Does Allah Almighty have complete control over us, or is "man a witness against himself" and held accountable for his deeds that lead to the afterlife without worldly punishment?
Allah is the Creator of creation and their actions, but He has endowed the servant with a will and volition for which he will be held accountable. Allah may test His servants in this world due to their sins, to make them taste some of the recompense before the Hereafter. Allah Almighty said: "And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, and We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves." (Al-An'am 6:42). Calamities and corruption appear on land and sea because of what the hands of people have earned, that perhaps they may return. "And We will surely let them taste a torment other than the greater torment, that perhaps they will return" (As-Sajdah 32:21) – meaning by the "torment other than" the calamities of this world. Likewise, collective sins such as usury and abandoning jihad cause humiliation, the spread of indecencies brings plagues, withholding zakat prevents rain, and dishonesty in weights and measures leads to drought and the tyranny of the ruler. Ruling by other than what Allah has revealed empowers enemies, and abandoning the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet causes discord. If Allah intends good for His servant, He hastens his punishment in this world, and if He intends ill for him, He withholds from him [punishment for] his sin to recompense him for it on the Day of Resurrection. Man is observant of himself, and his limbs will bear witness against him on the Day of Resurrection.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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