Islamic Intellectual Theology Lesson 20

1. Islamic Intellectual TheologyLesson 20 Lesson Ten Divine Justice ALA’DL ALELAHI Arguments From Notes of ICIS S. Fadhil Al-Milani Edited: Jan. 28, 2010 - BHD

2. The Verses Indicating the Prefix قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَاء وَتَنزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَاء وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَاء وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَاء بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ إِنَّكَ عَلَىَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِير Say: O Allah, Master of the Kingdom! you give the kingdom to whomsoever you want and take away the kingdom from whomsoever you want and you exalt whom you want and degrade whom so ever you want, Through your hand is the good; surety, you have the power over all things. Who ever works for it Allah swt will give it to them in this world, whether by good or by evil, if by good they will pass the test and if by evil they will fail the test. …. إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّى يُغَيِّرُواْ مَا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ وَإِذَا أَرَادَ اللّهُ بِقَوْمٍ سُوءًا فَلاَ مَرَدَّ لَهُ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِ مِن وَالٍ [Shakir 13:11] surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition; and when Allah intends evil to a people, there is no averting it, and besides Him they have no protector.

3. Any will of Allah swt is with the efforts of human and their will • The will of human and his desire leads to will of God. If he wants good Allah swt will give him more, and if he chooses bad Allah swt will allow him to choose the wrong, because its all about the test. Allah swt only guides, but does not interfere, therefore every thing happens under the domain of will of Allah swt but He does not stop them physically from doing wrong, except with the guidance and warning due to the circumstances of the test. • Therefore the verses that indicate that God gives the guidance and gives the deviation, is basically God gives the guidance who wants it (YASHAAO ALHIDAYAH) and deviates those who desire deviation by not stopping them. Since they desire deviation, God leaves them, and leaving them is by His (swt) will. • When a student is failed on the test, he says that the teacher failed me, but when asked about the reason, then he will say because he did not do well, (that is if the teacher was just).

4. Who ever wants this world He will give them وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الآخِرَةَ وَسَعَى لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُو [Shakir 17:19] And whoever desires the hereafter and strives for it as he ought to strive and he is a believer; (as for) these, their striving shall surely be accepted. كُلاًّ نُّمِدُّ هَـؤُلاء وَهَـؤُلاء مِنْ عَطَاء رَبِّكَ وَمَا كَانَ عَطَاء رَبِّكَ مَحْظُورًا [Shakir 17:20] All do We aid-- these as well as those-- out of the bounty of your Lord, and the bounty of your Lord is not confined. Therefore He gives both ways: if one wants a corrupt life He will allow them to have it. He will not force people to do good or bad, while the punishment in the legal system is executed to secure the community and the rights of the human. Therefore In the next verse we can conclude that God’s guidance and deviation is based on the choice of the human.

5. Desire of guidance leads to guidance وَمَن جَاهَدَ فَإِنَّمَا يُجَاهِدُ لِنَفْسِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ [Shakir 29:6] And whoever strives hard, he strives only for his own soul; most surely Allah is Self-sufficient, above (need of) the worlds. وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ [Shakir 29:69] And (as for) those who strive hard for Us, We will most certainly guide them in Our ways; and Allah is most surely with the doers of good. فَمَن يُرِدِ اللّهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَحْ صَدْرَهُ لِلإِسْلاَمِ وَمَن يُرِدْ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَهُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَجًا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّمَاء كَذَلِكَ يَجْعَلُ اللّهُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ [Shakir 6:125] Therefore (for) whomsoever Allah intends that He would guide him aright, He expands his breast for Islam, and (for) whomsoever He intends that He should cause him to err,He makes his breast strait and narrow as though he were ascending upwards; thus does Allah lay uncleanness on those who do not believe.

6. Two directions good and bad كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ رَهِينَةٌ , [Shakir 74:38] Every soul is held in pledge for what it earns, وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا [Shakir 91:7] And the soul and Him Who made it perfect, فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا [Shakir 91:8] Then He inspired it to understand what is right and wrong for it; قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا [Shakir 91:9] He will indeed be successful who purifies it, وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا [Shakir 91:10] And he will indeed fail who corrupts it.

7. Types of the MASHEAH of ALLAH swt • Previously we mentioned that there are three types of Decree and execution (QADR & QADHAA)= will of Allah swt (MASHEE”AH): • Natural (TAKWEENI); execution of Natural laws decreed by God • Legislative (TASHREE’E); execution of legislation decreed by God • Command (AMR); execution of command decreed by God • The decree and the execution of the will or the MASHEEA of Allah swt which is related to the guidance is of the second type the legislation. And this will is divided into three levels as well: • General guidance and warnings which are presented to the disbelievers and the sinners, to become obedient servants, these is normally the general message of the Prophets (AS). • The guidance to the believers to attain the higher levels of perfection and the closeness of Allah swt, and that comes by further religious education. • The guidance to Infallibles (AS) to what ever they need to fulfill their mission

8. Combo will of Allah swt • This is between type one and two, Allah swt has made a fixed (changeable) decree, but wants the servant to seek for it: • Allah swt has fixed the livelihood and the death , but wants the servant to take the legal measures to obtain the fixed livelihood and stay away from illegal means of death. • In this the death is not going to come before its time nor is going to be delayed from it, but one should avoid the illegal ways of death (suicide) • The example of the fixed RIZQ: some one gifts you a TV set, but wants you to pick it up from his house, his offering and your effort to get it. • Imam Ali (AS) and the guy who stole the strap of his horse fixed RIZQ but two channels, the good channel requires patience. • The wife, it is fixed between several options good and bad, you have to choose the good one, it is like multiple choice test, God give you several limited options in your life , you have to choose the best or the correct answer or option from them . • Any thing which has been fixed mentioned in the Quraan or the authentic narrations is of one of these three types of will of Allah swt.

