Greetings

In Surat Al-'An`am there are a couple of references to Allah sending non-believers astray, and only leading chosen ones to the truth:

It sounds like Allah prevents certain people from finding the truth in the first place, and then punish them for it. That doesn't seem fair at all ...

Can somebody explain these verses, and put them in the right context, please?

But if people aren't willing to obey Allah out of their own choice, why does Allah need to send them astray/veil their hearts etc.?

Either disobedience/disbelief is the choosing of humans, or the choosing of Allah ... how can it be both?

Don't forget that this concept is also in your Bible too. take a good look at what happen to Pharaoh int he old testament. Exodus 11:10

"Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land."

Romans 11:8

"God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear unto this day."


Isaiah 63:17

"O LORD, why have You made us stray from Your ways, And hardened our heart from Your fear? Return for Your servants’ sake, The tribes of Your inheritance. "


Ezekiel 14:9

"And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel."

Now, I can't speak for your Bible, but here are some Islamic answers to your question.

Here is one answer i posted earlier.

http://discovering-islam.blogspot.co...of-kuffar.html

You are forgetting some aspects of our creator. He knows us better than we do. He knows what we will do and if we will believe if we are given a proper test. If Allah find you leaving much wanting and on top of that an enemy unto Him, he can punish you this way.


keep in mind also that the seal put upon their hearts is in response to their acts of disbelief. Allah does not do it ahead of time yet he knows that it will happen.

Quran 29:69 And those who strive in Our (cause) - We will certainly guide them to our Paths: For verily God is with those who do right.

Here is another very thorough response. This one goes into more detail which I think you will like.

http://www.free-minds.org/articles/g...em/destiny.htm

Oh, I understand that this is a concept in the Bible too, AntiKarateKid.
I remember asking the very same question about Pharao in other places ... (Entitled 'Who saves Pharao?')

The reason I am asking it here, is that I come across a very similar sentiment in the Qu'ran, and I was interested to hear the Islamic perspective.

That makes sense, and is similar to responses I have received from Christians on the topic.
Thank you for your reply.

Salaam

According to Dr. Jamal Badawi, if you read the verse in Arabic, you will come to understand that this happens to the disbelievers by virtue of their disbelief. It is a punishment upon them by Allah that happens by virtue of their disbelief. I don't know Arabic very well myself so maybe an Arabic speaker on the board can help out with the specifics.

Peace be upon those who follow the guidance,

you need to apply Qur'anic reasoning to the Qur'an in it's entirety. plucking verses from here and there and thinking that they go together. context as well as other verses may be needed to understand certain concepts. that's why we may need the Ahadeeth on the Ayats or Surah.

in this case we can learn a little more by looking at more of the surah:


we see in Ayat 20 that there is a reference to "Those to whom We have given the Scripture (Jews and Christians)[who] recognize him" and they also "know that there is no Ilah (God) but Allah and Islam is Allah's Religion)"; as a result of rejecting this knowledge the become "Those who destroy themselves!"

additionally, in Ayat 21 we read: "And who does more wrong than he who invents a lie against Allah or rejects His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, revelations, etc.)? Verily, the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong*doers, etc.) shall never be successful."

these people are "destroy themselves" and "shall never be successful"; one of the things that can happen to an individual who KNOWINGLY rejects Allah and His Messenger and also "invents a lie against Allah"; ESPECIALLY THOSE of whom it is said "there are some who listen to you," these are only "listening" in order to find fault or cause trouble. Allah[swt] knows there intention and thus "We have set veils on their hearts, so they understand it not, and deafness in their ears; if they see every one of the Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) they will not believe therein; to the point that when they come to you to argue with you, the disbelievers say: "These are nothing but tales of the men of old." so there probing and refuting which puts them in contact with Allah's Word will be of no benefit for them.

if this seems unfair, we see in the next Ayat further reference of those whom Allah[swt] is speaking of: "they prevent others from him (from following Prophet Muhammad SAW)." as a result of this "they destroy not but their ownselves!"

and further we read that those who say: "There is no (other life) but our (present) life of this world, and never shall we be resurrected (on the Day of Resurrection)" are also included in this category.

at the end of these ayats we see it summed this way: Those who reject Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) are deaf and dumb in darkness!" in other word, THEY THEMSELVES, as a result of said rejection, have allowed themselves to become " deaf and dumb in darkness." this, Allah[swt] has allowed to happen, but THEY THEMSELVES are the cause!

now if someone's evil is truly extreme, Allah[swt] can simply "give them enough rope," so to speak! but is this Allah[swt] taking their free will away?" ABSOLUTELY NOT! the "veil" which is spoken of can be no other than [as we read in Surah 18:46];

and also :

we see excessive evil listed as "they disbelieved and took My Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and My Messengers by way of jest and mockery".

thus, one can harden their own heart against Allah and His Messenger just as one can soften one's heart, but the choice was theirs. HOWEVER, the more evil you are, the more Allah[swt] can give you of "Wealth and children, [which] are the adornment of the life of this world." the more you focus on the dunya, they less you'll see of the Akhira!

you have the option of of seeking Allah's assistance, or His "rope!" the choice is yours!"

As-salam alakum

Interesting thread...

I have one question I would like answered if it is OK, Inshallah.

I know that Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala knows everyone's fate but we as humans don't know.

My question is, is it ever too late for a Non-Muslim to believe and accept Islam no matter what he has done as long as he is alive? if Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala seals ones heart and misguides them because of their choice does that mean the door of repentance is closed permanently for them?

May Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala guide us all to the straight path, ameen!

Glo i might sound silly but its kinda like this,

imagine you punch yourself once, that would cause harm but overtime it will heal. Imagine your punching yourself twice everyday, again its greater harm but over a longer time it will heal. Now imagine if your constantly battering yourself to the end... you'll die!

likewise constant sin/ignorance and disbelief leads to what is mentioned in those ayyat... a life of being astray with a veiled heart


may Allaah protect us from it. Ameen !

^ the more dirty you get, the more you seal yourself, its your own oppression

get it?

I would like to know this too please.

Thank you.

As-Salam-al-akum

Does someone have an answer to my question? I hope I did not ask a bad question.