Hello there, my young scholars of religion.

My name is Ms. Marx, and I'm going to be your religious education teacher today.

Today we're going to be doing about Muslim beliefs with human responsibility and freedom.

We're going to get quite philosophical as we're doing this together, and we will be discussing ideas related to death and the afterlife.

So, when you're ready for that, let's go.

So, by the end of this lesson, you'll be able to explain what a belief in predestination is and how this can relate to the idea of human freedom in Islam.

So, let's start with our key terms. Free will: being able to choose between different actions.

Omnipotent: Allah is all powerful.

Omniscient: Allah is all knowing.

Predestination: Allah has predecided everything that happens.

And responsibility: free will makes humans accountable for their deeds.

So, look out for those in today's lesson.

So, our lesson today will have three sections: What is a belief in predestination; the importance of beliefs about predestination; and human responsibility.

So, let's start with our first section, what is a belief in predestination? If I could travel in time and see what you do tomorrow, so I know now what you're going to do tomorrow, would you be free to choose to do something else? If I know what you're going to do tomorrow, would you be able to choose to do something else if I already have that knowledge? Because many Muslims believe that Allah is all knowing, and that that means Allah already knows today what's going to happen tomorrow, and they might use the word omniscient for that.

So, if Allah already knows what's happening tomorrow, are you free to choose to do something different today? Muslims also believe that humans have free will, which means that humans do have that choice, that free choice to choose what they're going to do.

And this is a very big philosophical question that is posed when we're looking at ideas in religion; there's an omniscient God who knows what's going to happen tomorrow, and yet we still have free will to choose what we're going to do, and we'll explore this philosophical question a bit more together today.

So, Meryem, Iqbal, and Fatemeh are discussing how the 99 names of Allah can help them understand what Allah is like; so this idea of what God is like can be understood through the 99 names.

We've got Meryem, who says, "The name al-Qadr means that Allah is all powerful.

Nothing happens that is not Allah's will." And Iqbal says, "The name al-Amine means that Allah is all knowing.

Allah knows all that will happen and has happened." And Fatemeh says, "The name al-Adl means that Allah is just.

We are fairly judged on the actions we freely choose to do." So, each of these names are names that God is known as and characteristics of God.

And so, perhaps can we see how this might pose some different philosophical questions? Well, lots of these questions are around this idea of predestination, so let's understand this word a bit more.

Predestination can be split into two sections: pre and destination.

And that prefix "pre" means before, so you've got it in words like prevent or predict.

And destination is to do with the place where someone is going or will be sent, or the outcome of what's going to happen.

So, the idea of predestination is the belief that Allah has already decided everything that will happen before the event, pre.

And many Muslims believe that Allah has decreed what will happen, so not only decide what will happen but ensure that it will happen, and that this is part of Allah's omnipotence and omniscience.

So, the idea that Allah already knows would be omniscience, and the idea that what happens is God's will is omnipotence.

And predestination is one of the six articles of faith, which are particularly important within the Sunni branch of Islam.

So, let's do a quick check before we move on.

Which term means that Allah is all knowing: omnibenevolent, omnipotent, or omniscient? Pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you've done in a moment.

Well done.

It's omniscient.

So, I like to think of it as science being to do with knowledge; omniscient, all knowing.

Well done.

So, we've said that Muslims have this belief, particularly within Sunni Islam, that things are predestined by Allah.

Well, what sources of authority can link to that belief then? Well, the first one we're going to go to is the Quran, is the ultimate source of authority within Islam.

And we have these two verses, or aya, in here which can help us.

We have, in Surah 33, "The command of God is an absolute decree." And in Surah 76, "Yet you cannot will unless God wills.

God is knowing and wise." So, let's have a think about these.

How could these support a belief in predestination? So, that idea that what happens is God's will and God already knows what will happen.

Pause the video and have a read through of these two verses or aya again, and have a think, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

What I've got here, that the command, so the thing that Allah has commanded will happen, is an absolute decree, so it will happen; a decree being a rule or a command that someone has to follow.

So, the idea that things will happen because they are God's will, or the supremacy of God's will, and that is predestination.

