Why do religious people always refer to God for answers.

[Prince]

I was at a meeting today with my Boss discussing the Employment Opportunity at his company. At the same time i have another Job offer from a different company.

I asked him a direct Question: How do i decide between your offer and the other offer?
He simply replied: "only Allah knows the answer, he will guide you"

Then 2 minutes later...
He says: "It's your life to decide, think what is best for you"

After minutes later...
He said: "well, I advice you to pick my offer"

I got confused, I mean he just said that only Allah knows best. It seems like hypocrisy to me.

So,, Why do people always turn to God for answers.. What are they afraiding of.. maybe to avoid blasphemy?

[Longhorn]

It's a 'I'm afraid of making important decisions so I'll pretend to myself it's actually a higher power making them' sort of thing, methinks

[Pyrrho]

He is not thinking before he is speaking.  And as for his last comment, of course he wants you to accept his offer.  If he did not want you to accept his offer, why would he have made an offer at all?

Interestingly, he gave you the right advice.  It was the one you listed second; you should do what you think best.  The other two, you should ignore.

And yes, you are right that the first and third things do not go well together.  However, he could claim that only Allah knew at first, but now that he has had time to think about it, he knows, too.

His babbling makes me wonder if you might be better off with the other offer, but this sort of foolishness is too trivial to determine your future.  You should think carefully about the offers and do what you think will be best for you in the long run.


As to your main question, people often use god as something to fill in any gaps in knowledge.  Some do it so reflexively that it is what they immediately say, before thinking.  That is what your boss appears to have done.

[Prince]

He is not thinking before he is speaking.  And as for his last comment, of course he wants you to accept his offer.  If he did not want you to accept his offer, why would he have made an offer at all?

Interestingly he gave you the right advice.  It was the one you listed second; you should do what you think best.  The other two, you should ignore.

And yes, you are right that the first and third things do not go well together.  However, he could claim that only Allah knew at first, but now that he has had time to think about it, he knows, too.

His babbling makes me wonder if you might be better off with the other offer, but this sort of foolishness is too trivial to determine your future.  You should think carefully about the offers and do what you think will be best for you in the long run.


As to your main question, people often use god as something to fill in any gaps in knowledge.  Some do it so reflexively that it is what they immediately say, before thinking.  That is what your boss appears to have done.

Its true people often use the word Allah to fill in gaps. It drives me crazy when i ask someone if he will be free tomorrow, his direct answer will be "If Allah wills". How do i respond to that, its not a definitive answer. I mean, are you saying that God may stop you from leaving the house, or you just don't want to leave by your own will. 

Will, both companies want me so badly. I popped the question because i wanted him to convince me why should i pick his offer over the other. 

---

It's a 'I'm afraid of making important decisions so I'll pretend to myself it's actually a higher power making them' sort of thing, methinks

Maybe an Angel will show up and reveal the best answer to me. 

[vorlon13]

In the Christian orbit, with 40,000 schisms of the faith, going to God for answers is easy, and with just a little looking, you can get exactly the answer you want.

[Angrboda]

[Pyrrho]

Its true people often use the word Allah to fill in gaps. It drives me crazy when i ask someone if he will be free tomorrow, his direct answer will be "If Allah wills". How do i respond to that, its not a definitive answer. I mean, are you saying that God may stop you from leaving the house, or you just don't want to leave by your own will. 
...

With some people, that means "yes," but they are letting you know that it is possible that they will have a heart attack (or some other such thing) that will prevent them from keeping their appointment with you.  Some do this because they would regard it as a lie to say that they would meet you and yet not be able to do so due to something beyond their control (like a heart attack, getting run over by a bus, whatever).  Some regard such a "lie" as sinful, and they want to avoid sin.  Hence, instead of "yes," they say something like "if Allah wills."

Some might be using it more as you seem to be taking it, as a way to say "maybe."

If you want to know what they mean, you may try asking them to explain it.


I don't know if this will make you feel better or not, but Christians have a similar saying, "God willing."  Typically, I have heard it used in the sense explained in my first paragraph, but I am not very familiar with Islam or your culture, so I am a bit reluctant to say that this is what they likely mean.  But, without further information, that is how I would take it.


Of course, some people are liars in every culture, so it may not make any difference what is meant by a particular person in a particular instance.

[Prince]

Its true people often use the word Allah to fill in gaps. It drives me crazy when i ask someone if he will be free tomorrow, his direct answer will be "If Allah wills". How do i respond to that, its not a definitive answer. I mean, are you saying that God may stop you from leaving the house, or you just don't want to leave by your own will. 
...

With some people, that means "yes," but they are letting you know that it is possible that they will have a heart attack (or some other such thing) that will prevent them from keeping their appointment with you.  Some do this because they would regard it as a lie to say that they would meet you and yet not be able to do so due to something beyond their control (like a heart attack, getting run over by a bus, whatever).  Some regard such a "lie" as sinful, and they want to avoid sin.  Hence, instead of "yes," they say something like "if Allah wills."

Some might be using it more as you seem to be taking it, as a way to say "maybe."

If you want to know what they mean, you may try asking them to explain it.


I don't know if this will make you feel better or not, but Christians have a similar saying, "God willing."  Typically, I have heard it used in the sense explained in my first paragraph, but I am not very familiar with Islam or your culture, so I am a bit reluctant to say that this is what they likely mean.  But, without further information, that is how I would take it.


Of course, some people are liars in every culture, so it may not make any difference what is meant by a particular person in a particular instance.

If i asked a Muslim to explain further what he meant by "If Allah wills, he will immediately consider me as an atheist, I tried that before and went badly. In Islam, you have to place all hope and decision making on Allah only. No one here tells you to be true to your self. They say believe in god and he will show you the way. 

Allah sucked the life out of me. That is why I had doubt in the past. Is God really in control of my life, is everything i am doing is truly by God's will. It sounds irrational to think that!

[Minimalist]

Largely because they are stupid and don't know what else to say.

[dyresand]

They don't want to take the time to find the answers them selves more or less.