankind was created to willingly worship God. On the other hand, “you do not will except that Allah wills” (81:28, 76:29); that’s because no one believes except by God’s permission (10:100); and everything happens by His permission (97:4, 58:10, 59:5, 64:11))(Allah knows best)

32:13 And if We had willed, surely We would have given every soul its guidance, but the Word from Me will come true, "I will fill Hell with jinn and men all together.

(The prediction of filling Hell with men (38:85) does not imply that mankind has not free will, but, on the contrary, it implies free will, because if there were no free will, they could not be blamed, nor punished in Hell)(So, there is a prediction of filling Hell because mankind is able to make mistakes. As a result, some people are believers, and some people are disbelievers; the disbelievers willingly purchased disbelief with the faith (3:177))(God is not unjust, but people wrongs themselves (22:10), so you cannot make God an excuse)(Allah knows best)

38:82 He said, "Then by Your might I will surely mislead them all. 38:83 Except Your chosen slaves among them." 38:84 He said, "The truth, and the truth I say – 38:85 I will surely fill Hell with you and those who follow you among them all together."

17:13 And for every man We have fastened his fate in his neck, and We will bring forth for him on the Day of Resurrection a record which he will find wide open.

(Someone’s fate is upon himself (17:13))(Allah knows best)

7:178 Whoever Allah guides, then he is the guided one while whoever He lets go astray, then those are the losers. 7:179 And certainly We have created many jinn and men for Hell. They have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like cattle, nay, they are more astray. Those - they are the heedless.

(Verse 7:179 compares men with cattle, because if they do not follow the Scripture, they would be like an animal carrying a book (62:5). So, they would go astray because of themselves. And God does not guide the wrongdoing people (2:258))(Allah knows best)

3:86 How (shall) Allah guide a people (who) disbelieved after their belief and (had) witnessed that the Messenger is true, and clear proofs came to them? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

(They are not guided because they are wrongdoers, so because of themselves)(Allah knows best)

75:14 Nay, man (will be) a witness against himself. 75:15 Even if he presents his excuses.

11:118 And if your Lord had willed, surely He could have made mankind one community, but they will not cease to differ.

(God is Able to make mankind one community, because God is All-Powerful over everything (2:259). People have free will, so it implies that “they will not cease to differ” (11:118))(Allah knows best)

10:99 And if your Lord had willed, those who are on the earth all of them would surely have believed. Then, will you compel mankind until they become believers? 10:100 And it is not for a soul to believe except by the permission of Allah. And He will place the wrath on those who do not use reason.

(People believe by God’s permission (10:100), because everything happens by His permission (97:4, 58:10, 59:5, 64:11). On the other hand, if God had willed, everybody would have believed (10:99), but they are not to be compelled (10:99). so many people are other than believers)(Another point is that everybody would have believed, but God does not will to guide the wrongdoing people (61:5, 3:86))(Allah knows best)

3:154 Then He sent down on you, after the distress, security - slumber overcoming a group of you, while another group certainly worried about themselves, thinking about Allah other than the truth - the thought of ignorance, saying, "Is there anything for us from the matter?" Say, "Indeed all the matter of it is for Allah." They hide in themselves what they do not reveal to you. They say, "If there was anything for us from the matter we would not have been killed here." Say, "If you were in your houses, those on whom death was decreed would have surely come out to their places of death. And that Allah might test what is in your breasts and that He may purge what is in your hearts. And Allah is All-Aware of what is in the breasts.

(Verse 3:154 does not say that they have not free will, but it is about “all the matter of it is for Allah”, so God decrees what is going to happen to them. The context is “death”, which is decreed for everybody, in this world, regardless of what you do)(Allah knows best)

57:22 No disaster strikes on the earth or within yourselves, but is in a Register before We bring it into existence. Indeed, that is easy for Allah.

43:20 And they say, "If the Most Gracious had willed, we would not have worshiped them." They do not have any knowledge about that. They do nothing but lie.

(They cannot make God an excuse)(Allah knows best)

9:66 Make no excuse; verily, you have disbelieved after your belief. If We pardon a party of you, We will punish a party, because they were criminals.

51:56 And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

(The purpose of the creation of mankind is to willingly (18:29) worship God (51:56))(Allah knows best)

18:29 And say, "The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills - let him believe and whoever wills - let him disbelieve." Indeed, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a Fire, its walls will surround them. And if they call for relief, they will be relieved with water like molten brass, which scalds the faces. Wretched is the drink, and evil is the resting place.