And then, we've got here, "We cannot will unless God wills." So, that idea again of it being God's will when things happen.

But then, also we have here that God is knowing and wise, so the idea that God knows.

God would have the knowledge of what's gonna happen in the future too.

I've got here, God's command is absolute, and God knows all and wills all things that happen.

So, not only is the Quran a source of authority for Muslims to understand these different beliefs, we've got the Hadith, which is the sayings of the prophet Mohammed and the things that he said and did, that his companions saw and passed on.

So, in the Hadith, it says "The vow", promise, "does not bring about for the son of Adam anything I have not decreed for him, but his vow may coincide with what has been decided for him.

And by this way, I cause a miser", someone who doesn't share, "to spend of his wealth." So, let's think about this Hadith and how this could support a belief in predestination then.

Pause the video, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well, there's lots we could unpack in here about the idea of God's will and predestination.

So, here, God is saying that "Whatever promise or vow I might make to do something, it will not be happening" unless it is what God has decreed or wills to happen, decides and commands will happen.

And even here, we've got the idea that someone who doesn't want to do something is going to do it against their own will if that's what Allah wills; this idea of a miser, somebody who doesn't want to share their wealth is going to be caused to share their wealth by Allah.

So, here I've got here, even if we choose to do something, we wouldn't do it if it wasn't God's plan for us, and it can go against our wants if it is God's plan.

So, quite a strong idea here of the idea of predestination.

So, Lucas and Laura are discussing how these sources of authority we've looked at could support a belief in predestination.

Lucas says, "A Muslim might believe in predestination because in the Quran it says, 'The command of Allah is an absolute decree.

' This shows that Allah has willed everything to happen and already knows it." And Laura says, "A Muslim might believe in predestination because, in the Hadith, the prophet Mohammed said that no matter what we vow, Allah decrees what happens.

Allah could cause 'a miser to share his wealth', meaning it happens because Allah has caused it." And what I really like about what Lucas and Laura have done here is they've stated the source.

we've got Lucas using the Quran and Laura using the Hadith.

Well done, Lucas and Laura.

So, let's do another check to see what we've learned.

In which Muslims source of authority was the example given that Allah could cause "a miser to share his wealth"? Pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you've done in a moment.

Well done.

That was the example given in the Hadith.

So, let's do a practise task to see what we've learned then.

You're going to describe Muslim beliefs about predestination, and each part of your answer you're going to include a range of religious specialist terms. And for one part of your answer, you should use a source of wisdom and authority; it could be an exact or paraphrased quote or a general teaching from a named source.

And then, accurately apply this to the point and the question.

So, it's about applying the quote that you're using to the question.

And your guidance is to give two points and develop each of them.

And for one of them, you're going to refer to that source of wisdom and authority.

So, pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you've done in a moment.

Well done, some good thinking there on quite a big, philosophical topic.

So, I asked you to describe Muslim beliefs about predestination, and your answer may look something like this.

"One Muslim belief about predestination is that Allah knows what choices we'll make and that everything will happen in the future as Allah is omniscient.

This means Allah is knowing of the past, present and future events.

Another Muslim belief about predestination is that Allah is omnipotent, and nothing happens that is not the will of Allah.

Muslims read in the Quran, "You cannot will unless God wills", which shows that nothing happens that's not part of Allah's plan and decree." And so, in both of these sections, I've used some specialist language of predestination, omnipotent, and omniscient; but they've also, in the second section, used that source of authority from the Quran, and I've applied it to my point about it being to do with God's will, and nothing happens that's not part of Allah's decree.

Well done.

So, onto our second section, then, the importance of beliefs about predestination.

Well, why is the belief in predestination important for many Muslims, then? If there's this belief, why might it hold importance? Well, we could say that predestination is linked to Allah's omnipotence; we've mentioned this before.

So, if someone believes that God is all powerful, then someone's going to believe, perhaps, that nothing happens outside of the will of Allah.

Everything is down to the will of Allah rather than my will, because God is all powerful and holds all that power.

Also, predestination is linked to Allah's omniscience; so that's being all knowing.

