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.
you the ability and the power to act; when you do good deeds, attribute them to Me and when you do bad deeds, attribute them to yourself, because you are negligent and ignorant and I am far above that’.
Anwar:It is obvious now. Whatever a slave does, the strength and power they get are from Allah; if one acts right, they thank God for that because it is God’s grace, but when one acts wrong, they are to be blamed rather than the Giver of strength and power.
Hasan:Excellent! You got it right.
Anwar:I have another question now. What does ‘guidance and aberration are in the Hands of Allah’ mean?
Hasan:I am going to answer this question after a break!
Symposium 25
What is the Implication of ‘Guidance and Aberration
are in the Hands of Allah’?
Anwar:Salam ‘Alaykom!
Hasan:‘Alaykom As-Salam Wa Rahmatollah Wa Barakatoh!
Anwar:I am sure you did not forget your promise to answer my question.
Hasan:Of course not, and I am at your service.
As you know, Quranic Holy Verses refer to the fact that guidance and aberration are in the hands of Allah:
(Then Allah sendeth whom He will astray, and guideth whom He will. He is the Mighty, the Wise)14;4.
There are many other Verses that talk about this matter. Such Verses including this one seemingly express compulsion, but we all know that the Gracious Allah does not force anyone to do good deeds nor bad deeds because God gave us free choice, so it is up to us to be obedient or disobedient.
Anwar:How do we come over this problem?
Hasan:There is no problem here at all; it is our ignorance that makes it seem like it is a problem. In this regard, I have to make clear that there are two types of guidance: a general and a specific guidance. Simply, When the Glorious Allah says:(He guideth whom He will)2;142, this is a reference to both general and specific guidance, and when He says:(Allah sendeth whom He will astray)13;27, this is a reference to deprivation only from the specific guidance.
Anwar:I need more explanation to be able to understand it all, if you don’t mind.
Hasan:With all pleasure! In fact, general guidance is for all creatures, human and non-human, and it is divided into two parts:
· General creational guidance: it is to create something and prepare it with what they need for the sake of the purpose they were created for as the Glorious Allah says in the Noble Quran:(He said: Our Lord is He Who gave unto everything its nature, then guided it aright)20;50. Also, part of the general creational guidance is man’s reason that the Most Exalted Allah bestowed upon us in order to achieve what we were created for.
· General legislative guidance: it is only for human beings because they can understand the Divine rules and codes that lead them to comfort and perfection.
Now, the specific guidance is neatly related to individuals, so it only embraces those who have been enlightened by the general guidance so much that they have fully benefited from it. In other words, if people use their reason and commit to the Divine codes, they will consequently be under His especial care and attention in a sense that the Almighty Allah grants them success to find the path to salvation and to also take along provisions for the next life. This is evident in the words of the Glorious Allah:
(While as for those who walk aright, He addeth to their guidance)47;17.
(As for those who strive in Us, We surely guide them to Our paths…)29;69.
Anwar:Now we know the general and specific guidance, but what does it mean that ‘aberration is in the Hands of Allah’?
Hasan:The implication of(Allah sendeth whom He will astray)is deprivation from the specific guidance only and not granting success to those with ugly deeds such as injustice and dissipation. This is also evident in the words of the Glorious Allah:
(And Allah guideth not wrong doing folk)2;258.
(And He misleadeth thereby only miscreants)2;26.
There are still many other Holy Verses in the Noble Quran that demonstrate deprivation of some people from the specific guidance as well as the Divine success and prosperity for their ugly deeds.
Anwar:Thank you very much indeed. It is completely obvious for me now!
Symposium 26
Is Happiness and Misery from Allah?
Anwar:Salam ‘Alaykom!
Hasan:‘Alaykom As-Salam Wa Rahmatollah Wa Barakatoh!
Anwar:I still have a question on the Divine Justice. May I ask, please?
Hasan:Of course, go ahead!
Anwar:We hear a lot that this person is happy and that person is unhappy or miserable! Is happiness and misery from Allah or from the slave, or is it something in between?