Why does God mislead some people in the Quran?

One of the profound and sometimes misunderstood questions that arises when studying the Holy Quran is the concept of God misleading certain individuals. To properly understand this, it is essential to delve into the Quranic verses with careful consideration of divine justice and the broader context of Islamic teachings. Firstly, it must be emphasized that Allah, the Most High, based on numerous Quranic verses, never acts unjustly and never forcibly misleads anyone against their will or choice. Divine justice necessitates that every human being has the ability to distinguish between right and wrong and then choose their path in life accordingly. The concept of "misleading" (إضلال) in the Quran should not be interpreted as an arbitrary removal of human free will or a forceful steering towards falsehood. Instead, it carries deeper dimensions rooted in the actions and choices of individuals themselves. The Holy Quran explicitly states that Allah has shown humanity the path of guidance. He has sent prophets, revealed heavenly books, and placed clear signs in the universe and within human souls to enable people to discern truth from falsehood. This initial, legislative guidance (Hidayah Irshad) is universal for all mankind. However, alongside this, there is a concept known as "divine enabling guidance" or "Tawfiq," which refers to God's support and assistance for those who, by their own will and choice, opt for the path of guidance and strive to adhere to it. Similarly, divine "misleading" or "Idlal" is, in essence, the withdrawal or removal of this special enabling grace and assistance from those who have consciously and arrogantly, through injustice, transgression, lying, and stubborn defiance, chosen the path of falsehood and turned away from clear divine signs. These are individuals who have willingly closed their hearts to the truth, deprived their ears of hearing the word of truth, and blinded their eyes to seeing divine signs. This state of misguidance is a logical and just consequence of their own choices, not an oppressive act from Allah. For instance, in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 7, it is stated: “خَتَمَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَعَلَىٰ سَمْعِهِمْ ۖ وَعَلَىٰ أَبْصَارِهِمْ غِشَاوَةٌ ۖ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ” (Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. And for them is a great punishment.) This verse clearly indicates that the sealing of hearts and ears, and the veiling of eyes, are consequences of human actions and choices. Those who repeatedly and intentionally deny the truth, contend against divine signs, and persist in their disbelief gradually find their hearts hardened and impervious. This sealing does not imply an absolute inability to accept the truth, but rather the withdrawal of divine enabling guidance and assistance because they themselves have chosen to shut the doors to it. In essence, it is a natural outcome of their behavior and decisions. Furthermore, the Quran specifies certain categories of people whom Allah does not guide; these are individuals who, by virtue of their reprehensible traits, have deprived themselves of divine guidance. Such categories include the "defiantly disobedient" (Al-Ma'idah: 108), the "disbelievers" (Al-Baqarah: 264), the "wrongdoers" (Al-Imran: 86), the "extravagant" (Ghafir: 28), the "liars" (Ghafir: 28), and the "arrogant" (Ghafir: 35). These attributes are moral and behavioral characteristics that impede the reception of guidance. For example, Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 108, states: “وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ” (And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people.) A fasiq is someone who has deviated from the right path and transgressed divine bounds. When a person willfully distances themselves from the path of guidance and insists on sin and transgression, Allah, in turn, withdraws the enabling guidance from them, rather than forcibly misleading them. Therefore, "misleading" in the Quran does not signify actively causing error in a person, but rather the withholding of enabling guidance and divine support from those who have, by their own free will and awareness, chosen the path of error and closed their hearts to divine light. This is a manifestation of Allah's absolute justice, where He rewards or deprives each person based on their intentions and actions. Allah never wrongs anyone; rather, it is people who wrong themselves. This lesson underscores that the primary responsibility for guidance or misguidance rests with the individual, and Allah merely responds to their choices. This concept by no means negates human free will; instead, it highlights it, as the consequences of our choices return to us. Understanding this is key: in the Quran, guidance and misguidance are understood within a framework of justice and human free will, and everyone experiences the outcome of their deeds and choices. Allah has consistently shown the path to salvation, and it is up to the individual to decide whether or not to follow that path.