Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam o alaikum,

i want to ask that, Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 28 Surah Qasas verse 56: You cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whomever He Pleases. And He best knows those who would accept guidance. so my question is , if guidance is with Allah,s will, then y we ppl ll b accused on the day of judgement?

wassalam

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Answer:

Allah guides whom he wills

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His  forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person, no grave, no prophet, no imam, no dai, nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

The theme and principle that you have quoted from the beautiful Verses of Surah Qasas are related all over the Quran.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 39 Surah Zumar verses 36-37:

36 Is not Allah enough for His servant? But they try to frighten thee with other (gods) besides him! For such as Allah leaves to stray, there can be no guide.

37 And such as Allah doth guide, there can be none to lead astray! Is not Allah Exalted in Power (able to enforce His Will) Lord of Retribution?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 30 Surah Rom verse 29:

Nay!!! The wrong-doers (merely) fellow their own lusts being devoid of knowledge. But who will guide those whom Allah leaves astray? To them there will be no helpers.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 45 Surah Jathiya verse 23:

Then seest thou such a one as takes as his god his own vain desire? Allah has knowing (him as such) left him astray, and sealed His hearing and his heart (and understanding), and put a cover on his sight. Who then will guide him after Allah (has withdrawn Guidance)? Will ye not then receive admonition?

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 97:

It is he whom Allah guides that is on true guidance; but he whom He leaves astray for such wilt thou find no protector besides Him. On the Day of Judgment We shall gather them together prone on their faces blind dumb and deaf: their abode will be Hell: every time it shows abatement, We shall increase for them the fierceness of the Fire.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 35 Surah Fatir verse 8:

Is he then, to whom the evil of his conduct is made alluring so that he looks upon it as good, (equal to one who is rightly guided)? For Allah leaves to stray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. So let not thy soul go out in (vainly) sighing after them: for Allah knows well all that they do!

The Truth is that Allah has allowed and guided mankind to chose one of the ways: one is of the guidance to Allah’s Way, and the other is the way of Shaitaan. He has clearly shown us the two ways, and guided mankind by appointing Messengers and sending the Book of Guidance. And Allah has given humans beings the intelligence and the free will to choose between the Right and the Wrong, without any force or pressure! And that is precisely the test Allah has involved mankind in.

Allah says in the Holy Quran in Chapter 67 Surah Al Mulk verse 2:

He (Allah) created death and life that He may test you, to see which of you is the best in deeds.

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 18 Surah Kahf verse 29:

Proclaim, “This (Quran) is the Truth from your Lord: now whosoever wills may accept it, and whosoever wills may reject it.”

Thus, it is not as if Allah Subhanah pulls out 5,000 names a day and declares that these 5,000 must be guided, whether they like it or not!; or pulls out 5,000 names and declares that they must not be guided!

Whoever chooses, of his own free will, reasoning and intelligence the Right Path of Allah, he is guided aright. And whoever chooses, of his own free will, any other way then he has chosen the path of Shaitaan, and has thus gone astray!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chatper 28 Surah Qasas verse 56:

You cannot guide whom you love, but Allah guides whomever He Pleases. And He best knows those who would accept guidance.

Thus what is truly meant by the above verse is that because man is involved in a test, Allah Subhanah allows man to choose the path he wishes to live his life. If one wishes of his own free will to chose Islam as his ‘way of life’, Allah Subhanah allows the person and is pleased with him. And if one wishes to choose a path other than Islam as his way of life, Allah Subhanah allows him to live his life in misguidance, but He is displeased with him!

Your Question: if guidance is with Allah ,s will, then y we ppl ll b accused on the day of judgement?

Please allow us to relate a simple example which would clarify your very important question, Insha Allah. Just as when one gives an examination in a school or university, during the time the exam is actually in progress, the teacher may come behind and see the answers being written by his student; but it is the very nature and sanctity of tests and exams, that the teacher neither encourages (although he could!) the student who is writing the correct answers, nor stops (although he could!) the student who is writing the wrong ones; but rather the teacher allows each student to fulfill the test according to the stipulated time. It is only after the exam papers are submitted at the end of the stipulated time, will the teacher mark the papers and let the students know who has passed and who has failed the exam.

Similarly, whoever accepts the guidance sent by Allah, and chooses with his own free will to follow the path shown the appointed Messenger of Allah(saws), Allah is pleased with this person and allows him to follow that Path.

And whoever rejects the guidance sent by Allah, and independently makes or follows any other path than that shown by the Messenger of Allah (saws), Allah is dis-pleased with this person, but still allows him to follow his chosen path! And that is because Allah has put mankind through a test in this worldly life! He has guided mankind aright by sending His Messengers and revealing His Books, and given man the free will to choose whether he wants to take: the Path of Guidance, or the path that leads him astray. Whatever path man chooses of his own free will, Allah will allow him to take that path and complete his test; and only in the Hereafter the results of success or failure will be declared.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan