Theological Instructions

LESSON EIGHTEEN: FREEWILL AND DETERMINISM

Introduction

As indicated in the previous lesson, monotheism in independent effectuality is of significance in the Islamic sciences, which substantially play a great role in the composition of man. Due to this very fact the Noble Qur’an has emphasised upon this subject several times in different occasions. The Noble Qur’an, in order for the correct realisation of this issue has created distinctive grounds and regarded all phenomena to be dependent upon the Will, consent, and the Divine decree and destination of God.

However true realisation of this subject requires intellectual capacity and developed thinking, and from another side it requires correct teaching and explanation. Those who fall short in their intellectuality or those who did not utilise the teachings of the Infallibles, who were the true interpreters of the Noble Qur’an, deviated and presumed that monotheism in independent effectuality means that all causation is specified to God. They illustrated the negation of all causation from any intermediary cause, such as the existence of heat is parallel to the existence of fire or the existence of becoming quenched is created correspondently to drinking. In other words there is no effect of fire upon heat or the drinking of water upon being quenched, and these imaginations are totally against the clearly defined and undisputed verses of the Noble Qur’an.

The unfortunate effect of this intellectual perversion is manifested when the actions and capabilities of man are investigated. This means that the result of this investigation is that all human actions are entitled to God and human activity with regards to its action is completely negated, and due to this, none can be considered as responsible for their action.

In other words: one of the destructive conclusions of this distorted thinking is fatalism and the negation of responsibility for man, which means denying the most important characteristic of the human soul. Furthermore this assumption also becomes absurd and vain for any ethical, legal, and educational system and likewise for the Divine Islamic legislative system. If man does not have any freewill or choice for his actions then there will be no question of responsibility, reward or chastisement for the actions performed. It also necessitates the absurdity and purposelessness of the universe.

However, from the noble verses, the immaculate traditions and intellectual arguments, one can understand the purposefulness of the universe. The purposefulness of the universe is to create grounds where humans by their activity, out of freewill, carry out their worship and obligation towards God and reach high levels of perfection, proximity to the Divine and acquire unique mercies from God.

Besides, if there were no such thing as human volition then there would be no meaning of responsibility. There would also be no eternal recompense or bounties for the actions provided. Furthermore the purpose for creation would be defective resulting in the mechanism of creation being as a puppet

show, where humans are the puppets acting without any determination, and at the end of the day some are rewarded and some are punished for their actions!

The substantial cause for the expansion of these inclinations was the evil political desires of the tyrannical regimes, which nullified and rectified their ill actions and behaviours and hampered resistance from over throwing them.

From another angle, those who were aware of the weak elements of this thought but had no vision of how to associate between absolute monotheism and the negation of determinism and were also remote or did not benefit from the teachings of the Prophet’s household (a), acknowledged delegation. They regarded human activity to be completely out of the realm of Divine activity. This itself become another branch of distorted thought, which deprived them from achieving great results from the Islamic sciences.

However those who had the capacity to recognise this knowledge, and were aware of the rightful teachers and interpreters of the Qur’an, saved themselves from this distortion. They regarded their free-activity as being due to the power that God had granted them and accepted the responsibility, which was derived from it. From another standpoint they accepted the Divine independent effectuality on a higher level and realised the outcomes of this great wisdom.

In the enlightening traditions of the household of the Prophet (a) under the section of freewill, capability (istitā’ah), Divine decree and destiny, we find the denial and negation of determinism and predestination. Also there are many narrations, which have ordered disqualified individuals to avoid delving too deeply into these issues, to prevent deviation and misunderstanding.

The issue of Divine decree and destiny comes in different dimensions, which requires an independent research and investigation that cannot be compounded to this writing.

However by focusing upon the importance of this subject we will be outwardly discussing this issue. Those who are interested in the precise details of this subject, and its intellectual principles must refer to the detailed discussions in philosophy.

The explanation of human volition

The power to decide and choose is one of the most obvious factors for man, because every man by presence is aware of these qualities, which are undoubtedly identical to other psychological qualities. In addition to this, even if he doubts, then the existence of the doubt itself is understood by the (knowledge of) presence. Hence in this case it becomes impossible for him to doubt with regards to these dispositions.

Likewise every individual who is the slightest bit observant can realise whether he is willing to speak or not, or whether he wants to wave his hand or not and if he wants to eat or does not want to eat etc.

