Causes and Effects... Is Achieving Results in Our Hands?
(Victory as an Example)
The investigation of causes and effects, the relationship between causes and results, or what is called the law of causality, and whether this relationship is fixed and does not fail or not, is a topic that has long been addressed by thinkers and intellectual and legal researchers. What is practically adopted among all people is that this relationship is self-evident and definitive. This connection is the destiny of God Almighty and His unchangeable law in things and people.
The word "cause" is used in this context in two senses; one is the meaning intended in mental and tangible matters, i.e., what is the cause of something else that results from it, such as the shattering of glass when it collides with something solid, or the falling of something hanging by a rope if the rope breaks, or the explosion of a closed object if the pressure inside continues to increase. This collision, breakage, or pressure is a mental cause of a result or effect, which is shattering, falling, or explosion, and the effect inevitably occurs when it occurs, and by its occurrence, i.e., at and by it. The word "cause" is also used in the technical legal sense in the principles of jurisprudence, such as seeing the crescent of Ramadan or the crescent of Shawwal to prove the obligation of fasting or Eid, and like the setting of the sun to prove the obligation of the Maghrib prayer. This is a cause in the sense that it establishes the rule of fasting, Eid, or the Maghrib prayer at it, not by it. That is, the rule is established by its legal evidence, not by it, because it is not a mental cause. Therefore, it is said that the cause in mental matters establishes the effect at and by it. As for legal matters, the cause establishes the rule at it, not by it. What is meant in this research is the cause in mental or tangible matters, which is the action or actions that are intended to achieve a goal, and the intended goal is the effect or the result.
The investigation of causes and effects is general in every cause and effect, or what is thought to be a cause and a result. For example, studying is a cause whose intended and hoped-for result is success, and agriculture is a cause whose intended and hoped-for result is harvest. Preparing for war and fighting is a cause intended to achieve a result, which is victory, extending influence and authority, and intimidating the enemy. Punishments are a mental and material cause in practice to prevent violations, and the legal method of establishing the Islamic state is a practical material cause for its establishment, which is the targeted result. The topic of causes and effects is general and includes all these issues or examples. It also includes the meaning of the saying: "He who strives finds, and he who sows reaps" in all its generality.
Since this research is general in these topics, what applies to any of them in terms of being a cause and effect, or a result or a goal, will apply to all of them. The most mentioned and questioned topic is the subject of victory as a result of actions that achieve it.
If the relationship between the cause and its effect is inevitable - which it is - this means that taking the causes will inevitably lead to their results. That is, taking the causes of victory will inevitably lead to victory, is this correct? And if the causes of victory are in the hands of those who are targeting it, this means that the results are also in their hands, is this correct? These questions are among the requirements of the research.
Among its requirements also, after establishing the inevitability of the connection between victory and its causes, is reconciling this fact with the legal texts that are definitively established and definitively indicate that victory is from God alone, as in His saying: ﴿And victory is not but from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise﴾ Surat Al Imran: 126, and His saying: ﴿If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely﴾ Surat Al Imran: 160, and His saying: ﴿O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet﴾ Surat Muhammad: 7. Which some observers see as a contradiction that raises doubts about that fact or doubts about it. In other words, questions arise: Does achieving victory depend only on the causes based on the material law of causality, or is it from God alone, whether the causes are taken or not? In other words: Is there a contradiction between the fact that victory has its material causes, and that it is an inevitable result of them if they are taken correctly, and the fact that it is only from God? Does the saying that if the causes are taken, victory is inevitably and always achieved, contradict the texts that limit victory to being from God? And does the saying that victory is from God, He gives it to whomever He wills regardless of taking the causes, mean that the matter of preparation is only a legal devotional obligation, and it has no effect on victory, neither negatively nor positively, and contradicts the law of causality? Thus, the problem that appears and raises questions becomes clear. The problem is that the relationship between the cause and the effect is a definitive fact, and the indication of the texts that victory is from God is also a definitive fact, and facts do not contradict. So what is the explanation? How can this problem be solved and the contradiction between these two facts be resolved, and their compatibility be clarified?
