Quran: Discrepancies (3) PREDESTINATION Difficult to harmonize are the discrepancies in the Quran relative to predestination. On the one hand the Quran holds out that man can choose his destiny. Otherwise why should a warner [Muhammad] be sent to them? Muhammad was commanded: • “The truth is from your Lord: let him then who will, believe; and let him who will, be an infidel.” • “O my people! how is it that I bid you to salvation, but that ye bid me to the fire?” • “Those who shall repent and believe and do righteous works—for them will God change their evil things into righteous things.” (Sura 18:28; 25:65-71; 40:44, Rodwell) On the other hand there are many, many texts which indicate predestination and that man is without choice. For example: • “This is truly a warning: And whoso willeth, taketh the way to his Lord: but will it ye shall not, unless God will it, for God is knowing, wise. He causeth whom He will to enter into his mercy.” • “Some of them there were whom God guided, and there were others decreed to err . . . God will not guide him whom He would lead astray.” • “Had thy Lord pleased, He would have made mankind of one religion: but those only to whom thy Lord hath granted his mercy will cease to differ. And unto this hath He created them; for the word of thy Lord shall be fulfilled, ‘I will wholly fill hell with Djinn [Spirits] and men.” (Sura 11:120; 16:38, 39; 76:29-31, Rodwell. See also Sura 6:39, 150; 13:30, 31; 14:4; 74:34, Rodwell) And not only a predestination regarding eternal destiny but also a fatalism regarding the present life is taught in the Quran: “No one can die except by God’s permission, according to the Book that fixeth the term of life.” “No mischance chanceth either on earth or in your persons, but ere we created them, it was in the Book;—for easy is this to God.” And to Muslims who complained to Muhammad: “Were we to have gained aught in this affair [war], none of us had been slain at this place,” he was told to reply: “Had ye remained in your homes, they who were decreed to be slain would have gone forth to the places where they [now] lie.”—Sura 3:139, 148; 57:22, Rodwell. These contradictions regarding predestination are apparent not only to those who do not recognize the Quran as inspired but also to Muslims. They have given rise to various sects in Islam and much blood was shed in times past over this controversy. What Does The Bible Teach Regarding Predstination? Some insist that God personally decides when it is our time to die. In addition, such people regard the key events of life as inevitable. You might ask yourself the following questions: ‘If, in fact, there is nothing we can do to change our destiny, if God or fate has already determined the outcome of a matter, what is the point of praying? And if our destiny is already determined, why take measures to protect our safety? Why wear a seat belt when traveling in a car? For that matter, why refrain from drinking and driving?’ The Bible in no way condones such reckless behavior. Rather than leave matters in the hands of fate, the Bible commanded that the Israelites be safety conscious. For example, they were ordered to build a low wall around the flat roofs of their houses. The purpose was to prevent someone from accidentally falling from the roof. Why, though, would God give such a command if a person were destined to fall from a roof and die?—Deuteronomy 22:8 What about those who die because of natural disasters or other tragic events beyond their control? Do they have a predetermined “date with death”? No, the Bible writer King Solomon assures us that “time and unforeseen occurrence befall [us] all.” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) So no matter how bizarre or unlikely the circumstances, tragic events are not predestined. Some feel, however, that this statement contradicts Solomon’s earlier observation: “For everything there is an appointed time, even a time for every affair under the heavens: a time for birth and a time to die.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 2) But was Solomon really endorsing a fatalistic view? Let us look closely at those words. Solomon was not saying that births and deaths are predestined. Rather, his point is that births and deaths, like many things in life, come in endless cycles. Certainly, life will have its ups and downs. “There is . . . a time to weep and a time to laugh,” says Solomon. Such repeated patterns and unforeseen calamities, Solomon shows, are common to life, to “every affair under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8; 9:11, 12) His conclusion, therefore, is not to get so swept up in our daily affairs that we overlook our Creator.—Ecclesiastes 12:1, 13. Though our Creator understands life and death completely, he does not force a destiny on us. The Bible teaches that God offers all of us the prospect of living forever. But God does not compel us to accept his offer. Instead, his Word says: “Let anyone that wishes take life’s water free.”—Revelation 22:17. Yes, we must want to “take life’s water.” Thus, our future is not determined by fate. Our own decisions, attitudes, and actions have a real impact on our future.
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 14:27:15 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015