The Holy Qur'an, akin to a guiding lamp, illuminates humanitys path towards truth. Verse 99 of Surah Yunus, with profound and meaningful expression, addresses one of the most fundamental human inquiries concerning divine will, human free will, and the role of divine guides. This verse, by raising the subject of divine will and negating compulsion in faith, opens a window towards understanding the wisdom of creation and the gradual evolution of the universe. In this treatise, through contemplation on this verse and analysis of the discourse of religious scholars, an effort has been made to elucidate its profound concepts in a coherent and clear framework. This work, considering the evolution of humanity and the cosmos, looks towards a distant future in which divine will guides the world to complete faith.
وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا ۚ أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ
And if your Lord had willed, all those on earth would have believed entirely. Are you then to compel mankind until they become believers?
Verse 99 of Surah Yunus, with astonishing expression, refers to the absolute power of God who is capable of guiding all beings on earth to faith. The phrase وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَآمَنَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ كُلُّهُمْ جَمِيعًا reflects the grandeur of divine will like a mirror. This will not only indicates God's ability to guide everyone but, with the particle لو, refers to the impossibility of its fulfilment in the present time. This impossibility does not stem from divine incapacity but originates from His wisdom in preserving human free will. Religious scholars emphasize that this verse postpones the achievement of universal faith to a distant future, perhaps billions of years hence, when the universe under divine will attains the perfection of faith.
This concept corresponds with verse 29 of Surah Al-Kahf:
فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ
So whoever wills, let him believe; and whoever wills, let him disbelieve.
This verse emphasises human free will in accepting or rejecting faith and shows that God, with His wisdom, has entrusted guidance to human free will.
The second part of the verse, through the negative interrogative أَفَأَنتَ تُكْرِهُ النَّاسَ حَتَّىٰ يَكُونُوا مُؤْمِنِينَ, negates any form of coercion in faith. Faith, like a jewel in the heart, blossoms only with free will and heartfelt awareness. Religious scholars stress that this address serves as a warning to the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) that guidance is a matter of the heart and is incompatible with compulsion. This concept, like a gentle breeze softly blowing on the branches, indicates that divine invitation must be tender and free from coercion.
This negation of compulsion aligns with verse 256 of Surah Al-Baqarah:
لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ
There is no compulsion in religion.
This verse clearly emphasises human freedom of will in accepting religion and negates all forms of coercion.
Some, with a superficial view, have deemed this verse irrational and invalid, as it apparently contrasts divine will with human compulsion. However, this misunderstanding arises from a misinterpretation of the literary and semantic structure of the verse. The particle لو and the negative interrogative not only exempt the verse from being invalid but also emphasise divine wisdom in preserving human free will. Religious scholars argue that instead of contradiction, this verse serves as a warning to the Prophet to avoid excessive insistence on guiding those who are averse.
This concept relates to verse 8 of Surah Al-Kahf:
وَإِنَّا لَجَاعِلُونَ مَا عَلَيْهَا صَعِيدًا جُرُزًا
And indeed We will make that which is upon it [into] a barren ground.
This verse highlights divine wisdom in guidance and misguidance and shows that God governs the universe according to His will.
The Holy Qur'an views the universe as a garden wherein humanity progresses from primitive stages towards spiritual perfection. Religious scholars emphasise that divine will, in a distant future, will guide the universe to complete faith. This evolution began from the time of Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) and has advanced to higher stages with the advent of prophets and saints such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and the Seal of the Prophets (peace be upon him). This journey flows like a mighty river towards a destination where the universe, under divine will, attains perfection.
This concept aligns with verse 2 of Surah Al-Mulk:
الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا
He who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed.
This verse regards creation as a test for human evolution and defines its purpose as the attainment of righteous deeds.
لو in Qur'anic Literature
The particle لو in Qur'anic literature serves as a key that unlocks profound meanings. This word points to the impossibility of fulfilment at the present moment but does not negate potentiality. Scholars of Arabic literature consider لو as an indicator of a condition of impossibility, which alludes to divine wisdom in the non-realisation of universal faith at the present time. This concept is linked to a future when divine will will guide the universe to complete faith.