The answer initially is that facts do not contradict or conflict, whether mental facts among themselves, legal facts among themselves, or legal and mental facts together among themselves, they are all facts. If any contradiction appears between them, it is not real, but rather a confusion that disappears with knowledge, scrutiny, and good judgment. Therefore, it is called an apparent contradiction and not a real one.
Therefore, there is no contradiction between the law of causality or the inevitable relationship between causes and their results and the fact that victory is from God alone. If the cause occurs in its entirety, then the occurrence of the effect or the result is inevitable, this is how God ordained things and their laws. If we see that the result has not occurred, this does not mean a violation of the law, but rather it means that the cause has not occurred, or has not occurred in its entirety. There may be an error, such as the actor thinking that what he is doing is a cause when it is not. Or that events aborted the cause or hindered it and were like obstacles, and this happens a lot. Or that taking the causes is incomplete, making the result possible but not certain. And the strength of its possibility is proportional to the extent of taking the causes. This is always the case, as no one, no matter how knowledgeable and important, can take the causes completely, because he will not be able to know them completely, and he will not be able to take all that he knows of them, let alone the ignorance of events and variables that occur, and this makes taking the causes incomplete, and it is impossible to take them completely.
Therefore, the error or defect in achieving the result is not due to a defect in the law of connection between causes and their effects, but rather it is due to an error and deficiency in taking the causes. This deficiency, in addition to the existence of causes that are not within the perceived or the capable, makes the results not guaranteed. Therefore, it was certain that the results are in the hands of God Almighty and not in the hands of the worker, no matter how the causes are taken. Man seeks to take the causes that he believes lead to the result, and when he does, he can only take what he perceives of them, and what he is capable of from what he perceives. Since his perception is limited and incomplete, and his ability is also limited and incomplete, achieving the result or the goal will not be in his hands, but rather in the knowledge of God Almighty, and in His hands alone.
It may be said: But it is observed in many works that achieving results takes place without fail, whether the work is simple, such as demolishing a wall or a murder, or complex, such as works with many steps and stages, such as modern developed industries, for example. The answer is that whenever the causes of the desired goal or the causes of the result to be achieved are close and uncomplicated, and perceived and capable, the possibility of taking the causes increases more, and the achievement of the result increases, but it will not reach completion. Because there is always something beyond human perception and ability. And there are obstacles that occur or barriers that prevent the completion of taking the causes, such as forgetfulness or death, or the occurrence of opposing actions, or natural emergencies such as an earthquake, wind, or diseases that spread, and so on. Taking the causes leads to the result for sure, but it is not possible for a person, no matter how much knowledge and ability he is given, even if he is a prophet, to take the causes completely one hundred percent.
The matter becomes clearer in His saying: ﴿Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves﴾ Surat Ar-Ra'd: 11. This text indicates that God Almighty is the one who changes what is in people, and it also indicates that He Almighty will not change what is in them until they change what is in themselves. This also calls for consideration, because if they change what is in themselves, they have changed and the change has occurred, so why does He Almighty say that after that He will change what is in them? The answer is what has been said that there are causes of change that are in the hands of people, and there are what is beyond their perceptions and abilities. They must change what is in them from what is in their hands, and if they do, God Almighty will change what is in them from what is not in their hands, and the desired change will be achieved.
