Human Effort and Its Reality
The capacity and ability humans have to make efforts and endeavors – its extent and limits are Allah-given. It is restricted to the limit He has provide. And in proportion to that, humans are commanded to obey (His commands and prohibitions) from Allah. The matters are quite simple. But they are simple for those whose hearts are good and sound. Those who think crookedly and question Allah (May He forbid) will transgress and be destroyed (unless they sincerely repent from their mistakes and transgressions after learning or understanding the truth – that’s a different matter).
The entire creation and material world is under Allah’s control. Whatever choice has been given to humans and jinn is also limited and for the purpose of testing – who obeys Allah and who doesn’t.
Now, the fact that we (humans) have been told to take medicine when sick, to see a doctor, and to make efforts in various such fields – these have not been prescribed to be done separately by moving away from faith in Allah! And this is certainly not the case; rather, the question doesn’t even arise that these things (medicine, doctors, other means and objects) have been given any independent power to do things on their own – this is certainly never the case. This is the belief of every believer.
No One Has Sovereign Power to Do Anything Except Allah
No person, object, or means has the inherent power and ability to do things in the sense that they can accomplish any task in any way by independent will. Of course, whatever power, strength, and ability Allah has given to something, it can use that. And along with the “using” capabilities, humans and jinn have also been given some freedom to do good and bad deeds (this good and bad means, good and bad according to Allah’s command and standard) – based on which there is a system of reward and punishment for them. This matter needs to be very clear!
Sometimes it is said everything is under Allah’s control, and again it is said that creatures, objects, or means have capabilities, powers, and abilities that Allah has given. And again, it is said that humans and jinn have been given some freedom. All these statements are correct in their context. There is no confusion here. The only question that might arise is: if everything is under Allah’s control, then why do humans act and make efforts?
This is actually clear too. Because of not knowing and not understanding, some of us remain confused.
Allah has set the rules and regulations of the worldly realm while maintaining His complete control. As much as He has willed (meaning desired), He has given humans and jinn that much choice or ability to take paths according to their own preferences. Even while setting rules and regulations, Allah has kept complete control over the entire universe to Himself. That’s why someone or something cannot do whatever they want whenever they want! Humans and jinn can work and strive only within the rules set by Allah. But it must be remembered that this never means that those actions, efforts, or means that humans adopt and rely upon have any inherent power. The power belongs to Allah. If any power is seen in actions, efforts, and means – all of it is Allah-given. They are reactive according to Allah’s command. Objects don’t even have the choice that humans or jinn have! Therefore, how foolish are those who bow their heads before idols saying this is my god(!) Similarly, how foolish is anyone who says to a doctor, “Doctor, only you can save my child!”
Certainly, humans are commanded to work and strive. But humans cannot place reliance on any action, effort, object, means, or person in the sense that any of these has sovereign independent power to do things. Whoever believes this accepts Allah’s creation as equal to Allah. This is clearly denying Allah or associating partners with Allah. How can the created obtain the attributes or qualities of the Creator?! If someone deliberately believes this with heart and soul, it will be disbelief (kufr), that person will be a disbeliever (kafir).
A believer works and strives by Allah’s command. His belief is that Allah alone possesses sovereign power, commands and prohibitions are His alone. He has commanded me to work, to adopt objects or means, to seek help or intercession from someone. But these efforts and means are completely dependent on Allah just like me. If someone does something for me, they couldn’t do it without the power and ability given by Allah. If someone doesn’t do something for me or does something against me, they were able to do it because Allah has given them that choice.