13:11 For him are successive before and behind him who protect him by the Command of Allah . Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people misfortune, there is no turning away of it. And there is not for them besides Him any protector.

(Someone’s condition can be changed, if they firstly change what is in themselves)(Allah knows best)

2:100 And is (it not that) whenever they took a covenant, a party of them threw it away? Nay, most of them do not believe.

3:177 Indeed, those who purchased disbelief with the faith - never will they harm Allah in anything, and for them is a painful punishment.

64:2 He is the One Who created you, and among you is a disbeliever and among you is a believer. And Allah is All-Seer of what you do.

42:30 And whatever misfortune befalls you, (it is because) of what your hands have earned. But He pardons much.

10:44 Indeed, Allah does not wrong the people (in) anything, but the people wrong themselves.

3:182 That is because of what your hands sent forth and that Allah is not unjust to slaves.

22:10 That is for what your hands have sent forth, and that Allah is not unjust to His slaves.

4:62 So how when disaster befalls them because of what their hands sent forth. Then they come to you swearing by Allah, "We did not intend except good and reconciliation."

16:33 Do they wait except that the Angels (should) come to them or there comes the Command of your Lord? Thus did those who (were) before them. And Allah did not wrong them but they were wronging themselves.

61:5 And when Moses said to his people, "O my people, why do you hurt me while you certainly know that I am the Messenger of Allah to you?" Then when they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.

(They first deviated, then Allah caused their hearts to deviate, so it was as a consequence of their deeds)(Allah knows best)

11:115 And be patient, for indeed, Allah does not let go waste the reward of the good-doers. 11:116 So why were there not of the generations before you those possessing a remnant, forbidding corruption on the earth except a few of those We saved among them? But those who did wrong followed what luxury they were given therein, and they were criminals. 11:117 And your Lord would not have destroyed the cities unjustly while its people were reformers. 11:118 And if your Lord had willed, surely He could have made mankind one community, but they will not cease to differ. 11:119 Except on whom your Lord has bestowed Mercy, and for that He created them. And the Word of your Lord will be fulfilled, "Surely I will fill Hell with Jinn and men all together."

(There are those who do that which they were created for: they worship God (51:56); and there are wrongdoers. Verse 11:117 says, “your Lord would not have destroyed the cities unjustly while its people were reformers”, so people is punished because of what they do, unless they reform, so people’s condition can be changed)(“doing that which they were created for” does not imply that there is no free will, but it is about that which they are required to do (worshiping God), so it is up to them)(Allah knows best)

30:30 So set your face to the religion upright. Nature (made by) Allah (upon) which He has created mankind [on it]. (There should be) no change in the creation (of) Allah. That (is) the correct religion, but most men (do) not know.

(According to Verse 30:30, there is no change in mankind, in regard to that which mankind was created for. So, there is no change in regard to that mankind have to worship God, because the context of the Verse is also about religion (“no change in the creation (of) Allah. That (is) the correct religion” (30:30)). Verse 51:56 says, “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me”)(In other words, the purpose of creating mankind is to worship God, so there is no change in the religion of mankind having to worship God or mankind created to worship God)(Allah knows best)

3:85 And whoever seeks other than Islam as religion - then never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be from the losers.

(“Islam” is an Arabic word meaning “submission (to God)”. So, you cannot seek other than worshiping God as religion)(Allah knows best)

4:119 "And I will surely mislead them and surely arouse desires in them, and I will surely order them so they will surely cut off the ears of the cattle and I will surely order them so they will surely change the creation of Allah." And whoever takes Satan as a friend besides Allah, then surely he (has) lost a manifest loss.

(Verse 4:119 confirms that “changing the creation” is related to religion, so it is interpreted as changing that which they were created for, by obeying Satan, instead of obeying God, so it confirms that “worshiping God” could be “changed” into other than that, if someone were to willingly follow Satan. Verse 4:119 says “and whoever takes Satan...”, rather than saying that someone else made you take Satan)(Allah knows best)

6:148 Those who associate partners will say, "If Allah had willed, we (would) not have associated partners and neither our forefathers, nor we (would) have forbidden anything." Likewise denied those before them until they tasted Our wrath. Say, "Do you have any knowledge, then produce it for us? You do not follow except assumption, and you do nothing but guess." 6:149 Say, "With Allah is the conclusive argument. And if He (had) willed, surely He (would) have guided you all."

(Disbelievers did wrong because of themselves. Even so, God is Able to guide them all, so they would have not wronged themselves, but God does not will to guide the wrongdoers (3:86))(Allah knows best)

35:8 Then is (he) who the evil of his deed is made fair-seeming to him so that he sees it good? For indeed, Allah lets go astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. So do not (let) your soul go out for them in regrets. Indeed, Allah is All-Knower of what they do.

(Someone firstly commit evil deeds, after that, he is not guided and his deeds are made fair-seeming to him, so because of the evil deeds he committed)(Allah knows best)

15:39 He said, "My Lord, because You misled me, surely, I will make (evil) fair-seeming to them in the earth, and I will mislead them all

(According to Verse 14:22, Satan will say, “I had no any authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves”. So, even if someone is misled by Satan, he is misled because he wronged himself, because he responded the invitation of Satan. Likewise, Satan disobeyed by not prostrating to Adam (7:12), then he was misled)(“Do not follow the footsteps of Satan” (24:21))(Allah knows best)

9:70 Has not come to them the news of those who were before them, the people of Noah, and Aad, and Thamud, and the people of Abraham and the companions of Madyan, and the towns overturned? Their Messengers came to them with clear proofs. And Allah was not to wrong them but they were doing wrong to themselves.

30:9 Have they not traveled in the earth and observed how was the end of those before them? They were mightier than them in strength, and they dug the earth and built on it more than they have built on it. And their Messengers came to them with clear proofs. So Allah was not to wrong them, but they were (doing) wrong themselves.

14:22 And Satan will say, when the matter has been decided, "Indeed, Allah promised you a promise of truth. And I promised you, but I betrayed you. But I had no any authority over you except that I invited you, and you responded to me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves. I (can)not be your helper, nor (can) you be my helper. Indeed, I deny your association of me before. Indeed, the wrongdoers, for them is a painful punishment."

2:159 Indeed, those who conceal the clear proofs We revealed, and the Guidance, after We made it clear for the people in the Book – they are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse. 2:160 Except those who repent and reform (themselves) and openly declare. Then from those, I will accept repentance, and I (am) the Acceptor of Repentance, the Most Merciful. 2:161 Indeed, those who disbelieve and die while they (were) disbelievers, upon them is the curse of Allah, and the Angels, and the mankind, all together. 2:162 (They will) abide in it forever. The punishment will not be lightened for them, nor will they be reprieved.

(According to the Verse, those who are cursed can be forgiven, if they repent and reform before they die)(Allah knows best)

37:96 He said, "Do you worship that which you carve 37:96 While Allah created you and that which you do?"

(The Verse does not mean that God made you an idol in the creation, but implies that people wrongly took “His creation” to carve it (e.g. a stone), but the carved thing is still creation, not a deity; so you cannot worship that which you carve (37:96))(In other words, mankind, who are created by God, cannot make a deity, by carving something, also created by God. So, God is the Creator of all things (39:62), including mankind and that which they carve, referring to the “thing / material” they carved, which is also “creation”)(Another point is that mankind do things (37:96), but mankind cannot create anything beyond God’s creation (37:96), or beyond God’s knowledge)(Allah knows best)

4:78 Wherever you (may) be, death will overtake you even if you are in lofty towers. And if any good befalls them, they say, "This is from Allah," And if any evil befalls them, they say, "This is from you." Say, "All is from Allah." So what (is wrong) (with) these people, they do not seem to understand any statement. 4:79 What(ever) good befalls you is from Allah, and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself. And We have sent you for the people as a Messenger, and Allah is sufficient as a Witness.

(Everything happens by Allah’s permission (58:10), that’s why “all is from Allah” (4:78). On the other hand, evil befalls people because of themselves (4:79)(e.g. they follow the footsteps of Satan (2:168))(Allah knows best)

9:127 And whenever a Surah is revealed, some of them look at others, "Does anyone see you?" Then they turn away. Allah has turned away their hearts because they (are) a people (who) do not understand.

21:72 And We bestowed on him Isaac and Jacob in addition, and all We made righteous. 21:73 And We made them leaders, they guide by Our Command. And We inspired (wa-awhayna) them the doing of good deeds, and establishment of prayer, and giving of zakah; and they were worshipers of Us.

