A Refutation of Blasphemous Sunni Theology of Predestination

By T.O. Shanavas, New Age Islam 26 September 2024 The concept of an all-powerful God includes possessing complete or unlimited knowledge, awareness, and understanding, capable of perceiving all things, both past and present. This does not necessarily mean that this ability is constantly in use, but rather that it is available to be exercised. In the Qur’an, there is a concept of voluntary restraint, where God allows for the existence of free will in His creatures. This idea is reflected in the verse: "And had your Lord willed, whoever is on the earth would have believed, all of them entirely. Then, would you compel the people in order that they become believers?"(Qur’an 10:99). According to these verses, God chooses not to exercise His absolute power to make everyone a believer, nor does He pre-know the specific choices of His creatures, whether righteous or sinful, until the Day of Judgement. The Qur’anic descriptions of God as *Al-Rahman* and *Al-Raheem* imply this self-imposed limitation to grant free will to His creations. This voluntary limitation of His power does not indicate any deficiency in His omnipotence or omniscience but rather reflects a deliberate choice to allow for human free will. To uphold His position as the most independent and "justest of judges" (Qur’an 95:8), God assigns two independent angels, ‘Kiraman’ and ‘Katibin’, to record the life and actions of every human being for presentation on the Day of Judgement: "Behold, two (guardian angels) appointed to learn (his doings), learn (and noted them), one sitting on the right and one on the left" (Qur’an 50:17). The role of these angels further supports the concept of free will and human accountability. Thus, contrary to the claims of Sunni Islam’s doctrine of predestination, the Day of Judgement is not a phony court where human ‘robots’ are judged for their programmed deeds. Rather, it is a just evaluation of human beings endowed with the freedom to make moral choices. For some, libertarianism may seem incompatible with God’s sovereignty. Indeed, God could dictate every action and decision in creation if He so chose. However, He can also choose the opposite—abstaining from enforcing His absolute power—leaving the ultimate decisions to humans and other creatures, thus upholding His attribute as "the justest of judges." In contrast, Imam Ashari’s doctrine of absolute predestination, which is now the creed of Sunni Muslims, turns humans into robots devoid of free will. Such a blasphemous theology diminishes God's justice, reducing Him to less than "the justest Judge" on the Day of Judgement and must be rejected by Muslims. ------ T.O. Shanavas is a native of Kerala, but is now based in the USA. He is the author of “Islamic Theory of Evolution The Missing Link Between Darwin and The Origin of Species.” Co-author of the book, And God Said, "Let There Be Evolution!": Reconciling The Book Of Genesis, The Qur'an, And The Theory Of Evolution. Edited by Prof. Charles M. Wynn and Prof. Arthur W. Wiggins. URL: https://www.newageislam.com/muslims-islamophobia/refutation-blasphemous-sunni-theology-predestination/d/133289 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism