Muslim Response by
Tim
Date: Sat, 09 Aug 1997
You have quoted:
Allah leads astray whom he pleases,
and he guides whom He pleases, ...
-- Sura 14:4
in support of your point. However, like many points, you take
things out of context, or overlook other texts that clarify things.
Allah addresses Sura 14:4 in Sura 2:26, and many other Suras clarify
what he means when he says he leads astray. I have asked someone
else about this because it was of interest to me as well. His
explanation is better than any I could give, so here it is:
----
[14.4]-"....Then ALLAH leaves to go astray whom He wills and guides
whom He wills. And He is the Mighty, the Wise."
Now who are the people who are astray and what are their characteristics,
this is abundantly clarified in the Qur'an at many places.Some verses that
define those who are astray according to the law (will) of Allah are given
below.Do note,if you have the qualities as mentioned in those verses then
you are also astray according to Allah's laws.
[vi] WHO ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LED ASTRAY ACCORDING TO THE LAW OF ALLAH ?
(1) Those who are TRANSGRESSORS (Fasiqoon)
[2.26]"Surely Allah is not ashamed to set forth any parable-- (that of)
a gnat or any thing above that; then as for those who believe, they know
that it is the truth from their Lord, and as for those who disbelieve,
they say: What is it that Allah means by this parable: He causes many to
err by it and many He leads aright by it! but He does not cause to err
by it (any) EXCEPT the transgressors"
(2) Those who are take shiaateen (Satans) as friends and protectors
7:30"Some He hath guided: Others have (by their choice) deserved the
loss of their way; in that they took the DEVILS in preference to God
for their friends and protectors and think that they receive guidance."
22:4"About the (Evil One) it is decreed that whoever turns to him for
friendship him will he lead astray and he will guide him to the Penalty
of the Fire."
(3) Those who disobey Allah and His messenger
33:36-".... and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he surely
STRAYS off a manifest straying."
(4) Those who are oppressors and are unjust (Zalimun)
[14.27]"Allah confirms those who believe with the sure word in this
world's life and in the hereafter, and Allah causes the unjust to go
astray, and Allah does what He pleases."
(5) Those who do not use their faculties of reasoning and listening
to analyse the message of Allah
[25.44] Or do you think that most of them do hear or use their
reasoning? They are nothing but as cattle; nay, they are straying
farther off from the path.
(6) Those who follow the opinions of their chiefs and great men
instead of the message of Allah
[33.67] And they shall say: O our Lord! surely we obeyed our leaders
and our great men, so they led us astray from the path;
(7) Those who are blind and heedless to the message of Allah
17:72 But those who were blind in this world will be blind in the
hereafter and most astray from the Path.
(8) Those who follow the opinions of the people who are in a majority.
[6.116] And if you obey most of those in the earth, they will lead
you astray from Allah's way; they follow but conjecture and they
only lie.
(9) Those who follow their desires
[6.56] Say: I am forbidden to serve those whom you call upon besides
Allah. Say: I do not follow your desires. for then indeed I should
have gone astray and I should not be of those who go aright.
The above verses describe who are those people who are led astray.
Anyone who has above mentioned qualities in him is astray according
to the law of Allah. Compare above with what Quran says about who
are the people who will get Allahs guidance ? See these verses 39:18,
13:27, 6:125 etc.
Above verses are clear in describing that man has the freedom of
choice to select right or wrong in his life.He will be rewarded
according to the type of actions he does. Allah is not to be blamed
for his wrongdoings but he is to blame himself.People are led
astray not because Allah wants them to go astray but by choosing
those qualities for themselves which Allah has termed to be of those
who are astray from his path. Their free selection of those qualities
eg transgression, disobedience, following
--
Peace, Love, and Light,
Tim