What are the Quranic verses that emphasize man’s partial freewill?

Dear Brother / Sister,

Along with the verses stating that Allah has absolute will and knowledge, there are many verses stating that man has will in the Quran. It is stated in those verses that man will be held responsible for what he does and that he will be rewarded when he does good things and punished when he does bad things.

The verses mentioning Allah's will emphasize that His will is absolute, unique and pre-eternal and that everything that exists is surrounded by Allah's will.

The verses mentioning Allah's will indicate man’s limited and partial will. That is, man wants something and Allah creates it.

Thus, in personal acts, the deed is done with man’s will and free choice. Allah creates that deed based on man’s choice and holds man responsible for it.

If Allah had not given man the possibility to have will, it would not be possible to mention human will. Man’s having will within Allah's absolute will enables him to do his deeds freely.

The beings to which Allah did not give freedom have no mind and responsibility. However, man has mind and will as well as responsibility.

There are many verses in the Quran indicating that man has free will and that he will be held responsible for what he does.

Some of the verses regarding the issue are as follows:

“The truth is from your Lord: Let him who will believe, and let him who will, reject (it): for the wrong-doers We have prepared a Fire…” (al-Kahf 18/29)

“Do what ye will: verily He seeth (clearly) all that ye do.” (Fussilat 41/40)

"Say: O ye that reject Faith! I worship not that which ye worship, Nor will ye worship that which I worship. And I will not worship that which ye have been wont to worship, Nor will ye worship that which I worship. To you be your Way, and to me mine." (al-Kafirun 109/1-6)

"We showed him the Way: whether he be grateful or ungrateful (rests on his will)." (al-Insan 76/3)

"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things." (al-Baqara, 2/256)

"Therefore do thou give admonition, for thou art one to admonish. Thou art not one to manage (men´s) affairs. But if any turn away and reject Allah,- Allah will punish him with a mighty Punishment, For to Us will be their return; Then it will be for Us to call them to account." (al-Ghashiya 88/21-26)

"Say: ‘O ye men! Now Truth hath reached you from your Lord! Those who receive guidance, do so for the good of their own souls; those who stray, do so to their own loss: and I am not (set) over you to arrange your affairs.’" (Yunus, 10/108)

“Verily We have revealed the Book to thee in Truth, for (instructing) mankind. He, then, that receives guidance benefits his own soul: but he that strays injures his own soul. Nor art thou set over them to dispose of their affairs." (az-Zumar 39/41)

“It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns." (al-Baqara, 2/ 286)

"Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever works evil, it is against his own soul: nor is thy Lord ever unjust (in the least) to His Servants" (Fussilat, 41/46)

"Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned, that (Allah) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from Evil).”  (ar-Rum, 30/41)

“Allah does not change a people´s lot unless they change what is in their hearts... " (ar-Ra'd, 13/11)

"This is because of the (unrighteous deeds) which your hands sent on before ye: For Allah never harms those who serve Him." (Aal-i Imran, 3/182)

Thus, man uses will as well as many things presented to him by Allah. Therefore, man is responsible for the good and bad deeds he does and will be rewarded and punished for them.

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