So, the idea is that God knows what happened in the past, present and the future.

And that's quite an important belief in Islam, isn't it, the idea that Allah knows what will happen, for example, in the end times and on Judgement Day.

And finally, predestination is linked to Allah's plan for the world.

So, this could be a great comfort for many Muslims, this idea that there is a plan, and no matter what is happening, it's all within the will of Allah.

So, let's see why this belief in predestination might be important for Muslims then.

Laura is asking Iqbal, "Why is the belief in predestination important to you, Iqbal?" And Iqbal says, "A belief in predestination is important because it means I trust in Allah.

If I'm worried about the future, then I know I can trust Allah's plan for me.

I often say in 'insha'Allah' when I talk about future plans; it means 'God willing' and it reminds me that things only happen if Allah decrees them.

This reassures me and makes me feel more confident about the future." Thank you, Iqbal.

And Lucas is asking Meyrem, "Why is a belief in predestination important to you, Meyrem?" And Meyrem says, "A belief in predestination is important as, when I pray to Allah, asking for help, I know Allah has the power to help me.

If Allah's power was limited, then why would I pray for help? I know that Allah would want me to do the right actions when I have a choice, and so I try to make good decisions in my life." So, this idea of Allah's omnipotence is very important to Meyrem here.

So, Meyrem and Iqbal have just shown us there's often more than one way that a belief can have an importance for believers.

We're going to, together, give one way that belief in predestination might be important to a Muslim.

Hmm.

I think praying to alert for help and guidance to do the right thing, because if Allah is omnipotent, then we can pray and ask for help from that omnipotent God.

So, over to you then.

Give one way that a belief in predestination might be important to a Muslim.

Pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you've done in a moment.

I've got here, trusting in Allah's plan, but you could also have saying insh'Allah after future plans, and feel reassured about the future.

Now, I said at the start of this lesson, the ideas to the predestination and free will are very important in the discussions of the philosophy of religion, and they can raise some very philosophical questions for us.

So, we're going to explore these a bit more now with Lucas, Laura, and Alex.

They're questioning how a belief in predestination could influence someone.

So, Lucas asks, "Wouldn't a belief in predestination mean there's no point trying to be good if it's already decided?" So, it doesn't matter whether I want to do good or not, it's already been decided whether I will or I won't.

So, is there any point even trying? Laura says, "Would it make you feel like you don't have free will because it's not your will but Allah's?" So, if we say the idea of free will is important in Islam, the idea that we're freely choosing to do our actions, does that really match with this idea that God has already decided what we're going to do, and it's God's will and not ours? And then, finally, Alex asks, "Can Allah punish someone for doing bad actions that Allah had decided they would do?" So, kind of the flip side to that miser in the Hadith who shared his wealth even though he didn't want to, what if it's someone who does bad actions but it's God that willed them to do it? Can God then punish them fairly for that if God is fair? How do you think a Muslim could respond to these challenges then? Pause the video and have a think, and you could talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well, as I said, this is one of the biggest questions that's asked within the philosophy of religion, and it's been debated for centuries by different philosophers and Islamic scholars as well.

So, let's have a think about some of the responses.

Many Muslims do not view predestination in that way, and Iqbal is a Sunni Muslim, and here he is gonna explain how he understands predestination and kind of addresses some of those questions.

Iqbal says, "I believe that Allah's will is supreme and nothing happens without the will of Allah, but I must still try to do the right thing and avoid bad actions.

Allah knows me so well; he knows what choices I will make.

Allah is fair and just and will judge everyone depending on their actions and intentions for the afterlife.

I cannot fully understand Allah as I'm just a small part of Allah's entire creation." So, ultimately, if I can't even understand how predestination and free will can work together, that's because I'm just a part of the creation of Allah, and Allah is all-knowing and omnipotent and can do the impossible.

I also like about Iqbal's response here, the idea that God just knows him so well, he knows what choice he's going to make, and lots of Muslims take that approach to solving this issue of predestination and free will.

Let's do another check then.

Is this true or false? A belief in predestination means it doesn't matter what choices a person makes in their life.

