Q 5: Allah (Exalted be He) says: Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "If Allâh had so willed, I should not have recited it to you nor would He have made it known to you. Is the Will of Allah eternal or is it as renewable as time?What is the ruling of Shari`ah (Islamic law) on the deliberate discussion of Ayat-ul-Mashi'ah (the Qur'anic verses mentioning Allah's Will)? Should we understand them superficially? Shall we absolutely understand from the Ayah (Qur'anic verse) in which Allah (Exalted be He) says: Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve. That Iman (belief) and Kufr (disbelief) are permissible under the pretext that man is Mukhayyar (has a free will of their own) and not Musayyar (has no free will to choose or undertake actions)?

A: The Attribute of Will peculiar to Allah (Exalted be He) is a real Attribute characterized by eternity and oneness. Concerning Ayat-ul-Sifat (Qur’anic verses including Allah's Attributes), such as Allah's Will and other Attributes, you should pass by them without deliberating on their nature. However, you should believe in their reality in a way that is appropriate for Allah (Exalted be He) without Ta`til (denial of Allah's Attributes), Tamthil (likening Allah's Attributes to those of His Creation), Ta'wil (allegorical interpretation), or Tashbih (comparison). Allah (Exalted be He) says: There is nothing like Him; and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. As regards the Ayah in which Allah (Exalted be He) says: Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve. , (Part No. 2; Page No. 421) it does not mean giving man choice to believe or disbelieve, but it means threatening them because the path of Iman and right guidance has become clear and the path of Kufr has become clear too. Allah (Exalted be He) will punish those who saw clearly the path of Iman and right guidance but they did not follow it. Moreover, Allah (Exalted be He) will turn them away from Al-Sirat-ul-Mustaqim (the Straight Path) as He (Exalted be He) says: I shall turn away from My Ayât (verses of the Qur’ân) those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right, and (even) if they see all the Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they will not believe in them. And if they see the way of righteousness (monotheism, piety, and good deeds), they will not adopt it as the Way, but if they see the way of error (polytheism, crimes and evil deeds), they will adopt that way, that is because they have rejected Our Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and were heedless (to learn a lesson) from them. That is why after Allah (Exalted be He) says: Then whosoever wills, let him believe; and whosoever wills, let him disbelieve. , He mentions the following threatening Ayah: Verily, We have prepared for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers.), a Fire whose walls will be surrounding them (disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh). May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.