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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Fifty Lessons on Principles of Belief for Youths Lesson 18: A World of Wonder in a Small Bird: What is the “Middle Way”? ‘Conferring’ as opposed to ‘Fatalism’ Of course, opposing the belief in fatalism, which is one kind of an extreme, is the school of ‘conferring’, which is at the other extreme.

Those who accept this school believe that God created us and then put everything at our disposal and that, in general, He is not responsible for anything that we do and in this way, we are completely independent in choosing what we do. Doubtlessly, this belief does not agree with monotheism because monotheism has taught us that God rules the entire world and nothing is beyond His control.

Even our free will and free choice cannot be beyond His realm, otherwise polytheism would, of necessity, result. In other words, we cannot believe in two gods, one, the great Creator of the universe and the other, a small one who is the human being who is free to do whatever he or she wishes, completely free and independent and even God cannot affect what he or she wishes to do. This is duality and polytheism.

What is important is that we know human beings have freedom of choice and free will at the same time that we know God to be the Ruler over all persons and deeds. The School of the “Middle Way” The fine point to recognize is here, that we not imagine that there is a contradiction between the two.

The fact is that we both accept God’s justice as well as the freedom and responsibility of His servants as well as unity and His rule over the entire universe of existence and this is that very thing which is known as the ‘middle way’ (something which is between two extremes). Let us clarify this with an example as the issue is a very complicated one. Let us assume that you are traveling on an electric train and you are the driver of the train.

A strong electric cable has been placed along the line of the train and the train is connected with a link to this electric cable and moves and moment after moment the electricity is passed to the locomotive in such a way that if for just one moment, the electricity to the locomotive stops, the whole train will stop. Without doubt, you are free. You can stop wherever you want and you can move at your own speed.