Page 48 - Pure Life 39
P. 48
A Functionalist Analysis of Free Will and Its Role… A. Mustapha et al (23
Ikhtiyar (Free Will) choice, but their actions are still within
The term Ikhtiyar (free will) is used in God’s will and decree. Humans
several meanings, which are as follows: perform actions using a power granted
1. The influence of the agent’s will on by God, which persists only through
his own action. God’s continuous support.
2. Choice in the presence of conflicting According to Shiite beliefs, humans
inclinations (Ṭabāṭabāʾī, 1995, p. 174). have free will and influential power, but
3. The influence of the agent’s will on his they are not independent in their
own action without external pressure influence. The power to act is at human
(Miṣbāḥ Yazdi, 2014, p. 490). discretion, but its foundation is divine.
Among these meanings, only the first Thus, human actions stem from both
one stands in opposition to philosophical divine and human power and will, not
determinism. Thus, determinism means the in a participatory or composite manner,
lack of influence of the agent on his own nor a parallel manner, but sequentially
actions. Therefore, free will is the power of (Ruknī Lamūkī, 2008, p. 46; Moṭaharī,
choice and freedom in action, contrary to 1989, Vol. 6, pp. 629-633). Thus, based
determinism, where there is no choice. on this explanation, there is neither
Tafwīḍ (Delegation) compulsion nor delegation, because
The term Tafwīḍ (delegation), derived although humans are free in their
from the root ‘fa-wa-ḍa,’ meaning ‘to actions, it is not in such a way that God
entrust,’ is a verbal noun in the form of cannot prevent them from these actions
‘Tafʿīl.’This term has various (Jazāʾirī, 1996, Vol. 2, p. 300).
meanings and is sometimes used to Literature Review
denote legislative or existential In reviewing the topic, no specific work
delegation. However, in this context, was found except for a few articles titled
Tafwīḍ is used in opposition to Jabr ‘Foundations of Anthropological Ethics in
(compulsion), signifying that humans Nahj al-Balagha’, (Nazari & Bayani,
are independent in their actions and 2018), ‘An Examination of Theoretical
that God has no direct involvement in Philosophy of History in Nahj al-
their deeds (Zanūzī, 1992, p. 111). Balagha’, (Shirvani et al, 2017),
The Concept of ‘Intermediate Position’ ‘Determinism, Free Will, and Divine
This expressive term is derived from Justice’, (Biabani, 2001) and ‘An Analysis
the narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt. It is of the Impacts of Religious Ethics
sometimes referred to as a position Principles on the Individual Lifestyle in
between two positions. The concept of the Contemporary Era’, (Askarinejad et
‘intermediate position’ implies that al, 2024). These articles differ from our
humans act with their own will and paper in the following ways:
