Fatwa ID: 07085

Answered by: Alimah Sherbhanu Jadwat

Question:

What answer could we give perfectly when Non-muslims question do Muslims have freewill and choice?

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

Answer:

As Muslims we do believe that we have limited free will and choice. At every step we take, and every decision we make , we are making choices.

We either choose to act upon the guidance sent to us by our Creator via His chosen Prophets and Messengers , in a way that is Pleasing to our Creator Allah; or alternatively we make a choice to follow the devilish whisperings and our lowly , base unlawful desires.

We as humans, are subject to the laws of ‘cause and effect’. The All-Powerful Creator ‘Allah’, has engineered the laws of ‘cause and effect’; together with the many other universal laws of Physics / Quantum Physics etc . However He is in no way subservient to any of these laws , which He implemented for the systemic operation of the cosmos.

Whilst we do have control over the way we behave, we do not have control over the outcomes. The outcomes are decreed by our Creator for our best subjective growth and spiritual elevation. This manifests externally by a decrease in selfish behaviour, greater levels of empathy, and the resultant altruistic actions to benefit humanity.

There will always be things that are not in our control , and are subject to Divine Wisdom alone. However we as Muslims, put total trust in the Divine Decree and submit completely to the Will to our Creator and Sustainer.

References:

اۨلَّذِىۡ خَلَقَ الۡمَوۡتَ وَالۡحَيٰوةَ لِيَبۡلُوَكُمۡ اَيُّكُمۡ اَحۡسَنُ عَمَلًا ؕ وَهُوَ الۡعَزِيۡزُ الۡغَفُوۡرُ

سورة الملك ٢

مَاۤ اَصَابَكَ مِنۡ حَسَنَةٍ فَمِنَ اللّٰهِ‌ وَمَاۤ اَصَابَكَ مِنۡ سَيِّئَةٍ فَمِنۡ نَّـفۡسِكَ‌ ؕ وَاَرۡسَلۡنٰكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُوۡلًا‌ ؕ وَكَفٰى بِاللّٰهِ شَهِيۡدًا

سورة النساء ٧٩

لاَ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمُ النَّاسَ

البخاري ٧٣٧٦ ‏

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Sherbhanu Jadwat

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham