In 6:148, the polytheists who say, "If Allah had wished, we should not have given partners to Him" are threatened by penalty while 6:149 says "If it had been His will, He could indeed have guided you all." How should we understand those two verses?

- In verse 148 of the chapter of al-Anam the polytheists who say, "If Allah had wished, we should not have given partners to Him" are threatened by penalty and the following is stated in verse 149:  "If it had been His will, He could indeed have guided you all." How should we understand those two verses?

Dear Brother / Sister,

"Those who give partners (to Allah) will say: ‘If Allah had wished, we should not have given partners to Him nor would our fathers; nor should we have had any taboos.’ So did their ancestors argue falsely, until they tasted of Our wrath. Say: ‘Have ye any (certain) knowledge? If so, produce it before us. Ye follow nothing but conjecture: ye do nothing but lie.’ Say: ‘With Allah is the argument that reaches home: if it had been His will, He could indeed have guided you all.’" (al-An'am, 6/148-149)

Allah Almighty displays the bad intentions of the polytheists who show the fact that everything depends on Allah's will as a means of justification for their wrong practices while arguing with the Prophet (pbuh) and who virtually say "Since it is Allah’s wish for us to believe and live like this, we act in accordance with His will; we do not commit sins" and distort that fact by misusing it. Allah states that they have no right to deny the Prophet and what he conveys to them; as a matter of fact, He reminds them that the nations who denied prophets resorting to the same way of thinking could not get rid of being punished.

Doubtlessly, whatever happens in the universe operates based on the laws Allah imposed with His free and absolute will. That man discriminates between what is right and wrong by using his will and mind and that he has the opportunity to choose what is right is a part of the same law. Therefore, that deniers try to attribute their bad deeds to Allah’s will and show themselves as innocent is a crime that necessitates His penalty. As a matter of fact, the remaining part of the verse shows that this claim of the polytheists is of no scientific value and that it consists of thoughts and misgivings. (Kur’an Yolu, Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı Yayınları, II/380-381)

If Allah had wished, He would have created men like angels or had prevented them from committing evil, denial and polytheism. This is indicated in verse 149. However, the wisdom behind His law imposed for man is contrary to it. He gave man freedom to choose between what is right and wrong with his will.   

Since the good and the bad come from Allah, it is Allah who guides people and lead them astray. People are only a means of guidance and aberration for one another. Some people who misunderstand the creation of guidance and aberration by God Almighty say, “Guidance is from Allah. Man cannot enter the right path unless Allah leads him.” Thus, they block the way of warning and guiding others; they also want to show themselves as excused related to their faults. 

It is only Allah who leads man to happiness and to aberration.  However, our Lord leads a person to aberration because he uses his partial free will in that way. Otherwise, God Almighty will not lead a person to aberration unless the slave himself heads toward it. 

The same thing is valid for guidance. After a person does his best for his sustenance and acts in accordance with causes, he expects the result from Allah. For, only Allah is ar-Razzaq (the Sustainer). When we act in accordance with causes perfectly, we cannot regard our sustenance as guaranteed. Similarly, a person who conveys people Allah's orders and prohibitions in the best way cannot be sure of the result. For, only Allah is al-Hadi (the Guide). Allah's giving guidance to whomever He wishes means giving guidance to the people who act in accordance with the conditions of guidance. It does not mean “He does not take into consideration any causes for guidance.” This way of thinking is like expecting crops without sowing seeds in a field.

It is necessary to explain the following point regarding the issue: It is certain that a person who does not sow seeds in his field will not get crops. A person who acts in accordance with causes fully will almost definitely (ninety-nine percent) get crops. A misfortune like hail, flood and drought might occur (one percent). The slight possibility of not getting crops is to make man take refuge in Allah and to pray to Him. The fact explained by this example is also valid for guidance.

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