Is that true or false? Pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you've done in a moment.

That is false, isn't it? But why? Well, it's false because Muslims who believe in predestination believe they should still make right choices and avoid bad actions in life.

Allah knows them so well, and Allah knows what choices they'll make and will judge them fairly.

So, let's do another practise task to see what we've learned then.

Here's a full evaluation question using the statement below, and the statement is, "Aa belief in predestination means that Muslims have no free will." And the full question would be for you to discuss this statement showing you've considered more than one point of view, when you have to also refer to religion and belief in your answer.

So, let's unpack the statement then.

The statement is suggesting that a person believing in predestination means they also believe that Muslims do not have free will, so this idea that you can't have both beliefs, predestination and free will.

So, what you're going to do is write a paragraph showing a different point of view to the statement, so for example, that a Muslim could believe in both predestination and free will.

And in your answer, you need to refer to Muslim teachings and give reasons to support this view.

So pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you've done in a moment.

Well done.

Some really good thinking there.

And we're getting quite philosophical, aren't we? So, I asked you to write a paragraph showing a different point of view to the statement, referring to Muslim teachings.

And the statement was, "A belief in predestination means that Muslims have no free will." And you could have said, "Some Muslims would disagree with the statement and argue a belief in predestination does not mean Muslims do not have any free will.

This is because Muslims believe all people have freedom to choose the actions they take and they'll be judged on this.

Allah knows the choices they'll make as Allah is omniscient, and all the actions are within his will, but humans are still free in the choice they make, as in the Quran it says "You cannot will unless God wills".

It's still a human who wills that action, showing that there is free will.

So, onto our third and final section, then, human responsibility.

Now, Muslim teachings state that all humans are born in a state without sin or blame; they do not carry a sin or a blame from Adam, the first man.

Now, in some religions, there may be approaches that have the idea that people are either born with the sin of someone previous, or it may be that they're born sinful or likely to commit sins.

Also, you find that outside of religion, in sort of psychology looking at the human mind, are we born more likely to do wrong and to do bad actions? So, that's another big philosophical question, isn't it? But within Islam, that teaching is not found.

It's up to each person how they live and if they pass life's test or not.

So, each individual person, they're born, and then it's the actions that they freely choose to do throughout their life that they are then judged on.

On Judgement Day, each person will be given their book of deeds.

Each person is held responsible for their actions, as they freely chose to do them with free will.

And in that book of deeds will be written down the good deeds and the bad deeds that person freely chose to do, so that they can be fairly judged on it.

Each person is held accountable for their actions, as they'll be either rewarded or punished, depending on the weight of these deeds, good or bad.

Let's do a quick check.

Muslims believe that people are born with a tendency to sin and with the blame of actions of prophet Adam, the first man.

Is that a teaching in Islam? Pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you've come up with in a moment.

That is false, isn't it? But why? It's false because each person in Islam has accountability and responsibility for their own sins that they freely choose to do while they're alive.

They're not born with original sin or a tendency to sin.

Well done.

So, where can we find evidence for this, then, in Muslim teachings? Well, we can look to the Quran as the ultimate source of authority.

And here's a phrase that is said five times in the Quran, so that sort of shows how important it is as a belief within Islam, doesn't it? And this phrase crops up five times.

"And no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another." So, let's try and understand this a bit more.

How could this phrase support the idea of human accountability and responsibility? Pause the video and have a think.

Read the phrase again, "No bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another", and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well, here's the idea that each person's deeds and punishments belongs to them.

They're not judged on someone else's action.

They're not carrying something for somebody else, not something that your family's done or your partner's done or your children have done; it's each individual person's burden that they're carrying.

And it's mentioned so often, it must be important if it's mentioned five times in the Quran as this phrase.

The Quran also supports human accountability, so we've got the idea of being responsible for things, but also being accountable for things.

And it says here in Surah 17, "And on the day of resurrection, we will bring out for him a book which he will find spread open.

Read your book; today there will be none but yourself to call you for account." So, this idea of, at judgement , humans will be given that book, and they will have to account for these actions.