9. RIZQ is from the combo MASHEEAH (fixed but requires efforts)- subject to BEDAA رِجَالٌ لَّا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَن ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَ الزَّكَاةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ [Shakir 24:37] Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from the remembrance of Allah and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of poor-rate; they fear a day in which the hearts and eyes shall turn about;لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا عَمِلُوا وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ وَاللَّهُ يَرْزُقُ مَن يَشَاء بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ} [Shakir 24:38] That Allah may give them the best reward of what they have done, and give them more out of His grace; and Allah gives sustenance to whom He pleases without measure. وَمَن يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُ مَخْرَجًا {2} وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ [Shakir 65:2] …; and whoever is careful of (his duty to) Allah, He will make for him an outlet, [Shakir 65:3] And give him sustenance from whence he thinks not; for everything. Based on some verses this extra is on the day of Judgment for the believers.

10. YASHAA of Allah swt or the servant • YASHAA of ALLAH swt for every one : Every RIZQ comes from Allah swt based on the theory of causality, directly or indirectly • And it could mean the there are people whom Allah swt wills (YASHAA) to give them more without any a measures. • YASHAA of servant : Since Allah swt provides every one then this specific YASHAA means that if His servant desires (YASHAA) and put efforts to earn what ever is provided by Allah swt will get it. • Therefore there are three levels of RIZQ (provided to every one, extra to those whom Allah swt wants, and to those who seek) قُلْ إِنَّ رَبِّي يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَيَقْدِرُ لَهُ وَمَا أَنفَقْتُم مِّن شَيْءٍ فَهُوَ يُخْلِفُهُ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ • [Shakir 34:39] Say: Surely my Lord amplifies the means of subsistence for whom He pleases of His servants and straitens (them) for whom (He pleases), and whatever thing you spend, He exceeds it in reward, and He is the best of Sustainers.

11. Progeny and wife • What ever is fixed will of Allah swt then it could be test of Allah swt, because human did not have an option in it, and that must be good for him/her because as mentioned that Allah swt chooses the best or it may be a test or it may be a punishment for sins (as motioned previously in the lesson of the good which might seem bad). • This YASHAA of Allah swt can be from the third type (AMR) like Prophet Esa (AS) or the first type like the natural method of having kids. (He gives them male, or female, or both pairs male and female) لِلَّهِ مُلْكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاء يَهَبُ لِمَنْ يَشَاء إِنَاثًا وَيَهَبُ لِمَن يَشَاء الذُّكُورَ {49} • [Shakir 42:49] Allah's is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; He creates what He pleases; He grants to whom He pleases daughters and grants to whom He pleases sons. أَوْ يُزَوِّجُهُمْ ذُكْرَانًا وَإِنَاثًا وَيَجْعَلُ مَن يَشَاء عَقِيمًا إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ قَدِيرٌ {50} • [42:50] Or He grants them of both sorts ( pairs –the meaning of ZOWJ here is not marriage), male and female; and He makes whom He pleases barren; surely He is the Knowing, the Powerful.

12. For pondering further وَاللّهُ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَجَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَزْوَاجِكُم بَنِينَ وَحَفَدَةً وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاِ أَفَبِالْبَاطِلِ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَبِنِعْمَتِ اللّهِ هُمْ يَكْفُرُونَ {72} [Shakir 16:72] And Allah has made wives for you from among yourselves, and has given you sons and grandchildren from your wives, and has given you of the good things; is it then in the falsehood that they believe while it is in the favor of Allah that they disbelieve? وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوا إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ {21} [Shakir 30:21] And one of His signs is that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest in them, and He put between you love and compassion; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect. وَتَذَرُونَ مَا خَلَقَ لَكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ مِنْ أَزْوَاجِكُم بَلْ أَنتُمْ قَوْمٌ عَادُونَ {166} [Shakir 26:166] And leave what your Lord has created for you of your wives? Nay, you are a people exceeding limits. He created woman in general to be the spouse of man and vice versa, and the human has an option to choose He created for each single human a specific spouse/ spouses that a human does not have any option to choose A combo of both an option in limited varieties of spouses destined

13. The time of death (for pondering) وَأَنفِقُوا مِن مَّا رَزَقْنَاكُم مِّن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ فَيَقُولَ رَبِّ لَوْلَا أَخَّرْتَنِي إِلَى أَجَلٍ قَرٍِ فَأَصَّدَّقَ وَأَكُن مِّنَ الصَّالِحِينَ [Shakir 63:10] And spend out of what We have given you before death comes to one of you, so that he should say: My Lord! why didst Thou not respite me to a near term, so that I should have given alms and been of the doers of good deeds? وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهَا وَاللَّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ [Shakir 63:11] And Allah does not respite a soul when its appointed term has come, and Allah is Aware of what you do. اللَّهُ يَتَوَفَّى الْأَنفُسَ حِينَ مَوْتِهَا وَالَّتِي لَمْ تَمُتْ فِي مَنَامِهَا فَيُمْسِكُ الَّتِي قَضَى عَلَيْهَا الْمَوْتَ وَيُرْسِلُ الْأُخْرَى إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ {42} [Shakir 39:42] Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that die not during their sleep; then He withholds those on whom He has passed the decree of death and sends the others back till an appointed term; most surely there are signs in this for a people who reflect.