Studying Islam

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[quote]While it is true that the next beat of my heart will only be possible if Allah allows it and that our dependence on Him is beyond all limits, it should be admitted that we live in a world created by Him that largely operates through cause and effect. Your question relates to the concept of freewill and predestination; a topic that has confounded philosophers and intellectuals for centuries. Muslim intellectual tradition has had its fair share of debates and schisms on this issue. Here's my take on it.

We have been sent in this world to be tested. We can be tested only if freewill is accorded to us. That freewill, however, has a limited sphere. Thus, for instance normally we cannot decide the nature, time or place of our death or more accurately, no one knows when and how death will overtake him/her. In our test we are presented with various moral choices or combinations of them throughout our lives. It is our choices in the limited sphere of freewill, influenced by the innate morality and revelation, or a lack thereof, that decide our eventual fate. Another aspect crucial to understanding this concept is Allah's knowledge of our actions resulting from freewill. He already knows what choices we are going to make and has it all written down but His knowledge doesn't affect the choices we make.
 
With this concept in mind, we can extend the example of a doctor saving someone's life. If a patient's life depends upon the doctor's operating upon him/her, and the doctor operates and saves the patient, apparently he has given life to him/her. But what has in fact happened is that the doctor has made a moral choice by deciding to operate using his freewill. Suppose the patient was unable to pay the doctor's fee resulting in the doctor's deciding against operating. The patient dies and again the doctor has made a choice using his free will, apparently taking the life of a human being. Therefore we see that doctors play a role in our lives as we live in a world of cause and effect. So where does God occur in this example? All along! If He had ordained for this patient to live, regardless of the doctor's choice, he would have lived. If on the other hand the patient's time was up, no doctor could have saved him/her. The patient was God's way of testing the doctor and after the choice is made, he/she is used as an instrument, remember cause and effect, to deliver the will of the Most Gracious, Most Exalted Lord of the universe.

Edited by - Razi Allah on October 01 2003  02:31:31[/quote]

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