Tajdeed

Theology: Free-will & Destiny – What is the destiny of the baby who dies in this world?

There is a famous debate narrated between Abu’l Hasan al-Ash`ari and his teacher Abu ‘Ali al-Jubbaa’i:

Abu’l Hasan al-Ash`ari who until this point had been from the Mu`tazilah) said to his ustadh, Abu `Ali al-Jubbaa’i: “What do you say regarding three brothers, one of whom dies whilst he had been obedient unto Allaah Ta`aalaa, the other dies whilst he had been disobedient unto Allaah Ta`aalaa, and the third dies as an infant?” Al-Jubbaa’i responded: “The first will be rewarded with Jannah.

The second will be punished in Jahannam. The third will neither be rewarded nor punished.” Al-Ash`ari asked him, “What if the third, who died as an infant, says to Allaah Ta`aalaa: “O Allaah, why did You cause me to die as an infant and not let me grow up so that I could have believed in You and thus entered Jannah?” What will Allaah Ta`aalaa say?”

Al-Jubbaa’i responded: “Allaah Ta`aalaa will say to him: “I knew that had you grown up, you would have been disobedient and thus would have entered the fire of Jahannam, so it was best for you to have died as an infant.”

Then, al-Ash`ari asked him, “What if the second one says: “O Allaah, why did You not let me also pass away as an infant, so that I would not have been disobedient and thus would not have entered the fire of Jahannam?”

Al-Jubbaa’i had no answer. After that, al-Ash`ari abandoned him and abandoned the Madhhab of the Mu`tazilah, and he and those with him devoted their time and energy to refuting the views and arguments of the Mu`tazilah sect, and establishing that which has reached us from the Sunnah of Rasoolullaah (pbuh) as well as what the Sahaabah were upon, and thus they were named: “Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa`ah” (The People of the Sunnah and the Group, i.e. the Sahaabah).

Reference: Sharh Al-`Aqeedah An-Nasafiyyah (A Commentary on the Creed of Nasafi

Author: Imaam Sa`d-ud-Deen at-Taftaazaani – Translator: Mufti Muhammad Huzaifah ibn Adam aal-Ebrahim, pp.19-20

————————————————————————————–

An alternative Pro-Alid Mu’tazili Zaydi perspective:

God did not kill the baby or allow the baby to die due to the Divine will or intention of saving the innocent baby from the trials and test of this world (i.e. knowing that the baby will be an oppressor who deserves of punishment in the afterlife).

Two points:

Firstly, why would God save a future oppressor if the baby is not virtuous when he is a baby not possessing any individuality, personality, and consciousness. Secondly, the baby also lacks the future potential to be a good, righteous & virtuous individual and this is evident due to God Almighty knowing that the baby will eventually enter hell? So, why would such an individual be intentionally saved by God whilst other humans possess intellect, free-will and thus the natural trials and tribulations of the world?

As mentioned, it will be contradictory if God saves this future oppressor or sinner from the torment of the Hereafter, but he doesn’t save others who are also deserving of Divine punishment.

If this is the case, then there is no reason for man to get tested in this temporary world of trials & tribulations.

Why did God create this type of world?

Why did God grant mankind free-will?

The truth of the matter is that God created this world with free-will so mankind can be tested, so the individual human freely chooses virtue & righteousness despite having the potential to rebelliously choose evil, disobedience & wrongdoing.

Therefore, since God granted this ‘amanah’ (trust), the responsibility of having free-will, then this indicates that there is a natural cause and effect system in this universe without God almighty intervening in every cause and thus effect.

Instead, the causes and effects can be caused by humans or other natural events without God willing specific things, such as certain individuals intentionally committing disbelief and evil. Nevertheless, the important part is that there is free-will, choice and thus responsibility for the human being, hence why the human being is responsible for their own actions. Due to this Divinely given responsibility or amanah, people of duty (taklif) are either deserving of reward or punishment (due to the actions they take).

Thus, if God Almighty always intervenes when a child is going to die due to natural causes, such as crimes of human beings (free-will) or natural calamities/accidents taking the life of the innocent baby, then there will be no real freedom or choice, and if this is the case, then there will be no test with trials & tribulations in this world.

If there is no test in this world, then there is no point of God granting man freedom and the choice of good and evil.

If God at times intervenes and at times doesn’t intervene when an innocent person or child is getting killed or tortured, then there will be a discrepancy in this as well.

To conclude, if God intervenes with such matters, then this will clearly be paradoxical and will contradict the philosophy of Islam and the reasons why God placed human being in this world of tests with the disposition of free-will and desires.

• By Abul Hasan al-Gabikani al-Shadi al-Shaddadi al-Hadhabani -al-Kurdi