Argument: Fate exists - everything is decreed.
Q: So why is it fair to be judged and rewarded or punished since we have no control?
Short Answer:
We are not judged on our actions alone but we are judged by our intentions [1]. This is because the choices we intend are what our free will truly has control over, whereas the outcome of these choices are predestined [2].
Long Answer:
Our deeds are decreed, but our intentions are not. If our intentions are inclined toward good, then our reward for the good deeds we are decreed to do are multiplied [2]. If not, we get what was written for us.
This is fair because we are all likely destined to do more sin than good (it is easier to make a mistake than to do good), yet we all have a way to enter paradise by multiplying the reward for the good deeds we do (by our intentions) and thus outweigh our sins. We may even receive a reward from a sin if our intention was to avoid doing it [2].
Even someone who is decreed to do many good deeds (e.g. fasting) could incur no reward for those good deeds by failing to have the correct intention [3]. Similarly, someone decreed to do many bad deeds could avoid having them counted against them if they were committed unwillingly (e.g. done while insane or sleeping etc) [4].
So the good and bad deeds God has decreed for each of us are more akin to opportunities from which we can multiply reward and nullify punishments based on our intentions governed by our free-will.
[1] "deeds are judged only by intention."
The Messenger of God (s.a.a.s) said:
“Verily, deeds are only with intentions.
Verily, every person will have only what they intended.
...Whoever emigrated to get something in the world or to marry a woman, then his emigration is for whatever he emigrated for.”
[Sahih Bukhari 54, Sahih Muslim 1907]
[2] The Messenger of God (s.a.a.s.) said:
that God said: “Verily,God has ordered that the good and the bad deeds be written down.
Then He explained it clearly how (to write):
He who intends to do a good deed but he does not do it, then God records it for him as a full good deed,
but if he carries out his intention, then God the Exalted, writes it down for him as from ten to seven hundred folds, and even more.
But if he intends to do an evil act and has not done it, then God writes it down with Him as a full good deed,
but if he intends it and has done it, God writes it down as one bad deed.”
[Bukhari and Muslim].
[3] Prophet (s.a.a.s.) has said:
"Perhaps a person fasting will receive nothing from his fasting except hunger and thirst."
[Ibn Majah, Ad-Daarimee, Ahmad, al-Baihaqi, Sahih]
[4] The Messenger of God (s.a.a.s) said:
“The Pen is lifted from three:
Q: So why is it fair to be judged and rewarded or punished since we have no control?
Short Answer:
We are not judged on our actions alone but we are judged by our intentions [1]. This is because the choices we intend are what our free will truly has control over, whereas the outcome of these choices are predestined [2].
Long Answer:
Our deeds are decreed, but our intentions are not. If our intentions are inclined toward good, then our reward for the good deeds we are decreed to do are multiplied [2]. If not, we get what was written for us.
This is fair because we are all likely destined to do more sin than good (it is easier to make a mistake than to do good), yet we all have a way to enter paradise by multiplying the reward for the good deeds we do (by our intentions) and thus outweigh our sins. We may even receive a reward from a sin if our intention was to avoid doing it [2].
Even someone who is decreed to do many good deeds (e.g. fasting) could incur no reward for those good deeds by failing to have the correct intention [3]. Similarly, someone decreed to do many bad deeds could avoid having them counted against them if they were committed unwillingly (e.g. done while insane or sleeping etc) [4].
So the good and bad deeds God has decreed for each of us are more akin to opportunities from which we can multiply reward and nullify punishments based on our intentions governed by our free-will.
[1] "deeds are judged only by intention."
The Messenger of God (s.a.a.s) said:
“Verily, deeds are only with intentions.
Verily, every person will have only what they intended.
...Whoever emigrated to get something in the world or to marry a woman, then his emigration is for whatever he emigrated for.”
[Sahih Bukhari 54, Sahih Muslim 1907]
[2] The Messenger of God (s.a.a.s.) said:
that God said: “Verily,God has ordered that the good and the bad deeds be written down.
Then He explained it clearly how (to write):
He who intends to do a good deed but he does not do it, then God records it for him as a full good deed,
but if he carries out his intention, then God the Exalted, writes it down for him as from ten to seven hundred folds, and even more.
But if he intends to do an evil act and has not done it, then God writes it down with Him as a full good deed,
but if he intends it and has done it, God writes it down as one bad deed.”
[Bukhari and Muslim].
[3] Prophet (s.a.a.s.) has said:
"Perhaps a person fasting will receive nothing from his fasting except hunger and thirst."
[Ibn Majah, Ad-Daarimee, Ahmad, al-Baihaqi, Sahih]
[4] The Messenger of God (s.a.a.s) said:
“The Pen is lifted from three:
- a child until he reaches puberty;
- an insane man until he comes to his senses;
- one who is asleep until he wakes up.”
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