Islam's Reformers .pdf

There are three principal groups having different viewsconcerning the effect of man’s will on his actions: the Mu’tazila,Jabriyya and Ahl as-Sunna.According to the Mu’tazila, Allâhu ta’âlâ has given menpower and will and man creates all his actions. They say thattrembling of the arm and beating of the heart occur fromthemselves, but man creates the raising of his arm and thestepping of his foot, and if man did not create his optionalactions Allâhu ta’âlâ would be unjust for rewarding for goodnessand torturing for evils. They put forth the âyats, “Allâhu ta’âlâdoes not treat men cruelly. They treat themselves cruelly,”and “It is the retribution for what they have done.”And according to the Jabriyya, “The pencil has written ineternity all that would happen, and its ink has dried lest it mightbe changed later. Everything has been predestined in eternity.Things that are in Allâhu ta’âlâ’s knowledge and everythingwhich He has predestined in eternity will come out just as it ispredestined. No one can change this. The eighteenth âyat ofthe sûrat ar-Ra’d says, ‘Allâhu ta’âlâ is the Creator ofeverything.’ Allâhu ta’âlâ is the One who creates man, whogives man power and will, and who creates all his actions.”Muhammad Ma’thûm al-Fârûqî (rahmatullâhi ’alaih) wrote:“Those who belonged to the Jabriyya said, ‘There is no willor option in man. Man is compelled in his actions. He is like atree swaying in the wind. It is not correct to say that man didsomething. Everything is done by Allah.’ These words causethem to become disbelievers. He who believes so is adisbeliever. According to them, ‘Man will be rewarded for gooddeeds and he will not be tortured for evil deeds. Disbelieversand sinners are excusable. They will not be regarded guilty orpunished, for the evils are done not by themselves but by Allah,who compels men to do them.’ These words cause disbelief,too. Allâhu ta’âlâ declares in the twenty-fourth âyat of the sûratas-Sâffât, ‘They will be questioned on their belief and onwhat they have done.’ The hadîth says that seventy prophetscursed those who belonged to the Jabriyya. Every reasonableperson can easily understand that their words are wrong. It isobvious that trembling of the hand is different from raising thehand optionally. Trembling of the hand is not within man’s wish,but raising the hand is within man’s option and will. It is clearlyunderstood from the Qur’ân that the followers of the Jabriyya- 43 -