The Will Means Freedom of Choice
Editorial verification status: This claim atom was extracted from an explanatory audio-visual source, and it has now been linked to the closest books within the Shahrur project at the book level. For precise academic citation, consult the original book and the original episode together.
Formulation of the claim
Shahrur defines human will as freedom of choice between alternatives.
Explanation
He connects “if you will” with free action, meaning that human beings have the capacity to choose.
For him, will is not merely desire, but a space of open decision before the individual.
He sees God as having granted human beings this sphere from the outset.
Thus, will becomes one of the signs of human dignity.
Its place in the episode’s argument
This claim atom is one of the episode’s most important pillars, because it shifts the discussion from destiny to responsibility.
It also explains why there is faith and unbelief, and uprightness and misguidance.
Scope of the claim
It does not mean that human beings are independent of the divine law; rather, they choose within that law.
Brief witness
“Will is freedom of choice.”
Nearby links
- Shahrur - freedom
- Shahrur - Islam and faith
- Book: Islam and the Human Being