The decision-making in order for carrying out an act is seldom dependent upon the animalistic instincts such as hunger that intends food or thirst that desires one to drink water. Occasionally this may be prompted from the intellect and ambitions, such as an ill person taking a bitter pill in order to

gain health or avoiding a certain type of tempting food to remain healthy, or a student on the path of knowledge who for unveiling the truths shuts himself away from the materialistic pleasures and faces numerous difficulties, or a sincere soldier who even sacrifices his life for reaching high levels of objectiveness in offering.

In reality the humanistic value is only known when a prohibition occurs and an individual in order to reach moralistic excellence, eternal spiritual perfections, and proximity towards the Divine acceptance, shuns the animalistic and low desires.

Every action provided that, if it is determined with greater awareness and freewill has more effect upon the ascent and the descent of a soul depending on the realisation of the action.

It is unquestionably correct to say that the capacity of resisting the low desires of the soul in every individual is not at the same level, though more or less man benefits from this Divine gift of volition and will. However through a sufficient amount of effort and extra practice, one can improve the capacity for opposing the lowly desires through this Divine bestowal.

Therefore there is no reason for being skeptical with regards to the existence of human volition (freewill) and will, and one must not become confused with distinctive arguments and doubts that are posited upon this self-evident subject.

Nevertheless, as indicated earlier, human volition is considered as a self-evident principle in the educational, ethical, and religious systems. Hence if this were not the case then there would be no meaning to recompense and chastisement.

The cause for the deviation from this self-evident truth and inclination towards the concept of determinism (fatalism) is due to some spurious doubts, which must be answered so that there is no place left for confusions and suspicions. For this reason we will be attending briefly to these spurious doubts below.

a. The resolution of spurious doubts concerning determinism

The most substantial arguments of fatalism are as follows:

1. The will of man takes it form due to the stimulation of intrinsic and internal tendencies. The existence of these tendencies is neither in control of man nor the stimulation of it through external means. Thus there is no room for human volition and determination.

The answer to this is that the agitation of internal tendencies creates the grounds for the will and decision-making, but does not make the decision to carry out the action. The only way that it will be considered as a compulsion is when there is deprivational steadfastness. The proof for this is that when we are in the process of decision-making, we calculate the pros and cons of the decision or we hesitate in making a decision.

2. On the basis of the various sciences, it has been proven that tendencies are hereditary and also that the environmental and social surroundings determine their configuration. The difference in the mannerisms and behaviour of man is due to the very fact that there is diversity in the human social and environmental surroundings.

This very reality more or less is also accepted in the religious documents, thus on these bases one cannot accept that the actions of man emanates from freewill.

The answer to this argument raised is that the acceptance of freewill and will does not mean the denial of these aspects of tendencies, but it means that humans even after being effected by these environmental, social, and hereditary conditions can still resist and decide at the time of the arousal of inclinations. It is certain that the requirement of the struggle against these tendencies requires much pain and hardship, due to the fact that these are more effective towards achieving perfection, and the rewards after passing these troubles are always bigger. Also these psychological complexes and difficulties may affect the level of punishment, diminishing it.

3 Another one of the spurious doubts of the determinist is that God the Supreme has knowledge of the entire phenomena and actions of man before they act upon it, and that the knowledge of God is impeccable. Therefore all of the actions have to take place according to the eternal knowledge of God, and departure from them is impossible. On this basis there is no room for freewill and choice for man. The answer to this doubt would be that the knowledge of God is implicated with every action that takes place and the attribute of man being free in his decision-making or having the freewill is also known by God. Hence if determinism is established then it will be against divine knowledge. For example, God the Supreme is aware of an action that an individual is going to take in a certain situation, not only that but God is also aware of the relationship of this action with the will and freewill of that agent (individual). Therefore the knowledge of God does not contradict the freewill and will of man. Another doubt of the fatalist is with regards to the divine decree and destination, which according to them is not compatible with human freewill, and hence we will be discussing this subject in the following lesson.

Questions:

1. Explain the cause for the inclination towards fatalism.

2. What are the distorted effects of this thought?

3. Explain briefly the freewill and will of man.

4. Do the internal tendencies contradict with freewill? Why?

5. What are the differences between those who are influenced by the difficult circumstances and complicated psychological conditions, and those who are not?

6. Do the genetically, social and environmental surroundings effect freewill? Why?

7. Does the knowledge of God contradict the thought of freewill? Why?