Given the philosophical agnosticism of Islam, how does the average Muslim approach Allah, who is unknowable? Really, the only thing that Muslims know for certain about Allah is that His will is absolute. He may or may not act according to the names that describe Him in the Quran, but everything that happens comes about because He wills it, hence the fatalistic outlook that colors much of Islam. Allah's will is absolute, and nothing, not even the "free choices" of men can alter it. Allah wills both good and evil, and every "choice" of man is willed and fated by Allah. According to one hadith (tradition of the Prophet), Adam tells Moses that his rebellion was God's will, and the "fall" wasn't his fault. A common interjection in everyday speech today in Saudi Arabia is "enshallah," meaning "if Allah wills." These examples underscore the fatalistic outlook of many Muslims who approach the unknowable Allah through the only sure thing to describe Him, His absolute will. So, what would be the Muslim take on Parmenides' assertion, "whatever is..is?" Probably something like, "Whatever Allah wills..will be."
Allah and Yahweh Don’t Will the Same
If none of Allah's attributes/actions point to His essence, what, if anything, describes Who He is? God's absolute will, one that wills everything in the universe, seems to be the unifying principle of this unknowable god. Both good and evil are directly willed by Allah. Surah 32:13 states that Allah could have willed salvation, but chose damnation for many. He wills belief and unbelief and creates the sin of the latter. The creeds of Islam portray the will of Allah as absolute--nothing in the universe can will contrary to his will. The Biblical description of Yahweh and Jesus Christ requires a distinction between God's perfect will and His permissive will. "God is not willing that any should perish but that all come into repentance" (2 Peter 3:9) communicates God's PERFECT will. While He only wills the good, He nevertheless PERMITS men and angels to will contrary to His own. Yahweh's will is not absolute in the above sense, for it allows choices contrary to His will. This permissive will underscores the essential goodness of the Christian God, One who would draw His creatures to freely choose Him out of genuine love for Him. He is not so insecure that He is threatened by any being in the universe that wills contrary to His will. The self-limiting permissive will of God, grounded in His loving essence (1 John 4:8) "risks" the rebellion of other wills, while He woos them with His essential goodness. Allah and Jesus Christ couldn't be more different. The episode also addresses common questions regarding God's sovereignty and God's "hardening of Pharaoh's heart."
Half Good Ain’t Good Enough
This episode sets the Biblical standard of goodness, where outward manifestations of goodness are consistent with the heart from which they come. Extrinsic goodness flows from intrinsic goodness, and God alone meets that standard. "You [God] are good and do good" declares Psalm 119:68. The test of intrinsic goodness is the great commandments, perfect love of God and neighbor, and Christ Himself noted that no man meets that standard. So the Biblical high standard of good works is the marrying of intrinsic goodness with outward manifestations. Regarding the latter, unbelievers can in fact do externally good works. Christ acknowledged that "evil" men can give "good gifts." (Luke 11:13) Yet this "good work" does not reach the standard of goodness that God deems a "good work," since it emanates from an evil heart.