Determinism

Muhbib Abdul Wahab

In the Big Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI) it is explained that determinism means an understanding that considers every event or action, whether physical or spiritual, to be a consequence of previous events and exists without will. This means that human life and activities are determined (determinant) by forces outside themselves, especially natural forces.

Determinism or causal determinism, known in physics as cause and effect, views that events in a paradigm are bound by causality, so that each event is completely determined by previous conditions. So, humans and their behavior are determined by nature. Among the figures of determinism are Charles Darwin, Frederich Ratzel and Elsworth Huntington.

According to Charles Darwin (1809), with his theory of evolution, living things continuously experience development, and in the process of development natural selection occurs. Living creatures that are able to adapt to their environment will be able to survive and escape natural selection. So, nature plays a very important role in determining human existence and activities.

Meanwhile, Frederich Ratzel (1844-1904) argued that humans and their lives are very dependent on nature. Cultural development is determined by natural conditions. Its mobility remains limited and determined by natural conditions on earth. In Principle of Human Geography, Elsworth Huntington strengthens these two opinions by stating that climate greatly determines the development of human culture. The world's climates are very diverse. This diversity of climates creates different cultures. For example, culture in cold climates is different from that in warm or tropical climates. People who live in desert areas definitely have a different culture than people who live in subtropical areas.

Thus, determinism views humans as forced and not having freedom in all their actions. This view is almost the same as Jabariyah and Asy'ariah theology. In this case, humans are like puppets, determined and dependent on the puppeteer, forced (majbur, musayyar) in every action, lacking will, endeavor and freedom. All human actions are determined by God's absolute will.

The theological argument of fatalism (determinism) states that if humans have endeavor and freedom, this means limiting the domain of God's power. Everything that happens in this universe, including human actions, can happen because of God's will. This, among other things, is based on the verse: وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاۤءُ وَيَخْتَارُ ۗمَا كَانَ لَهُم "And your Lord created and chose what He wants it. For them (humans) there is no choice. Glorified is Allah and exalted is He above what they associate with each other." (QS al-Qashash: 68)

Another argument from Asyariah is the lack of harmony between divine qadha and qadar with human endeavor. What is meant by Divine destiny is that God provides special levels and limits of quality and quantity, space and time that follow the mechanism of causality and gradual factors in everything. The Divine provision (qadha) means that after all the antecedents, causes and conditions for a phenomenon are available, the Divine provision will convey everything at the peak level and will definitely be realized. Therefore, humans have no influence and role in realizing human actions themselves. So, humans are not free to make choices in their lives.

However, determinism or fatalism in Islam is not absolute, because humans were created by Allah SWT. with potential and power: reason (thinking), heart, nature, and guidance (guidance, in the form of Shari'a) by being sent to the Prophet and Apostle. Therefore, humans are given a mandate and taklif (assignment and responsibility) in worship and carrying out khilafah (leadership) on earth.

Therefore, the qadariyah school emerged (derived from the word qadara which means ability and strength) which was the antithesis of Jabariyah. This theological understanding holds that humans are given freedom of will and the ability to choose and carry out their actions (mukhayyar). All human actions are carried out based on their own will. They are also fully responsible for their good and bad deeds during their lives. In this case, Allah says: “Allah does not burden a person except according to his ability. He gets the reward (from the good deeds) he works for and he gets the punishment (from the evil) he does…” (QS al-Baqarah: 286).

Therefore, absolute determinism is incompatible with rational Islamic theology which places humans in a weak, helpless position, dependent on natural factors and solely God's destiny. In fact, all human actions in the afterlife will be held accountable and will be rewarded: heaven or hell according to their good or bad deeds. “And do not follow what you have no knowledge of. Indeed, hearing, sight and heart, all of them will be asked to account for." (QS al-Isra': 36]

So, the believer must believe in destiny, as well as believe that Allah has given him the ability to think, freedom of will, freedom of action, including the ability to choose good or bad deeds, so that he must do deeds that can be accounted for in the afterlife. . Therefore, believers must try to make changes in a better and progressive direction, because change starts from themselves, not from external factors. God bless you God willing َدَّ لَهُۥ ۚ وَمَا لَهُم مِّن دُونِهِۦ مِن وَالٍ

“Indeed, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change the condition of themselves. And if Allah wants evil for a people, then no one can resist it; and there is no protector for them but Him." (QS ar-Ra'd:11).