July
11, 2002
Articles
on Justice of God
Now, although society possesses greater
power than the individual, this does not mean that the individual
is compelled in all his social activities and concern. The primacy
of essential nature in man – the outcome of his development
on the natural plane – gives him the possibility of acting
freely and rebelling against the impositions of society.
Although Islam posits personality
and power for society, as well as life and death, it regards the
individual as capable of resisting and struggling against corruption
existing in his social environment; it does not see in class conditions
determining factors leading to the emergence of uniform beliefs
among the subject to them.
The duty of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is itself
a command to rebel against the orders of the social environment
when these involve sin and corruption. The Qur’an says:
“O you who believe! Take care of your souls; he who errs
cannot hurt you when you are on the right way; to Allah is your
return, of all (of you), so He will inform you of what you did”.
(5:105) “Surely (as for) those whom the angels cause to
die while they are unjust to their souls, they shall say: In what
state were you? They shall say: We were weak in the earth. They
shall say: Was not Allah’s earth
spacious, so that you should have migrated therein? So those it
is whose abode is hell, and it is an evil resort”. (4:97)
In this verse, those who regard
themselves as compelled to conform to society are strongly condemned
and their excuse for failing to assume responsibility is rejected.
For man to progress morally and
spiritually, the existence of free will in him is indispensable.
Man has value, and values can be expected of him, only insofar
as he is free. We acquire individual independence and value only
when we choose a path conforming to truth and resist the evil
tendencies within ourselves and our environment by means of our
efforts. If
we act only in accordance with the course with the course of natural
development or dialectical determinism, we will have lost all
value and personality.
There is, then, no factor compelling
man to choose a certain path in life, nor a force obliging to
abandon one. Man may claim to be making himself not when he chances
his form in accordance with the laws prevalent in society or
pre-fashioned goals, but only when he himself chooses, decides
and invests his own efforts.
Free Will
The proponents of this school say that man is automatically aware
that he possesses freedom in his actions; he can decide as he
wishes and fashion his own fate in accordance with his own will
and inclinations. The existence that decrees responsibility for
man, the regret man feels for certain acts he commits, the punishments
the law provides for criminals, the deeds men accomplish in order
to change the course of history, the foundation of science and
technology—all of these prove man to be free in his actions.Likewise,
the question of man’s religious accountability, the sending
of the Prophets, the proclamation of divine messages and the principle
of resurrection and judgment – all these rest on man’s
free will and choice in the acts he performs.
It would be completely meaningless were God, on the one hand.
To compel men to do certain things and, on the other, to reward
or punish them. It would surely be unjust where the Creator of
the world to set us on whatever path He chose, by means of His
power and His will, and then to punish us for actions we have
committed without any choice on our part.
If the deeds of men are, in reality,
the acts of God, all corruption, evil and cruelty must be regarded
as His work, whereas His most sacred being is utterly pure of
all such corruption and injustice.
...........[to be continued]
Contributed
By:
| BILAL
MUSLIM MISSION OF AMERICAS |
| 1520
BRUNSWICK PLACE |
| ELMONT,
NY 11003 |
| UNITED
STATES OF AMERICA |
| TEL./FAX:
(516) 358 – 0327 |
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