Deen is defined as the desire of the creator to introduce discipline in the entire spectrum of human life through the prophets and messengers but without the doctrine of necessatarianism rather through persuasion and counseling, keeping in mind that God has endowed mankind with the instrument of free will from His cup of love. So reciprocation becomes obligatory and moral duty while keeping this trust and it’s application judiciously, honestly and with integrity. On the last day perhaps all sin, necessity and free will gets consumed by the least spark of fire of His Grace that He will kindle to finally manifest Himself as The Being having all merciful nature within.

 

As mentioned in the Quran: 

 

‘Kataba Ala Nafsihi rehmat‘ i.e ‘He has prescribed mercy for Himself’

 

‘Rehmate sabqata ala ghazabe‘ i.e ‘My blessing supercedes My anger’

 

As regards cognition of God and His power, it will manifest itself in the fact that God has every right over His blessings. Whosoever fulfills it, increases Him in it and whosoever ignores it runs the risk of losing His blessings. Likewise, the doctrine of freewill operates regardless.

 

As mentioned in the Quran:

 

‘Famansha a fal yu min wa man sha a fal yakfur’ i.e ‘Whosoever chooses may believe and whosoever chooses may not believe. 

 

And again:

 

‘Laikraha fiddeen’ i.e ‘There is no compulsion in leading one’s own way of life in accordance with his freedom to choose.’

 

This denies the doctrine of necessity, i.e  necessitarianism. This power of freedom comes or descends from the universal power of choice comparable to the horseman hidden from the dust he raises. This is a heavy burden on shoulder and tremendous responsibility assigned by Allah to mankind making him fully accountable for all his thoughts, deeds and actions here.

 

Freedom to choose bedims the necessity and allows itself to be in full operation throughout human life till his last when he goes into non existence where the entire affair will be of Allah as He says:

 

‘Wal amro yauma izin lillahi’ i.e ‘The entire affair at that point of time will belong to Allah alone and man will be left with no power of choice.’

 

In other words freedom to choose or freewill will be taken back by Allah which was offered to mankind during his lifetime for judicious use in managing the affairs of the worldly life. At that point of timeless time He may at His discretion, grace, kindness, munificence, attribute of liberality in giving and forgiveness, cancel all the trespasses of His beloved servants – the progenies of Adam as promised in the beginning when Adam and devil would have played their assigned roles with white and black banners passing from generation to generation till the advent of prophet Muhammad p.b.u.h. who fought the last battle with Abu jahal – prince of inequity. Such battles are still going on between the Devil and the Saints.

 

Now, as regards operation of free will in various signs, it has been repeatedly revealed that:

 

‘Allah misguides and guides whom He chooses.’

 

The inner meaning has been elaborately exposed by a celebrated scholar Zamakh Sharee in 14:4, 16:93 saying that it is the individual’s power of choice that operates in man either by not accepting the revealed guidance resultantly going astray; or by accepting the guidance going the right way. Therefore, God speaking His will would really mean man’s will which has directly descended from His universal will and is being operated by man.

 

The crux of this exposure is to fortify the free will and to give back seat to the necessity – the doctrine of necessatarianism in terms of  ‘La ikraha fiddeeni’ i.e no compulsion and no pressurization from the Almighty regarding operation of ‘deen-il-Haque’.

 

While further explaining the operation of free will signs are quoted as 16:93 and 14:4.

A remarkable revelation of Allah which states:

 

‘Walao sha Allah o laja ala kum ummattan wahidattan wala kin yo zillo ma yasha o wa yahdi ma yasha o walatus allunna amma kuntum tamaloona‘ which means :

 

‘Had Allah willed He would have made you all one community, but He misguides and guides whom He wills and He will definitely question you about your deeds.’

 

Zamakh Sharee elaborates this concept of free will eluding to the erroneous idea that man’s good or evil actions and therefore also his propensities and resulting attitude are predetermined by Allah and not really an outcome of free choice. He rounds off his views on this problem in these words, ‘If it were true that God compels men to go astray or alternatively to follow His guidance, why should He have postulated their deeds as something  for which they would be held responsible.

 

After having given freedom to choose God is repeatedly warning the humankind through successive holy prophets to walk aright and tread the right path so that his return journey towards God’s presence becomes easy, hassle free and pleasant. And the guidance now is available in the form of our holy book as a ‘Statutory, Regulatory Order’ for complete guidance of human kind. Throughout in the guiding process, the law of consequence has been elaborately exposed and the criterion of right and wrong has been clearly mentioned to follow during the journey in life i.e return journey towards home. The most important of the guidance, the human kind has been provided is the criterion which determines the path of righteousness in order to keep him happy,  peaceful and successful during the lifetime. God in very clear terms has warned the human kind not to become wanton which in Quranic word will mean ‘musrifeen’.

 

Wanton importantly describes in man his negative attributes which can attract calamity and disaster etc. The attributes that are negative and form a part of prohibitions from Allah are to become amorous, arrogant, boastful, careless, cruel, deceitful, disobedient, dishonest, disorderly, disorganized, disrespectful, envious, evil doing, evil living, fanciful,  guilty, indecent, undisciplined, iniquitous, infidel, ingrate, insolent (gustaakh), intolerant, ignorant, impatient, imposter, irresponsible, jealous, lascivious, lewd, luxurious, merciless in power, never do well destitute of merit, prodigal, proud, reckless, rude, ruthless, scornful, suspicious, self centered, self indulgent, selfish, thankless, unfair, unjust, unkind, undesirable, unreliable, unreasonable, unfaithful, ungraceful, ungrateful, unthankful, unrestrained, and last but not the least…God commands us very emphatically not to become wasteful users of resources. Otherwise this and all other negative attributes of human kind is bound to attract gigantic problems in life in the form of adversity, calamity, destruction, disintegration, devastation, disaster, distress, disturbance, difficulty, misfortune, pain, peril, severe affliction, sustenance of loss, suffering, stress, strain, tribulation. In this context, God has revealed:

 

‘Laqad khalaqnal insana fi kabad‘ (90:4) i.e

‘God has created human kind in atmosphere’ which means, in all those adversities numerated above and in order to get out of these adversities etc. one shall have to transform his all negative attributes into positive ones so that he is able to face all the perils of life through His divine instrument provided in His divine revelation. This gives us signal from the Almighty to become in complete harmony with the divine principles and guidance revealed through His successive holy prophets so that one can brave all the adversities in life. Therefore ‘deen il haq’ becomes the only instrument to safeguard human kind from severe afflictions in life.

 

 

The  principles

 

I correlate the correct principles with the Deen of truth, and believe that both are complimentary to each other. One cannot talk about one ignoring the other. Marmaduke Picthall has spoken very loudly about the concept of Deen while commenting on chapter 2 (Surah Baqara). In this chapter runs the note of warning that it is not mere profession of a creed but the righteous conduct which is true religion (right religion). This sounds indeed throughout the whole Quran.