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Man’s choice controlled by the Will of Allaah

Question

We were once discussing the issue of whether man is driven or free to choose his actions and we came up with three different scenarios:
1- Man is more free to choose than driven in his actions.
2- There is no specific ratio between the two.
3- Man is more driven than free to choose.
Which of these opinions is the soundest? Is it a debatable issue among the scholars of jurisprudence? If so, what are their opinions?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

According to the consensus of Ahlus-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa‘ah (the mainstream people of the Sunnah), man is free to choose his actions; however, his choice does not transcend the power and will of Allaah The Almighty.

Allaah Knows best.

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