I am asked this question often, “if man’s life is governed by destiny, then where is the question of a ‘free will’?”

Those who want to interpret human history completely in the light of predetermined law as is done in the physical world, cannot but meet with failure. While the physical world may be explainable within the framework of complete predeterminism, the events of the human world are simply not amenable to interpretation in terms of any such law.

Still others want to interpret the events of the human world in the context of complete freedom. But they are not satisfied with their interpretation either. The failure of both these interpretations is due to the fact that they attempt to explain the phenomenon on an incorrect basis.

The truth is that the right principle by which to interpret human history is neither that of complete predeterminism nor of complete freedom.

According to Islam, there is, therefore, only one correct principle to interpret human history and that is the principle of test. If in this world everything had been totally predetermined, the element of trial would have been absent. Man has been placed in the present world for the purpose of being tested. On the outcome of this test will depend the eternal future of all mankind. Favourable circumstances were a sine qua non for this test in the world. Predeterminism had to a certain extent to be a feature of these circumstances as a guarantee against any obstacle coming in the way of carrying out man’s trial. On the other hand, the element of freedom was also essential in order that the intentions and actions of each individual could be properly judged. For man can be granted the credit for a good deed only on the condition that, despite having the opportunity to indulge in bad deeds, he chooses of his own free will to act virtuously.

So we can say that the fact of the matter is that God has provided the infrastructure to man in the form of life support system and the different situations that present themselves to man. This is the predeterminism or the destiny part of the matter. Man is; however, free to respond to all these different situations, as he likes. That is his free will or his freedom of choice. In this aspect, he is completely free.

Therefore, I say that the matter is case of 50-50. Predeterminism plays a 50 percent role and freedom plays the remaining 50 percent role.