God Gives Man Freedom of Choice

One of the salient features of the Qur’ān is that it gives man freedom of choice. Allah does not impose His Will on man, but rather He gives him sufficient time and opportunity to understand His Message revealed to His Messenger ﷺ. This freedom of choice is in consonance with the human nature. Also, this…

Written by

Sikandar Azam

Published on

One of the salient features of the Qur’ān is that it gives man freedom of choice. Allah does not impose His Will on man, but rather He gives him sufficient time and opportunity to understand His Message revealed to His Messenger ﷺ. This freedom of choice is in consonance with the human nature. Also, this is the Divine scheme of testing man’s worth. The Qur’ān teaches us that if man applies his wisdom, realises the Truth, vows to obey the Lord and proves his mettle, Allah promises him a blissful seat in the Paradise. On the contrary, if he follows his lusts, whims and inconsistencies and ultimately disobeys the Lord and rejects His Message, he will be punished both here and in the hereafter.

Sūrah Maryam, the nineteenth chapter of the Qur’ān, draws a graphic picture of how the noble souls respond to the Message of Allah: “When the revelations of (God) the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell down prostrating themselves (before Him) and weeping.” (The Qur’ān, 19:58) Such noble souls are righteous and God-fearing, very sensitive to what pleases or displeases Allah. They shudder when His revelations are recited. Hence, with tears rolling down their cheeks and literally weeping, they fall down prostrating themselves before Allah.

The Qur’ān then warns those who turn away from the right path. It tells them that they are bound to lose their way and end in ruin and ultimately in destruction: “These will, in time, meet with utter disillusion.” (The Qur’ān, 19:59) This utter disillusion will lead them into error, and error will take them to utter destruction.

But Allah is the Most Merciful and it is out of His Mercy and Munificence that He keeps the door wide open for all those who wish to repent and mend their ways: “Excepted, however, shall be those who repent, believe and do righteous deeds. These will enter the Garden and will not be wronged in any way: the gardens of Eden which (God) the Most Merciful has promised to His servants, in the realm that lies beyond the reach of human perception. Indeed, His promise is certain of fulfilment.” (The Qur’ān, 19:60-61)

Allah loves those who repent and come back to Him, for repentance initiates a sincere acceptance of the divine faith and good deeds. Therefore, He covers them with His Mercy: “There they will hear no idle talk, but only the voice of peace. And their sustenance shall be given them there morning and evening. Such is the Paradise which We shall give the righteous among Our servants to inherit. (The Qur’ān, 19:62-63)

Thus, it is up to us whether we choose to be obedient to the Lord and win His Pleasure or else we go on running after mundane pleasures and follow our wishes in total disregard to the ultimate success. After all, choice is ours and the ultimate end according to our deeds will also be ours!