Pre-destiny

As part of a discussion, a friend wrote: I tend to disagree with the concept of life paths being pre-programmed (due to some evidence in hadith etc.). But at the same time cannot fully defend this position.If that is true, the even intentions are pre-programmed. What do we do about that? I understand a discussion on pre-destiny will not take us very far.
Answer: Holy Quran 2:49 And (remember) when We delivered you from Fir\'aun's (Pharaoh) people, who were afflicting you with a horrible torment, killing your sons and sparing your women, and therein was a mighty trial from your Lord.
Notice in the above verse, Allah is stating that even the worst attrocities committed are with his knowledge and permission_ nobody can do anything without Allah allowing it to happen. Pharoah and his people perpetrated the terrible crimes, but they could only do so because Allah let them, as Allah meant it as a mighty trial of the Bani Israel. If God had not willed it, they would not have been able to do anything. Pharoah, Bani Israel and all of us, we are all responsible for our intentions and what we try to do. The outcomes are pre-destined.It is attributed to the wise Ali (the Prophet's companion, cousin and son-in-law), that someone once asked him the difference between pre-destiny(taqdeer) and (tadbeer) [the ability to plan and do]. He asked the person to stand and fold one leg up and balance himself on the other, the person did so, then he asked the person to lift both his legs up, ie stand without support, that he couldn't do. Then Ali said, the first act (standing on one leg) was tadbeer, and no being able to stand without any leg to support is taqdeer. I do not think intentions are pre-programmed, I think we are free to think and choose, and come to our own conclusions, and then try and act upon them. Its the outcomes of our actions that are already decided, and that is why we are adviced sabr [patience] when things are not going as we would like them to be. This also neccessarily requires us to also remember that Allah is Just, Merciful, Ever-Watchful, All-Knowing and Omnipotent, that He will definitely recompense those who suffer, will not try anyone beyond what they can bear, will reward beyond limits, and is capable of turning the tide anytime, thus the belief in the power of prayer and supplication. Striving to do what is right is what we will be judged on, so we must think and try to do the right things. We are not responsible beyond that, or so I think! Perhaps its the attitude that matters...
Also see: http://islam-qna.blogspot.com/2010/03/memory-subconscious-and-unconscious.html

All-loving Perfect God?

Question: Why did an all-loving God create such a mess? The question, for me, leads logically to three possible conclusions: (1) He is not the Creator God to begin with; (2) He created a perfect world but another powerful entity (the Bible says that Satan is the prince of this world) took over and fouled things up, or (3) God, the Creator, is Himself imperfect.

Answer: Ever considered a software, or perhaps a still easier analogy, a video game, how it is designed and how it responds to the players' inputs? You see, the software designer engineers a set of possibilities which are programmed in a set of ‘if’ ‘elseif’ ‘else’ conditions or ‘while’ ‘do while’ ‘for’ 'next' loops knowing very well all the possible choices the player can possibly make, and even though the game evolves in exactly the same pattern as it was designed, yet, it is coloured in the choices made by the player. The player has no power over the result of his choices, but he does have a limited power to make the right choices. The perfect game that he plays, or the mess he creates is based on his own aptitude, and does not reflect the perfection/imperfectness of the designer. If the game crashed, gave an unknown error, then the programmer is flawed, but if the game continues till the end, then the programmer has done a very good job incorporating and designing around all possible user inputs. That our world continues, that inspite of all the evil perpetrated by humans upon humans, life goes on, and good things still happen, and all in all, everything continues till such a time as is prophesized that it will come to an end, all indicates a perfect designer. But, He tells us that this is no mere sport, that there is a purpose behind this world and this life, and beyond what we’ve been told, we will be acquainted with the reality of it in the Hereafter. Till then, we just have to trust Him, and wait……….He will tell us when the time is right, or so I guess!
And as far as Satan being the prince is concerned, well, like us He is also allowed to make His choices, but actually everything happens exactly according to the Divine plan….we can only make choices, whether we are humans or genies.
Have you seen the movie, Matrix? Sometimes I think perhaps we are simply plugged in here like in the movie!