Free Will

[Shareef]

I was sitting in the library today, just kicking back and killing time.. so I decided to go to the persian literature section. There I found a collection of the rubaiyyat of Omar Khayyam and sat down to read it.

One rubayi really struck me.. and made me think. I copied it down:

bar man qalam-e qazaa chu bey-man rânand
pas nek o bad-esh ze man chera medânand?

dey bey-man o emroz chu dey bey-man o tu
farda ba che hujjat-am ba daawar khwânand?

In my opinion, what he is saying here is that human beings have been created with their abilities and inabilities.. the situations of their lives, their environment, their learning and wealth has all been appointed to them. They are responsible for none of it. Therefore they have no choice over who they become or what they do, since it is all been appointed for them to do.

This is similar to the Quran idea that all our actions have been "written" down before we were born. The Quran (18:60-82) tells a story about the sage Khidr, who kills a young boy for apparently no reason. When Moses asks why he killed the boy, Khidr replies that he would have grown up to be disobedient to his parents.

Thus the boys future was clearly written for him.. the idea that he could have grown up to be a good boy was rejected - Khidr knew that he would be evil. Therefore it was justified to kill him.

However, if this is true then it would make the Islamic idea of life as a test to human beings rediculous. Why would we be tested for something that has already been decided for us (as Omar Khayyam rightly questions)? And as Khayyam asks "farda ba che hujjatam ba daawar khwânand?" In other words, how can we be punished by God for something that we never did?

Thoughts please..!

[ME-Crazy]

See shareeeef qand I love Khyaam because of these reasons. He is more than just a poet :)

And absolutely, if everything is written in Lohe-mahfooz then humans should not be "judged" in judgement day. That is a bit confusing for me to tell you the truth. I talked to some of my pals and according to them the only thing that God has given humans is "free WIll", but when I look at the concept of Lohe-Mahfooz my vision gets blurry! How can I have free will when everything I "will" do is already saved in a file? and is not going to change since it is God's.

And here is another cool Rubayee by Khyaam jaan:
Awarad baa-izteraram ba wujood
Juz hairat az hayat chezey naf'zood
Rafteim baa kir'a wa nadanem chee bood
Zeen amadan wa bodan wa raftan maqsood

[Shareef]

People have told me this aswell.. that the only thing given to human beings is free will. People like to believe that they have free will in choosing between right and wrong, because then they can create this little idea of life being a "test" (even though the most basic logic contradicts this). They like to believe that "free will" gives them a purpose in life, and it is easier this way to point out good people and bad people.

But its not so easy as this, as Omar Khayyam knew... our lives are controlled and created from the day of our birth by our genetics and the events around us, until everything we do reflects what has been put into us.

The Quran itself is contradictory over whether man has free will or not. Some parts say that man does have free will:

"And whatever affliction befalls on you, it is on account of what your hands have wrought." (42:30)

"...Allah will never change the grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls" (8.53)

Then the Quran says that man doesnt have free will, but it is Allah who caused belief or disbelief:

"If We had so willed, We could certainly have brought every soul its true guidance: but the Word from Me will come true, "I will fill Hell with Jinns and men all together." (Q.32.13)

"If Allah had willed he would have made you one nation. But he leads astray whom he will and guides whom he will. But you shall certainly be called to account for all your actions." (16:93).

It seems weird to believe that we will be called into account for things we did, when we were lead astray by the very judge who is to judge us.

It appears that before creating human beings Allah had a plan already to put people in hell, and since he "leads astray whom he will and guides whom he will", he has already decided who is going to hell and who isnt.

Therefore I would like to pose again the question... what is the point of the "test"?

You can read an article on this in more detail here..
http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/sina/predestination.htm