By taking victory in war as an example, what has been said becomes clear. Victory is a targeted result, which is achieved by its causes, from preparation, planning, fighting, and so on. Taking the causes of victory is necessary to achieve it. But no matter how much intellectual, material, and military forces those who take the causes are given, and abilities to analyze and plan, they will not encompass all the causes of victory, or its cause completely, and the preparation will remain incomplete. In addition to that, the enemy is also planning and taking the causes. In addition to that, there are emergencies that only God knows, such as a breach or betrayal, or a coup or assassinations, or the death of leaders, or the outbreak of diseases, or natural disasters, and so on. These are real examples that show that it is impossible to encompass the causes of victory, and that the causes that are taken may be disrupted by human or natural causes. This shows that tangible events also indicate that results and goals, including victory, are from God alone. Thus, the mentioned contradiction is removed, and it becomes clear that it is an apparent and illusory contradiction.
There are other issues related to this topic, including, for example, that victory is from God, so if the disbelievers are victorious over their like from the disbelievers or over the Muslims, is God the one who helped them? And among them is that the verses indicate that God's help for the believers is conditional on them helping Him, and that if they help Him, He will help them. And the believers' help for God Almighty is that they worship Him and obey Him. Does this condition mean that if they disobey Him, He will not help them? And among them, does the saying that the results are in the hands of God Almighty and not in our hands mean that people and those responsible are not responsible for defeats or for their failure to achieve the goals?
The answer to the first question is that His saying Almighty ﴿And victory is not but from Allah, the Exalted in Might, the Wise﴾ limits victory to being from God alone, and it is general in every victory, whether it is the victory of the believers or the victory of the disbelievers. This means that God Almighty helps the believers and those who adhere to Him, and helps those who do not believe and those who do not worship and obey Him.
This leads to the following question, which is, if the victory of the disobedient and the disbelievers and their like is from God Almighty, does this not contradict the verses that indicate that the faith of the believers and their help for God is a condition for His help for them, as in His saying Almighty: ﴿O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet﴾ Surat Muhammad: 7, and His saying: ﴿If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely﴾ Surat Al Imran: 160, and His saying: ﴿And ever is it incumbent upon Us to help the believers﴾ Surat Ar-Rum: 47? And it is known that the condition entails non-existence from its non-existence. Is there not a contradiction between the saying that God helps the disobedient and the disbelievers and the saying that faith and obedience are a condition for obtaining God Almighty's help?
The answer is that there is absolutely no contradiction between these texts. His saying Almighty ﴿And victory is not but from Allah﴾ is general in every victory, whether it is for the disbelievers or the believers. In addition to this general evidence, there is specific evidence on the subject that confirms its generality. It is God Almighty's help for the Romans over the Persians, where He Almighty informed that the Romans would overcome, and that this would be by God's help for them. God Almighty said: ﴿And that day the believers will rejoice * In the victory of Allah. He gives victory to whom He wills, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful﴾ Surat Ar-Rum: 4-5, and it is known that the Romans are disbelievers, meaning that the condition of faith and obedience is not present in them. So this saying is established. The texts have also indicated that the believers' help for God is a condition for His help for them. His saying Almighty: ﴿if you support Allah, He will support you﴾ is definitively indicative of that. However, this does not mean that the absence of obedience negates the possibility of God's help. The explanation of this is that this condition is not a condition for obtaining victory, but rather it is a condition for the inevitability of God's help for them because of their deserving of His help. That is, God Almighty has written on Himself that the faith of the believers and their help for Him necessitates His help for them. It is a promise from God or a covenant that He wrote on Himself as a favor from Him to the believers. As in His saying Almighty: ﴿[It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Quran. And who is more faithful to his covenant than Allah?﴾ Surat At-Tawbah: 111, and as He said: ﴿Your Lord has written [i.e., decreed] upon Himself mercy﴾ Surat Al-An'am: 54. The matter is the same here in the matter of victory, and it is confirmed by His saying Almighty: ﴿And ever is it incumbent upon Us to help the believers﴾ Surat Ar-Rum: 47, it is a right upon God, meaning a covenant from Him, or a promise that He Almighty wrote on Himself, that if you do such and such, I will help you. So the condition in His saying Almighty ﴿if you support Allah, He will support you﴾, is not a condition for God's help for them, but rather it is a condition for obtaining the covenant and the promise from God to them to help them, and God does not break His promise or His covenant. Therefore, if faith or obedience is absent, the victory from God is not negated, but His promise of victory is negated. And then He does what He wills, so He helps or does not help, He helps this group or that group, and He forsakes this group or that group. As He Almighty said in Surat Ar-Rum: ﴿He gives victory to whom He wills, and He is the Exalted in Might, the Merciful﴾. But if their faith and commitment are obtained, then God Almighty's help for them is obligatory.
