If we read in religious books or in the holy Quran that man...

If we read in religious books or in the holy Quran that man lives within the limits of destiny or if it is written in the holy Quran that whatever you do has been inscribed in the Lauhe Mahfuz (Protected Tablet) from the beginning, it does not mean that we are the prisoners of destiny and are bound to act accordingly.

Rather what is meant thereby is that the Omniscient God is aware of all the events of the past and the future and knows who will work voluntarily for what and will consequently decide his own good or bad fortune. Allah is aware of what man will do but man is absolutely free to shape his destiny. A wrong notion about destiny Some people deceive themselves and ignore the voice of their intellects. The mind, in the words of Rumi, says: When you say I will do this or that, my dear!

It is the proof of your freedom of action. Some people think that they are born helpless and that they have no freedom of action at all. In their opinion they are like stones dropped from above that cannot do anything except falling down. Or they are like a plant, which grows and flourishes in a certain way by which it is bound. They think against the dictates of their intellect and that of the nature. Everyone knows that he is free to do what he likes. He himself shapes his own destiny.

Force of Environment If, in earlier days, people used to blame destiny for the bad effects of their wrong deeds, people today say that environment is responsible for the adverse effects of their bad deeds. They are deceiving themselves and trying to cover up their own misdeeds. Let us see what is the ‘Force of environment’, which is mentioned in some social and philosophical books. What they mean is that it is in the interest of man to meet the demands of time and to live according to the times.

For example, today, people share the benefits of modern technology. They travel by airplanes; rest under the shades of electricity (air conditioning) and modern techniques are utilized in the educational field etc. Thus man has to walk with the society and has to act like others. We accept the ‘force of environment’ upto this limit.

However some people take undue benefit and blame the society and the environment for their own wrong ways and if the young generation is being spoilt they say, “The youths are not to blame because the environment is bad.” Such people make a mockery of reason and logic. They are themselves responsible for the consequences because were free to act rightly or wrongly.