response was:“Fate is engineering and putting boundaries from being to non-being whereas destiny is ratification and justice”.
Second, Imam Al-Riza (PBUH) said to Yunis, valet to Ali Bin Yaqtin:“Do you know what Fate means?”, Yunis said no. Imam went on:“it is engineering from length, width and survival. When Allah wills something, He wants it; when He wants it, He preordains it; when He preordains it, He performs it; when He performs it, He accomplishes it”.
These Hadith and other ones confirm the meaning of fate and destiny.
Anwar:This is Excellent and very clear!
Hasan:Now, we can apply this to real life. So, we say that the ruling Divine practices in the universe and the human society cannot be denied; these practices (Sonan) have effects regarding healing and happiness. For example, in a community, majority of people live in poverty and deprivation and a minority live in luxury and wealth through tyranny and aggression. In another community, everyone lives in comfort and happiness
jointly and severally.
Both situations are preordained by the Glorious Allah, but He does not force any of them, that is, if people choose oppression and aggression, they will live in poverty and deprivation, and if they choose to work jointly, they will live in comfortably and happily. This is estimation of the Almighty Allah that has no compulsion in it.
Anwar:So, the Almighty Allah has no hand in what people choose to be?
Hasan:Only estimation; people choose by themselves.
Anwar:So, where is God’s will (Ghadha’) here?
Hasan:After people make their choice comes the will of the Almighty Allah to be applied on their own choose.
Anwar:Will you clarify more?
Hasan:I will after a cold glass of water and a hot cup of tea. What do you say?
Anwar:I can’t complain!
Symposium 23
More on Fate and Destiny
Anwar:Now that we enjoyed having tea, let’s enjoy our time having some Divine knowledge.
Hasan:Sure. We said the Most Exalted Allah dos not force anyone to do anything. I will clarify this through these two examples:
Let’s say we have a sick person; there are actually two estimations or assessments before this person:
· He can either go see a doctor and follow a prescription, or
· He can consult no one.
If he chooses the first one, he will heal soon, but if he chooses the second one, he will stay sick. Both of these estimations are from the Almighty Allah, yet the patient is free to choose any of them.
Anwar:Now I understand that the Almighty Allah never forces anyone to do anything.
Hasan:No doubt in that, because compulsion goes against justice, and the Glorious Allah is far above compulsion and injustice.
Anwar:But what does it mean that the Almighty Allah destined something and that it is preordained, so it has to happen?
Hasan:We have to know the fact that fate and destiny that is all God’s does not cancel man’s choice, because freedom of choice is one of man’s characteristics and it is part of fate as well. Also, the Most Exalted Allah structurally destined mankind to act with complete freedom of choice.
Anwar:Will you explain more, please?
Hasan:What I mean is that right of option is something the Glorious Allah has fated in creation of mankind and
that He adjudicated and decided for man to be free to choose and not constrained.
Anwar:So, there is no forcing in that, but where did this idea come from?
Hasan:This is untrue Umayyad idea raised by Mo’awiya through which he wanted to rip off the Caliphate; it is a long story!
Anwar:We do not need this now, but what does it mean the Almighty Allah destined me do this and that, and I cannot free myself from it?
Hasan:the knowledge of the Gracious Allah on quantity of something and necessity of its existence is certain. This means the Glorious Allah knows about things before happening and puts this on record, but this does not mean He forces the slaves to do them accordingly.
Anwar:Please, elaborate more.
Hasan:The Almighty Allah knows, for instance, that Anwar is going to do so and so out of his free will, then He put what Anwar will do on record. Now, does this mean that Anwar is forced to do what Allah has put on record?
Anwar:No, this is just knowing and taking record.
Hasan:So, Allah’s recording has nothing to do with one’s deeds. However, we have to know that it is impossible that the Almighty Allah would put on record that something is going to take place and then something opposite happens, because nothing can be concealed from the Almighty Allah; He has knowledge of everything.
Anwar:Excellent! It is very important that we know that we cannot blame the Most Exalted Allah when bad things happen to us; we cannot justify our failure with fate and destiny. We also can’t do people wrong and say it is fate or destiny, because mankind has free choice. Thank you very much, Hasan. I’m enlightened.
Hasan:Thanks God for everything.
Symposium 24
Are Good Deeds and Bad Deeds From
Allah or Mankind?
Anwar:Salam ‘Alaykom!
Hasan:‘Alaykom As-Salam Wa Rahmatollah Wa Barakatoh!
Anwar:As far as we are speaking about Divine Justice, may I ask you some questions?
Hasan:With all pleasure, Akhi Anwar!
Anwar:Are good and bad deeds from Allah or the slaves?
Hasan:If we look at good and bad deeds as possible
matters, then they will only be attained through the Most Exalted Allah, because He is the Creator of all. However, if we look at them through their causes and motives, then the good deed is from the Glorious Allah and the bad deed is man’s failure.
Anwar:I didn’t get it well.
Hasan:I mean causes are from Allah but coloring is from us, that is, that is, if it weren't for the Glorious Allah, man could not commit sin, because when slaves act, they get strength and power from the Almighty Allah, but failure comes as a result of one’s own choice.
The following Divine Hadith([4]) confirms this:“O human being! It was My will that you are here now willing whatever it is you are willing, and it was My grace that you are doing the religious obligations I ordered you, and it was My power that gave you power to disobey Me; I created you to hear and see. I am more entitled to your good deeds than you are and you are more entitled to your bad deeds than I am”.
So, the Glorious Allah tells human beings that ‘I gave
[4]Divine Hadith: is a tradition of Allah SWT, narrated by the prophet (PBUH), and is not a part of Quran.