Understanding Faith and Its Components

The Interconnectedness of Faith

• Faith elements are interconnected and cannot be separated.
• Example: Denial of angels leads to denial of revelation and Qur'an.
• Pillars of faith are like a chain; breaking one breaks the whole.

Example of Faith in Practice

• Story about a well-dressed individual who prays but denies angels.
• Despite good deeds, denial of faith components leads to unbelief.

Fate and Understanding Allah's Power

• Ahmad ibn Hanbal's view: understanding Allah’s power makes discussions of fate easier.
• Understanding the universe helps grasp the concept of fate.

Questions about God's Knowledge

• Common question: Does God know who will go to heaven or hell?
• God has eternal knowledge of all events.
• Questions of existence: Why create humans if He already knows?

Understanding Eternity and Time

• The concept of "Ezel" (eternity) misunderstood in social contexts.
• Visual metaphor: A ruler representing past, present, and future.
• All time exists simultaneously at the point of eternity.

Knowledge and Destiny

• Destiny is a title of Allah's knowing, not a force that acts.
• Knowledge of potential outcomes does not dictate actions.
• Example: Predicting a car crash doesn’t cause it; knowledge comes from observation, not control.

Partial Will and Human Responsibility

• Humans possess a partial will that contributes to actions.
• Every action is created by Allah but initiated by human will.
• Example: Comparing will to a drop of ink in milk, which colors the whole.

Misinterpretation of Fate

• People view themselves as prisoners of fate when they are actually prisoners of their own choices.
• Example: Blaming fate for personal tragedies denies personal responsibility.

Understanding Suffering and Divine Will

• When faced with hardship, attributing blame to fate can be dangerous for faith.
• Personal responsibility is crucial; actions stem from individual choices.

The Concept of Heaven and Hell

• Metaphor of an elevator: choices lead to heaven (up) or hell (down).
• Each person's actions determine their outcome in the afterlife.

Purpose of Creation

• Allah created jinn and humans to serve Him, not solely to determine their afterlife.
• Life experiences help humans recognize and understand divine attributes.

Wisdom in Testing

• God’s wisdom in life tests helps humans understand their worthiness for paradise or hell.
• Direct punishment without explanation would lack justice and wisdom.