This meaning corresponds with verse 30 of Surah Al-Anbiya:
لَوْ كَانَ فِيهِمَا آلِهَةٌ إِلَّا اللَّهُ لَفَسَدَتَا
If there were gods besides Allah in the heavens and the earth, both would have been ruined.
This verse, by employing لو, points to the impossibility of other deities and demonstrates divine wisdom.
The conduct of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), like a radiant sun, was founded upon invitation without coercion. Religious scholars emphasise that the Prophet never imposed compulsion in faith and advanced guidance with gentleness and wisdom. This conduct aligns with the negation of compulsion in verse 99 of Surah Yunus and indicates that faith flourishes only in an environment of freedom and awareness.
This concept links to verse 88 of Surah Yusuf:
وَلَا تُكْرِهُوا فَتَيَاتِكُمْ عَلَى الْبِغَاءِ
And do not compel your slave girls to prostitution.
This verse rejects coercion in moral matters and accords with the Prophets practice of invitation without compulsion.
Prophets and saints, like stars in the sky of guidance, each occupy a level of evolution. Religious scholars affirm that from Prophet Adam (peace be upon him) to the Seal of the Prophets (peace be upon him) and saints such as Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and the Awaited Imam (may God hasten his reappearance), each has advanced a step in the path of human evolution. This evolution will culminate in a distant future with the advent of the saints, guiding the universe to complete faith.
This concept relates to verse 124 of Surah Al-Baqarah:
وَإِذِ ابْتَلَىٰ إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ
And when his Lord tested Abraham with certain words and he fulfilled them.
This verse refers to the degrees of the prophets' trials and their evolution in the path of guidance.
Divine will, like a mighty wave, guides the universe towards a lofty destination. Religious scholars emphasise that this will shall guide the universe to complete faith in a distant future. This future will be realised through the advent of saints such as the Awaited Imam (may God hasten his reappearance), who, without reliance on material instruments, will lead the world towards perfection.
This concept corresponds with verse 83 of Surah Az-Zukhruf:
فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا وَيَلْعَبُوا حَتَّىٰ يُلَاقُوا يَوْمَهُمُ الَّذِي يُوعَدُونَ
So leave them to plunge into vain talk and play until they meet their Day which they are promised.
This verse points to the fulfilment of divine promises in the future and accords with the concept of divine will.
Human beings, due to ignorance, sometimes conceive God and the prophets at low levels, whereas Allah, The Eternal Refuge, is an exalted being beyond material conceptions. Religious scholars emphasise that prophets and saints, like lofty peaks, stand at the highest levels of evolution, and divine will guides the universe towards this perfection.
This concept relates to verse 112 of Surah Al-Baqarah:
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
He neither begets nor is born.
This verse emphasises the self-sufficiency (As-Samad) of God and absolves Him from all material conceptions.
Human beings, like travellers on the path of truth, are in need of reliance and supplication. Religious scholars stress that supplication, like a key, opens the doors of guidance. The invocation اللّهم صلّ على محمد و آل محمد preserves one from misguidance and erroneous perceptions and leads towards truth.
This concept corresponds with verse 10 of Surah Taha:
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا
Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us.
This verse introduces supplication as a tool for preserving guidance and a blessed outcome.
Verse 99 of Surah Yunus, like a blazing torch, illuminates the path of truth. This verse, by emphasising divine will and negating compulsion in faith, reveals the wisdom of creation and the gradual evolution of humanity. Divine will will guide the universe to complete faith in a distant future, and humanity, on this path, advances towards perfection with the guidance of prophets and saints. This treatise, by elucidating the concepts of this verse and linking it with other Qur'anic verses, has endeavoured to present a deep and coherent perspective on this truth. May these reflections serve as a guide for seekers of truth.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi