Islams Reformers

their ears and eyes,” at the beginning of the sûrat al-Baqara refer
to this fact. These âyats indicate in addition that those who
somehow attain love of Allâhu ta’âlâ will be protected and led to
the right path, and those who cause the Divine Wrath will be
abandoned to their evil deeds. Very delicate and subtle actions
may cause this love or this wrath. For this reason, man should be
very careful towards Allâhu ta’âlâ. Before the actions in qadar
turn into qadâ’, man’s will and option is in his own power, though
he may be influenced by exterior effects.
Men have will and are free in their thoughts and actions. Yet
their thoughts and actions are related to some reasons, which do
not deprive men of being free because they exercise will also
without these reasons and they will and do without any reason.
When man does not will while there are reasons, the action does
not happen most of the time. If the existence of reasons
necessitated the action to be done, Allâhu ta’âlâ’s will and option
also would be ineffective. Before man wills to do an action, he
thinks about it in his mind. Then he wills the alternative which
influences him more. A salesman sells to the customer who will
pay more. This customer is not forced to buy. The salesman is sort
of compelled to sell to the one who pays more. If someone
happens to anger him by saying, “You cannot sell it to the one who
pays less”, different issues and additional considerations will
influence his selling.
Allâhu ta’âlâ, through the religions He has revealed, has
declared to men good and evil deed and His blessings and
punishments, which are retributions for them, thus He has
prepared reasons for man’s will. On the other hand, He has also
created in man’s mind reasons and thoughts which may lead him
to good or evil ways and which struggle and dispute with one
another. If, after the struggle between the reason which Allâhu
ta’âlâ has declared and those which He has created in the human
mind, the good alternative has more influence on man, he wills the
good. For example, if an official who knows about the rules and
regulations requiring that he should work well does not follow the
rules, for instance, if he takes bribes, some reason in his mind,
having more influence than the prohibition of the rules, has
compelled him to commit this corrupt deed. He could not help an
action which should not have been done, and he has done it.
Though the money offer and the love of money which Allâhu
ta’âlâ has created in the human mind have compelled his will and
option to take bribes, the law will not approve it.
– 49 –