As for the issue of responsibility for failure or defeats or for the failure to achieve victory, the answer to it is that these are all results, and it has been said that the results are in the hands of God alone, and they are not within the power of people. And God Almighty says: ﴿Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity. It will have [the consequence of] what it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what it has earned﴾ Surat Al-Baqarah: 286. Therefore, it is not correct to hold those who perform the works accountable for the results, but it is correct and should be asked about their taking the causes that would lead to the results and to hold them accountable for them. So they are held accountable for negligence, shortcomings, or error in their taking of them. This is because the results are only achieved by their causes. The obligation falls on the causes and not on the results. Therefore, we do not find in the obligations, for example: "Be victorious", but we find ﴿And prepare﴾, ﴿Go forth﴾, ﴿Fight﴾, ﴿Kill them﴾, ﴿Then strike [their] necks﴾, ﴿So fasten the bonds [of captives]﴾. And if an order comes with something that is a result, it must be diverted from the result to its causes. An example of this is that the law ordered Muslims to love each other, but love is not a capable action that one does, it is not like selling, fighting, praying, or speaking, but rather it is a result that only occurs with its causes. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ guided to capable actions that are like causes that lead to affection, such as greeting and exchanging gifts. The Prophet ﷺ said: «You will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not guide you to something that if you do it, you will love one another? Spread peace among yourselves», narrated by the two Sheikhs, and the wording is from Muslim. Al-Bukhari narrated from him: «Exchange gifts, you will love one another».
I will briefly point out, in the issue of accountability and holding accountable, and that it is on taking the causes and not on the results, to cases that happened with the Prophet ﷺ, and in contemplating them is the complete indication of what has been said. It is that the Muslims lost in the Battle of Uhud while they were led by the Prophet ﷺ. He cannot be held accountable for this result, nor can he be accused of negligence because of it, for he is the infallible, the one who is inspired. Likewise, it can only be said that he took the causes in the most complete way possible. The same can be said about the Battle of Hunayn, where the Muslims lost at the beginning of the battle before they were victorious. As for the Battle of Badr, the Prophet ﷺ took a position for his camp, and this is taking the causes, but Al-Hubab bin Al-Mundhir, may God be pleased with him, argued with him that there is something better than this position to achieve victory, so he took his opinion and changed his position. This indicates that taking the causes is subject to deficiency and error, and it is subject to ijtihad, and advice and accountability are required in it. Unlike the results, where there was no accountability for the loss in Uhud, nor for what happened at the beginning of the Battle of Hunayn. The Prophet ﷺ almost made concessions in the Battle of the Trench, even though he dug the trench and prepared what he could, and these concessions are a cause in his hand, the Prophet ﷺ wanted to take it to prevent a possible defeat that is not in his hand. But the Companions argued with him about the cause, so he refrained from it.
The examples of what has been said are many, and they indicate that people's taking the causes is not complete to achieve the results definitively, and they indicate that the results are in the hands of God alone, and that the accountability is on taking the causes and not on the results. And it becomes clear from them that since taking the causes is not complete, and is afflicted by a lack of knowledge and an error in estimation, and obstacles stand in its way, and failure occurs in it, then the causes should be reconsidered to address every obstacle, error, or deficiency. And God is the Grantor of success and the One from whom help is sought.
Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut-Tahrir
Dr. Mahmoud Abdel Hadi
