Many groups have fallen prey to doubts regarding the will of God and this is why it has been mentioned in the best possible way in the traditions coming from the Ahlulbait. We present a few examples as illustrations:

Both in Tawhid of Shaykh Suduq and Aiyun Akhbarur Reza it is recorded from Imam Ali bin Imam Musi Reza that he replied to a question regarding the will of God by saying:

The urge and imagination inside a person and the resulting manifest deed is called the desire but for God desire or will is only creation. There is no imagination there or preconception or pre- supposition. Such attributes are not connected with God because these are the attributed on the contingent beings (who is finite and imperfect) therefore God’s will is the deed and nothing else. God says, “Be” and without delay and exceptions the things become. There is no question of saying any thing vocally and neither is there any preponderance or thought. His will is not subject to any condition or feeling because He has not feeling. (1)

This Hadith has also been recorded by Shaykh Kuleni in al Kafi. (2)

Imam Reza is recorded to have said in the same book:

The will and the determination are the attributes of action. He who thinks that the will of God is eternal is not a monotheist.” (3)It is evident that this Hadith

Refers the determination of deeds mentioned above.

The refutation of eternal determination is the refutation of those who consider the will to be separate from His being and this in turn means that they believe in two or more eternal existence. This idea is not compatible to the idea of monotheism.

The person will is knowledge itself and knowledge is an integral part of God so it will be according to His unity and there will be no inkling of polytheism in it. Reflect.

Imam Reza is recorded in Usul Kafi to have said:

“O son of Adam! It is because of my will and determination you can desire what you want; it is because of the strength bestowed by Me that you can fulfill the duties promulgated by Me and you can obtain through my grace that you can attain My will because I have declared you to a creation that can hear, see and strong. Whatever goodness you do is from the inclination given by God and whatever evil you do is the result of your own desire. (4)

This Hadith is about the will to manifest and is connected with the freedom of man’s determination.

It is God who has made an authority over other beings. It often happens that man misuses this freedom and uses His gifts for sins but this is his own doing because when he makes good use of the gifts to do goodness then it is under the instigation of God. Reflect.

1. Behar-ol-Anwar Vol.4 Page 138 Hadith 4

2. Usul Kafi vol.1 Page 109 Chapter on the inclination of the deed and all the attributes of his deeds. Hadith 3

3. Tawhid by Shaykh Suduq page 337 chapter on His Will Hadith 5

4. Usul Kafi vol.1 page 52 chapter on the Will and determination, Hadith 6.