Qur’anic concepts (justice and leadership) 5
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Concepts of the Qur’an (Justice and Imamate) – Sheikh Ja’far al-Subhani – Vol. 1
**2.** “*Say, ‘If I should err, I only err against myself; but if I am guided, it is by what my Lord reveals to me. Indeed, He is Hearing and Near.’*” (34:50)
You observe that the verse attributes error to man himself, and guidance to the revelation of God, even though both guidance and error fundamentally originate from God. This is because God has prepared all the means of guidance for man from the moment he is created until he is lowered into his shroud—namely, by endowing him with the primordial nature (*fiṭrah*) of monotheism, reinforcing it by sending prophets and messengers, granting him a sound intellect (*‘aql*), and providing other tools of guidance. Whoever utilizes these means becomes guided; thus, it is correct to say that guidance comes from God because He provided its means. And whoever does not utilize them falls into error; thus, it is correct to say: “*If I should err, I only err against myself.*”
In this same vein is His saying: “*Whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul. And whoever errs only errs against it.*” (17:15)
**3.** “*And say, ‘The truth is from your Lord, so whoever wills—let him believe; and whoever wills—let him disbelieve.’*” (18:29)
You will not find in the Holy Qur’an a verse more explicit regarding human freedom than this one. Our martyr, al-Shahīd al-Thānī (909–966 AH), encapsulated the content of this verse in two lines of poetry, saying:
*There came in the Qur’an a verse of wisdom,*
*Destroying the verses of determinism and those who compel;*
*It informs that choice is in our hands:*
*So let whoever wills believe, and whoever wills disbelieve.*
**4.** “*There has come to you enlightenment from your Lord. So whoever will see does so for [the benefit of] his soul, and whoever is blind does so against it. And I am not a guardian over you.*” (6:174)
**5.** “*…so that those who perished [through disbelief] would perish upon evidence and those who lived [in faith] would live upon evidence. And indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing.*” (8:42)
**6.** “*Every person, for what it has earned, is retained.*” (52:21)
**7.** “*You are being recompensed only for what you used to do.*” (24:16)
And other verses indicate that man is an agent responsible for his actions, free in his will, and a chooser of what he acquires. In light of this, anyone who attempts to attribute determinism (*jabr*) to the Qur’an is wandering blindly in the dark.
The sending of prophets, the calling of people to the path of righteousness, and the prohibition of committing evil deeds are the clearest proofs that man is a being capable of reform and education. Had he been compelled to commit sins, the sending of prophets and their invitations would have been in vain.
Yes, advocating for human freedom and the fact that man is a free agent does not in any way mean that man’s connection to God and His will is severed. For that idea—the concept of absolute delegation (*tafwīḍ*)—is as false as determinism, leading man into the abyss of polytheism (*shirk*) and dualism, which is no less harmful than advocating for determinism. Therefore, *tafwīḍ*—in the sense of man being independent in his actions, will, and all he acquires, and being outside the sovereignty of God—is a false doctrine, just as claiming that he is a compelled agent is false.
#### **Neither Determinism nor Absolute Delegation (*Lā Jabra wa lā Tafwīḍ*)**
The Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) emphasized the weakness of both these notions. Imam al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him) said: “God is too generous to obligate people to do what they cannot bear, and God is too mighty for there to be in His sovereignty what He does not will.” (*Biḥār al-Anwār* 5:41). In another narration, Imam al-Ṣādiq explained human freedom as: “The existence of a way to perform what they were commanded and to leave what they were forbidden.” (*Biḥār al-Anwār* 5:12).
Indeed, the emphasis in the narrations on the falsity of determinism is greater than the explicit declaration of the falsity of *tafwīḍ*. Imam al-Ṣādiq (peace be upon him) said: “God is too just to compel a servant to act and then punish him for it.” (*al-Tawḥīd* by al-Ṣadūq, p. 360). Ḥasan ibn ‘Alī al-Washshā’ asked Imam al-Riḍā (peace be upon him): “Did God compel His servants to commit sins?” He replied: “God is too just and too wise for that.” (*al-Tawḥīd*, p. 363).
Yes, the subject of choice refers to the actions that man performs. As for matters outside the scope of reward and punishment, which man may encounter without his volition—such as disasters, calamities, earthquakes, destructive floods, hurricanes, and the like—these are outside the scope of human choice; therefore, regarding them, man is neither a compelled agent nor a free agent.
This is the view of the Holy Qur’an regarding human actions. However, there are misconceptions used as pretexts by some Islamic sects who have attempted to strip man of his choice, thinking that they are doing good by doing so.
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### **Terminology Notes:**
* **التفويض (Tafwīḍ):** In this theological context, it refers to the belief that God has delegated the power of creation and action entirely to man, independently of His will and sovereignty.
* **الجبر (Jabr):** Determinism/Compulsion.
* **اللا جبر ولا تفويض (Lā Jabra wa lā Tafwīḍ):** A famous middle-ground theological position attributed to the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt, rejecting both absolute determinism and absolute delegation.
* **خبط عشواء:** An Arabic idiom meaning “acting blindly” or “wandering in the dark without guidance.”
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