Why is God Testing Man, if He Already Knows the Result?

 

By

 

Moiz Amjad

 

 

Question:

If ALLAH knows the future of every man then why is still ALLAH testing us? If ALLAH knows that one person shall go to hell then what purpose does his life serve? ALLAH knows everything.

I await for your answer.

Answer:

God is testing man, by giving him free will to choose between right and wrong. It does not matter, if the results are already known to the Almighty or not. The thing that matters is that whether or not man is free to do right, if he chooses to, or not.

According to the Qur'an (Al-Ahzaab 33: 72), God put man in this test, because man himself chose to be tested. God gave man the choice to accept this test or turn down the offer. Man accepted to take up the responsibility, as he was tempted by the rewards that were to follow his success, but ignored the penalty consequent upon his failure.

Thus, it does not matter if God knows about the ultimate result of an individual's test or not. What matters is that 1) man has not been put in this test, against his will and that 2) man is free to do right and, as a result, succeed in his test and thereby render himself deserving of the eternal bliss of Paradise.

I hope this helps.

 

Source: http://www.understanding-islam.com/related/text.asp?type=question&qid=93&sscatid=54

 

 

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