(The root word of “awhay” (“inspired”)(21:73) is “Waw-Ha-Ya”, and it means “to indicate, reveal, suggest, inspire, speak secretly, say something in a whisper tone so that only the hearer hears it clearly but not the person standing close to him, etc.”. So, “inspired” is about “revealing”, not about lacking free will)(And Verse 42:51 says, “it is not for any human that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a veil or (by) sending a messenger then he reveals, by His permission, what He wills”. So, Verse 42:51 confirms that “revealing / inspiring” is in the sense of “speaking” (“that Allah should speak to him except by ...”))(Allah knows best)

53:43 And that He makes (one) laugh and makes (one) weep.

6:65 Say, "He is All-Capable to send upon you punishment from above you or from beneath your feet or to confuse you into sects and make some of you taste the violence of one another." See how We explain the Signs so that they may understand.

(God is All-Capable of doing these things, but only the wrongdoers are to be punished, on the other hand, people are tested. See the link below, “How do you know if you are being tested or punished?”)(Allah knows best)

6:26 And they forbid (others) from it and they keep away from it. And they do not destroy except themselves, and they do not perceive.

49:7 And know that among you (is the) Messenger of Allah. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would surely be in difficulty, but Allah has endeared the Faith to you and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made disbelief, and defiance, and disobedience hateful to you. Those (are) they - the guided ones. 49:8 A Bounty from Allah and favor. And Allah (is) All-Knower, All-Wise.

(God is not unjust, He does not guide the wrongdoers, and, on the other hand, He guides the doers of good. People have free will, so they could obey other than God (“If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would surely be in difficulty” (49:7)), but the Messenger didn’t obey people, but obeyed God, so God favored him (49:8))(Allah knows best)

6:112 And thus We made for every Prophet an enemy - devils from mankind and jinn, inspiring one another with decorative speech in deception. But if your Lord had willed, they would not have done it, so leave them and what they invent.

2:58 And when We said, "Enter this town, then eat abundantly from wherever you wish[ed], and enter the gate prostrating. And say, "Repentance,” We will forgive your sins for you. And We will increase the good-doers."

(The context is that the sins are forgiven if they obey the orders. So, “God increasing the good-doers” does not imply that there is no free will)(Allah knows best)

16:127 And be patient, and your patience (is) not but from Allah. And (do) not grieve over them and (do) not be in distress for what they plot.

(You are ordered to be patient, so, it’s something you have to do, and when you do, it is from God)(“Allah guides (those) who seek His pleasure (to the) ways (of) [the] peace” (5:16))(Allah knows best)

41:11 Then He directed towards the heaven while it was smoke, and He said to it and to the earth, "Come both of you willingly or unwillingly." They both said, "We come willingly."

(Verse 41:11 confirms that creation (heaven and earth) can do something willingly)(Allah knows best)

41:17 And as for Thamud, We guided them, but they preferred [the] blindness over [the] guidance, so a thunderbolt (of) humiliating [the] punishment seized them, for what they used to earn.

(According to Verse 41:17, people of Thamud were guided, but they preferred blindness over guidance, then they were punished, for what they used to earn)(Allah knows best)

6:104 Verily, (there) has come to you enlightenment from your Lord. Then whoever sees, then (it is/does so) for his soul, and whoever (is) blind then (it is) against himself. And I am not a guardian over you.

17:94 And what prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them except that they said, "Has Allah sent a human Messenger?"

(Verse 17:94 suggests that people’s own concepts/ideas/thoughts/disbelief prevent them from believing)(Allah knows best)

See also: Is there any contradiction in the Qur'an? (7) (Mankind)

http://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2017/01/response-to-some-of-wikiislams-content-2.html

See also: Is God’s action of punishment or mercy and guidance or misguidance arbitrary?

http://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2017/02/is-gods-action-of-punishment-or-mercy.html

See also: Can those who are cursed be forgiven?

http://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2017/03/can-those-who-are-cursed-be-forgiven.html

See also: Is there freedom of religion in Islam? Is there compulsion in Islam?

http://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2016/02/is-there-freedom-of-religion-in-islam.html

See also: Jinns and men created for worship or for Hell?

http://aqtthq.blogspot.com.es/2017/03/jinns-and-men-created-for-worship-or.html

See also: What is the purpose and meaning of life?