What beliefs about a human accountability can this text support then? Pause the video and read through it again, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well, I've got here that Allah will judge all people depending on their actions, and people will either have a pleasant life or go to hell on account of their actions.

So, as the actions are kind of counted up on account of that, it'll decide whether they go to the pleasant life or go to hell.

So, Sofia and Andeep are discussing how these sources could support a belief in human responsibility then.

And Sofia says, "A Muslim might believe that humans are responsible for their actions because each person's actions will be recorded in a book of deeds.

It says in the Quran, on the day of resurrection, each person will have to 'read your book' and take account." And Andeep says, "A muslim might believe that they're each responsible for their own actions because the Quran has the phrase, "And no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another." And it's said five times.

And what I really like about what Sofia and Andeep have done here is they've stated the source; both of them have used the Quran as to where these beliefs are linked to.

Well done, Sofia and Andeep.

Abdi is a Muslim prison chaplain, which means he works in prisons, working particularly to support Muslims in their spiritual journey and their spiritual faith.

And a belief in responsibility is important to him.

He says, "I support prisoners' spiritual journey while they're in prison.

I may work with people who've done terrible crimes, but I don't believe anyone is born sinful.

Everyone can change their ways and do good deeds with the right guidance and support.

Everyone will be held responsible for their actions, but it's never too late to change and start making the right choices and do good deeds." So, for Abdi, it's important for him that the people he's working with, he doesn't think they were born sinful or born having to do wrong.

They've made those choices, and he wants to help guide them.

How does Abdi show the importance of a belief in human responsibility then? Have a reread of what he said, and you can talk to the person next to you or talk to me.

Well, what's come through quite strong from Abdi here is this idea of people still being able to change.

Even if they have done these actions, they'll be responsible for them.

They can still make the right choices and have some good deeds.

Thank you, Abdi.

So, time for another check then.

Which of these statements is the most accurate about Muslim beliefs about human responsibility? Humans can be responsible for the sins of people born after them if they're from the same family; humans have free will, so they're responsible for their actions; Humans are born sinful and are held accountable for the sins of those who came before them.

Which of these is the most accurate to do with Muslim beliefs? Pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you've done in a moment.

Well done.

Only the second one is accurate to do with Muslims beliefs, isn't it, that humans have free will and they're responsible for their actions? Well done.

So, let's do another practise task to see what we've learned then.

Here we've got Sofia and Andy who are planning an answer to the question, "Explain why human responsibility is important in Islam" and you're going to complete the table with the missing information.

And for each one, we've got a point, develop, a source of wisdom or authority, and importance.

And Sofia's point is "Each person will be judged on their deeds", and her source of wisdom or authority is, "On the day of resurrection, We should bring for him a book which he shall find spread open." And you need to develop her point and explain why that is important.

Andeep, we've got the development, "Humans are not born with the sin of another", and the importance that "It's up to each individual, how they act whilst on Earth, and is what they are responsible for." And what you need to do is decide the point he was making and give me a source of wisdom and authority.

So, pause the video and have a go, and we'll see what you've done in a moment.

Well done, some great thinking there.

So, your table may look something like this.

Sofia: "Each person will be judged on their deeds," and you could develop this through, "These deeds are recorded into a book of deeds and handed to them on the day of judgement.

And the importance of this is that all the actions that someone has done, they'll be responsible for on the day of judgement.

And the point you could have given Andeep, is that humans are responsible only for their own actions, because he developed that with "Humans are not born with the sin of another." And the source of wisdom or authority could be that phrase that's said five times in the Quran, "And no bearer of burdens shall bear the burden of another." So, well done.

So, let's summarise what we've learned today then.

Many Muslims believe that Allah has predestined everything, yet humans still have free will.

Humans are responsible for their choices, even though Allah already knows them.

On Judgement Day, people will be judged based on their deeds, which are recorded in the book of deeds.

And Islam teaches that people are not born sinful, they are responsible for their own actions and can seek forgiveness.

So, well done for your hard work today, my young philosophers and theologians, and I'll see you again soon.

Bye-bye!.