Decree, Free Will and Suffering

مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِيٓ أَنفُسِكُمۡ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مِّن قَبۡلِ أَن نَّبۡرَأَهَآۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٞ ﴿٢٢﴾ لِّكَيۡلَا تَأۡسَوۡاْ عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمۡ وَلَا تَفۡرَحُواْ بِمَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمۡۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخۡتَالٖ فَخُورٍ ﴿٢٣﴾

No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allah, is easy - In order that you not despair over what has eluded you and not exult [in pride] over what He has given you. And Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful -

Context From al-Hadid, a Madinan surah. Scholars explain the "register" as the Preserved Tablet.

Every disaster was known and written before it came. The reason given: so you neither despair over loss nor boast over gain.

إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ أَمۡشَاجٖ نَّبۡتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلۡنَٰهُ سَمِيعَۢا بَصِيرًا ﴿٢﴾ إِنَّا هَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلسَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرٗا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا ﴿٣﴾

Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing. Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful.

Context The opening of al-Insan, which describes how each person is created.

Allah gives hearing, sight and a clear way. Whether a person becomes grateful or ungrateful is theirs to choose: that choice is the test.

إِنۡ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكۡرٞ لِّلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ﴿٢٧﴾ لِمَن شَآءَ مِنكُمۡ أَن يَسۡتَقِيمَ ﴿٢٨﴾ وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَٰلَمِينَ ﴿٢٩﴾

It is not except a reminder to the worlds For whoever wills among you to take a right course. And you do not will except that Allah wills - Lord of the worlds.

Context The close of at-Takwir, a Makkan surah.

Human will is real: anyone may choose the right course. Yet no one wills outside Allah's will.

Most Sunni scholars say Allah creates all acts while people truly choose and are accountable; the Mu'tazilah said people create their own acts. Both rejected fatalism.

مَّآ أَصَابَكَ مِنۡ حَسَنَةٖ فَمِنَ ٱللَّهِۖ وَمَآ أَصَابَكَ مِن سَيِّئَةٖ فَمِن نَّفۡسِكَۚ وَأَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ لِلنَّاسِ رَسُولٗاۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدٗا ﴿٧٩﴾

What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, [O man], is from yourself. And We have sent you, [O Muhammad], to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allah as Witness.

Context 4:78 answers people who credited good to Allah but blamed the Prophet ﷺ for misfortune.

Scholars reconcile the two verses: all things come by Allah's decree (4:78), but good is His grace, and harm traces back to our own deeds (42:30).