The free will argument Flashcards
What do the Mutazalites maintain about Allah?
They maintain Allah is timeless
What do the Mutazalites say about good and bad acts?
Acts are good or bad inherently and not because God wills them to be good or bad.
For the Mutazalites what are the consequences of Allah being Just?
Man has been given free will to choose between doing good and bad. God does not force man to do anything. God is just and would not punish a person for sins which he did not choose freely to commit.
What role does God play in the afterlife?
He is all powerful and so will ultimately be the judge in the Hereafter
How do the Mutazalite explain natural evil not caused by humans?
Claim that although this comes from God and His power he does not give man more suffering than he can bear. This is known as Taqlif
What in the Qur’an supports Taqlif?
“God does not order the soul of any of his creation that which is beyond its capacity.”
How do the Mutazalites maintain God as loving?
God does not command or will evil acts so cannot be held responsible for evil in the world so God is loving.
What is strong about the Mutazalite understanding of God’s power?
Isn’t using his power in the wrong way, forcing us to be like robots. Allah uses his power to judge whether people, using free will, have chosen to turn to His way or not.
What does Taqlif show about Allah’s use of power?
He doesn’t abuse power - when there is any suffering as a consequence of natural evil then he does not give humans more than they can cope with.
How do the Mutazlites show that God is compassionate?
Wants humans to be free autonomous agents. Allah doesn’t force people to act by His own decree and then punish people for their acts.
How are the Mutazalites in line with science?
Modern scientific thinking which shows evidence that there is randomness at the sub atomic level and not everything is as determined as we might think in the universe.
How do the Mutazalites limit God’s power?
God does not use his power to intervene and stop human evil and stop human evil acts that are freely chosen. This could also indicate that God is not compassionate or merciful. Allah also does not have the power to command human reason.
How could God use his power to prevent evil but maintain free will?
Has the power to give us the choice between different good acts.
How could the Mutazalite model suggest God is not just?
Because if he was then he would have created people to use their free will to always choose good decisions - Ghazali - God cannot not be just, he does not know injustice.
How do the Mutazalites commit shirk?
Because they suggests that God must act in a rational human manner. This is because he has to reason that an act is good or bad and then act accordingly. Allah must be the progenitor of “good and evil, of the little and the much…” - Hanbali
