Qur’anic concepts (justice and leadership) 4

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#### **Chapter Four: Divine Justice and Human Agency**
Having become acquainted with the manifestations of His justice in creation (*takwīn*) and legislation (*tashrī‘*), it is time to examine the remaining subjects related to Divine Justice, which revolve around human agency. Their main points are:
1. Divine Justice and the freedom of human will.
2. Divine Justice and His foreknowledge of human actions.
3. Divine Justice and the definitive nature of *Qadā’* and *Qadar* (Divine Decree and Destiny).
4. Divine Justice and the eternity of punishment.

Philosophers and theologians have explored these topics from various angles, and intense debate has surrounded them. Since our guide in these discussions is the Holy Qur’an, we shall approach them from that perspective, leaving other dimensions to the specialized books prepared for this field.

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#### **Divine Justice and the Freedom of Human Will**
The inquiry into freedom of will—whether man is a compelled agent or a free agent—is one of the philosophical issues whose roots extend deep into the history of human thought. From the very beginning, people’s attention has turned toward it because it touches upon an aspect of their practical lives. Thus, the study of this issue is no longer limited to philosophers alone, but has come to include most people.

The Qur’anic view is summarized in the principle that man is free in what he wills and desires. This view strikes a decisive blow against the polytheists’ claim that God’s will was attached to their idol worship, thereby making them compelled to commit polytheism (*shirk*). God, the Exalted, says in refutation of that claim:

“*Those who associate [partners with Allah] will say, ‘If Allah had willed, we would not have associated [anything] and neither would our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything.’ Likewise did those before them deny until they tasted Our punishment. Say, ‘Do you have any knowledge that you can bring out for us? You follow not except assumption, and you are not but falsifying.’*” (6:148)

This verse clearly reflects a facet of the belief of the polytheists in the era of the Prophet’s mission: they believed in compulsion (*jabr*), asserting that everything issuing from them was subject to His will—a will that negates [human] choice.

In another passage, He says, clarifying that corrupt belief:

“*And when they commit an immorality, they say, ‘We found our fathers doing it, and Allah has ordered it for us.’ Say, ‘Indeed, Allah does not order immorality. Do you say about Allah that which you do not know?’*” (7:28)

The first part of the verse reflects the polytheists’ belief that were it not for His command and will, they would not have been polytheists. However, the second part refutes this by stating that polytheism is injustice and indecency, and God does not command such things; therefore, His will does not attach to them.

It is astonishing that this fallacious belief was not eradicated; rather, it remained lingering in the minds of several companions even after the dawn of Islam.

Al-Suyūṭī narrates from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that a man came to Abu Bakr and asked: “Do you consider adultery to be by [Divine] decree (*qadar*)?” He replied: “Yes.” The man asked: “Then God decreed it upon me and then punishes me?!” He replied: “Yes, O son of the ‘Lakhna’ (a term of disparagement). By Allah, if I had someone with me, I would have ordered him to strike your nose.” (*Tārīkh al-Khulafā’*, p. 95).

It was not only the first Caliph who argued using [the concept of] *Qadar* to negate choice; others held this idea as well. Al-Wāqidī narrates from Umm al-Ḥārith al-Anṣāriyya, while speaking about the flight of the Muslims on the day of Hunayn, she said: “‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb passed by me in retreat, so I asked: ‘What is this?’ ‘Umar replied: ‘It is the command of God.'” (*Maghāzī al-Wāqidī*, 3:904).

We see that ‘Umar resorts to the “command of God and His decree,” implying that the defeat was a definitive matter because God had willed and desired it, without considering the other causes that led them to that defeat.

The Umayyads adopted the issue of *Qadar* as a tool to justify their evil deeds, attributing their situation—with all its various forms of corruption and depravity—to *Qadar*. Abu Hilāl al-‘Askarī stated: “Mu‘āwiyah was the first to claim that God wills all the actions of His servants.” (*al-Awā’il*, 2:125).

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### **Terminology Notes:**
* **فاعل مجبور / فاعل مختار**: *Compelled agent / Free agent*.
* **القضاء والقدر**: *Divine Decree and Destiny* (often translated as *Qadā’* and *Qadar*).
* **الجبر**: *Compulsion* (the theological position of Determinism).
* **تخرصون**: *Falsifying* or *conjecturing*.
* **الصحابة**: *The Companions* (of the Prophet).