The concept of free will sometimes is debated when we consider that all the abilities and powers a man posses is in fact comes from God. Some people wrongly conclude that a man is helpless in taking a free course to the destiny he wishes to pursue.
We can dearly see that we are not predestined in our actions. We have liberty of action and freedom of will. A simple proof of human volition is that we blame the offenders for their offences.
We lodge complaints with the courts against transgressors and ask for their trial and punishment. Even those who claim to believe in predestination take the action in their practical life.
If man has no free will and everything is appointed and foreordained by Allah or if man is really helpless in the face of his physical or spiritual upbringing and environment, then prosecution trial, courts and punishment have no meaning.
Neither a good and dutiful worker deserves any appreciation nor is an evil-doer liable to any prosecution and punishment because both of them are helpless in their action.
Prosecution of a person who has no choice of action is far from justice. The way we and all reasonable persons behave in our daily life testifies that our conscience recognizes that man possesses freedom of will. Hence belief in predestination has no basis.
Allah has granted us freedom, but it is our duty not to misuse it and to direct all our energies to the achievement of our own happiness as well as that of society.
We are neither allowed to follow any false ideas or doctrines nor to take any incorrect action in the name of freedom of thought or freedom of action, for that will amount to chaos and anarchy, and not freedom.
References
The following sources are used to prepare the above article.
1. Group of Scholars, Rationality of Islam (1978), under the auspices of Ayatullah Sayyid Abu’l Qasim al-Khu’I, Publisher: Islamic Seminary Publications, Pakistan