Does God Misguide People?

Atheist: God makes atheists disbelieve in him. Therefore, it would be unfair if God send atheists to hell for disbelieving in him.

Muslim: What's the proof of what you say?

Atheist: God says in Quran: "Indeed, those who disbelieve - it is all the same for them whether you warn them or do not warn them - they will not believe. God hath set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and on their eyes is a veil. And for them is a great punishment" (2:6-7).

Muslim: Does it prove that God makes atheists disbelieve in him?

Atheist: Yes, it does. God closed the hearts of atheists which is why they disbelieve in him.

Muslim: Your logic is that God sealed their hearts so they disbelieved, right? But which one happened first? God sealed their hearts first or they disbelieved in God first?

If God sealed their hearts first and then they disbelieved because of their sealed hearts, then it's God's fault. But if they disbelieved in God first and then God sealed their hearts as a consequence, then it is their fault. Did you read the entire chapter?

Atheist: Yes, I read the entire chapter.

Muslim: I am sorry my friend but I think you're not telling the truth. If you did read the entire chapter, you wouldn't say that God makes atheists disbelieve in him. When you take a verse out of an entire chapter, you fail to understand the meaning of that verse in the light of that entire chapter and end up having wrong understanding of that verse.

The Quran 2:26 says: "He (God) causes many to stray, and many He leads into the right path; but He causes not to stray, except those who forsake (the path)." The Quran 2:264 says: "…God does not guide the disbelieving people" indicating believing in God is a must to get his guidance. The Quran 2:6-7 says God closed the hearts of atheists as a consequence of not believing in God.

Same message has been repeated in the Quran 5:67–"…God does not guide the disbelieving people".

Similar message has been repeated in the Quran 16:104 – "Indeed, those who do not believe in the verses of God - God will not guide them, and for them is a painful punishment."

In conclusion, atheists disbelieved in God first and then God sealed their hearts as a consequence. Therefore, it is not valid to say that God sealed the hearts of atheists first and then they disbelieved because of their sealed hearts.