Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
There is no contradiction between Allah Almighty’s writing of the divine decree and commanding الإنسان to act and choose his actions. The servant acts according to his will and choice, while Allah Almighty knew, before the action occurred, what he would choose and do, and thus He wrote it in the divine decree. The writing itself was not a cause of forcing him to do it.
It is authentically reported from Jabir, may Allah be pleased with him, that Suraqah ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, asked the Prophet ﷺ about deeds after the decrees had already been determined and the pens had dried. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Act, for everyone will be facilitated.” Another narration says: “Everyone will be facilitated toward that for which he was created.” Narrated by Muslim (2648, 2649).
It is also authentically reported that after the Prophet ﷺ told the Companions that a person’s place in Paradise or Hell had already been written, they said: “Should we not then rely upon what has been written for us and abandon deeds?” He ﷺ replied:
“Act, for everyone will be facilitated toward that for which he was created. As for the one who is among the people of happiness, he will be facilitated toward the deeds of the people of happiness; and as for the one who is among the people of misery, he will be facilitated toward the deeds of the people of misery.”
Then he ﷺ recited the words of Allah Almighty:
﴿As for the one who gives, fears Allah, and believes in the best reward, We will facilitate for him the way to ease. But as for the one who is miserly, considers himself self-sufficient, and denies the best reward, We will facilitate for him the way to hardship.﴾ [Al-Layl: 5–10]
Thus, the meaning is that Allah Almighty’s writing of the servants’ deeds does not mean that He forced them to perform those deeds. Rather, He wrote what He knew they would choose and do.
Allah Almighty’s prior knowledge and His writing of the divine decree do not force the servant to act.
A person is aware of his own choice and can distinguish between what he does willingly and what happens to him without his choice. This is why Allah Almighty commands him and forbids him, and promises him reward for obedience and punishment for disobedience.
Ibn Battal, may Allah have mercy on him, said that Allah Almighty already knew that this person would be among the people of happiness and would perform acts of obedience to Allah, while another would be among the people of misery and would perform the deeds of the people of Hell, but Allah’s writing of their deeds was not a compulsion forcing them to perform them.
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy on him, explained the meaning of the hadith by saying that a person is written as being among the people of Paradise or Hell because of his deeds. Therefore, he must perform the deeds of the people of Paradise so that he may be among them.
One of the greatest reasons for concealing the decree from people is that a person does not know what has been written for him. Therefore, he cannot use divine decree as an excuse before committing an action, nor can he say: “Since such-and-such has been written for me, I will abandon good deeds.”
The servant does not know whether he has been written among the people of happiness or misery, nor does he know what he will choose in the future. Therefore, he is commanded to act and obey, and forbidden from committing sin.
This demonstrates that divine decree does not abolish responsibility. Rather, Allah Almighty knew what the servant would choose by his own will and wrote it in His knowledge and decree.
That is why the Prophet ﷺ said: “Act, for everyone will be facilitated toward that for which he was created.” The facilitation here means assistance and opening the way for the servant to perform the deeds he chooses, not coercion or compulsion.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿And you do not will unless Allah wills. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.﴾ [Al-Insan: 30]
Thus, the servant’s will is real and established, but it exists under the will of Allah Almighty.
There is no contradiction between this verse and the existence of people who disobey Allah Almighty. The meaning of His saying:
﴿And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me﴾
is to explain the legislative and beloved purpose of their creation, meaning that Allah commanded them to worship Him and loves their obedience to Him.
This is not a universal creative will that necessarily entails that all people will worship Him; otherwise, there would be no disbeliever or sinner.
Therefore, scholars distinguish between:
Legislative will: What Allah Almighty loves and is pleased with, such as faith, obedience, and worship.
Universal, creational decree: Allah’s effective will concerning everything that occurs in the universe, whether Allah loves it or does not love it, including obedience and disobedience.
Thus, the sinner has opposed what Allah loves and is pleased with in terms of worship and obedience, but he has not gone outside Allah’s universal will and decree.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿Indeed, We guided him to the way, whether he is grateful or ungrateful.﴾ [Al-Insan: 3]
The servant therefore faces two paths. Allah has given him the ability, will, and choice, and then holds him accountable for what he chooses and does.
There is no contradiction between divine decree and action, nor between Allah Almighty’s writing of the servants’ deeds and their responsibility for their actions. Allah knew the actions of His servants before they occurred and wrote them, but He did not force them to perform them. Rather, He gave them will and choice, commanded them to obey, and forbade them from disobedience.
A person does not know what has been written for him, and therefore he may not abandon action under the pretext of divine decree. Rather, he must strive to obey Allah, ask Him for guidance and success, strive for good, and keep away from sin.
And Allah knows best.