Heaven and Hell

Question

My question is that if my bad deed surpasses my good deed then why do I go to hell since Allah already knows what good deed and bad deed I'm going to do before I die? Since Allah has already delegated my good and bad deed for me at birth, I do not think I will the power to change Allah's wishes for me. Thank you.AZ

Answer 1

I've had these thoughts many times over and this is what I have so far as I remember.

• Allaah being All-Knowing is an attribute that's suitable because of being the Creator of the universe, supreme deity. If Allaah wasn't All-Knowing, he wouldn't be God. All-Knowing disqualifies the creation of having likeness. Only Allaah knows everything. No human or anyone besides God can know everything.

"And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it.

And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry but that it is in a clear record." [Quran 6:59]

• We don't know much. We don't know what Allaah has written for us, we don't know what deeds we will do until we do them, we don't know how, when, and where we will die and we don't know our final destination etc... We choose.

• We don't have free will, but we have free choice. We decide what we want to do. We have the choice to be a good person or a bad person. We choose to commit bad or good deeds. Sins are our decision, no force is needed.

• Now, many people claim to be righteous or good people. We're aware that many two-faced people exist, many fakers. We can give ourselves off as a humble person, not arrogant. But our hearts may have a different story to tell.

• This is why Allaah tests us. To bring out the real true inner-self. We can hide our reality from everyone, but tests will determine the outcome. If we want something, we will work to get it. If we really want hell or paradise, we will strive for them. No one will be punished or rewarded without being examined. Everyone will be judged justly.

"Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allaah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.

Or do those who do evil deeds think they can outrun Us? Evil is what they judge. Whoever should hope for the meeting with Allah - indeed, the term decreed by Allah is coming. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing.

And whoever strives only strives for himself. Indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds. And those who believe and do righteous deeds - We will surely remove from them their misdeeds and will surely reward them according to the best of what they used to do." [Quran 29:2-7]

These are just some points, there are others of which I can't remember right now. But let me know what you think. wa Allaaho Alim

Answer 2

Every human has freedom to obey or disobey God. And if God know what you will do has no conflict with your freedom. It is like a teacher who knows which student will fail the exam. It does not mean that the student does not have freedom to try more for being successful.

If you can predict the behavior of clouds and rain does it mean that you control the weather?

God has not per-determined your deeds. God has given you freedom to choose.

Indeed, We guided him to the way, be he grateful or be he ungrateful. http://tanzil.net/#76:3