Yasmina returned from vacation and joined last week's conversation in which Grace & Tziporah discussed the topic of God's will. We invite you to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Yasmina:
Grace, you are absolutely
right. The concept of God’s will is one of the central beliefs in Islam, and Tziporah’s
explanation of this concept in Judaism describes what it means and
entails in Islam, as well. This belief applies to past and future events, and we use the phrases
“In Sha Allah” and “Ma Sha Allah” to express it. Believing
in God’s will is actually one of the first concepts children learn as they hear
their parents respond to their demands: When children ask about going to the
park in the afternoon and parents respond, “In
Sha Allah,” they wonder if the answer is a "yes" or a "no." Soon they realize
that it’s a "yes, unless something happens to interfere with our plans."
The words “Ma Sha Allah” are used when referring to
events that have already occurred and when expressing
admiration—for someone’s children or home—to ward off the evil eye. More importantly, they are a verbal
expression of the heart’s eye that fully accepts and submits. For example, Muslims will say “Ma Sha Allah” when misfortune befalls
them, accepting what God has decreed for them. This verse illustrates the
point that we must equally accept the good and the bad: “And if God should touch you
with adversity, there is no remover of it except Him; and if He intends for you
good, then there is no one who repels His bounty. He causes it to reach whom He
will of His servants. And He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” (Yunus, 10:107)
As to the matter of justifying one’s actions by stating that they are God’s will,
this demonstrates ignorance or twisted motives. When catastrophes such as the
recent shootings occur, the one thing to remember is that although God has
allowed the perpetrators to act, this in no way means that He has blessed their
deeds. Understanding and accepting the tragedy that befalls us may be a test of
our patience and trust in God’s wisdom, but this is a topic for yet another
conversation.
