Muhammad ibn al-Husayn said: Zayd ibn Aslam said, “By Allah, the Qadariyya have spoken neither as Allah Most High spoke, nor as the angels spoke, nor as the prophets spoke, nor as the people of Paradise spoke, nor as the people of the Fire spoke, nor even as their brother Iblis spoke. Allah Most High said, ‘You do not will unless Allah, Lord of all worlds, wills.’ The angels said, ‘Glory be to You! We have no knowledge except what You have taught us’ [al-Baqara: 32]. The prophets spoke likewise; among them was Shuʿayb (peace be upon him), who said, ‘It is not for us to return to it unless Allah, our Lord, wills’ [al-Aʿrāf: 89].

⦗728⦘ The people of Paradise said, ‘All praise is for Allah, who guided us to this. We would never have been guided had Allah not guided us’ [al-Aʿrāf: 43]. The people of the Fire said, ‘Our Lord, our wretchedness overwhelmed us’ [al-Muʾminūn: 106]. And their brother Iblis said, ‘My Lord, because You caused me to stray’ [al-Hijr: 39].”

320 — Al-Firyābī informed us of this, saying: Khalaf ibn Muhammad al-Wāsitī, known as Kurdūs, narrated to us, saying: Yaʿqūb ibn Muhammad narrated to us, saying: al-Zubayr ibn Khubayb narrated to us, from Zayd ibn Aslam, that he said this. ⦗729⦘

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn said: Zayd ibn Aslam spoke the truth. We shall add to what Zayd ibn Aslam said by citing statements of the prophets that constitute proof against the Qadariyya, as well as statements that the people of the Fire made to one another and that likewise constitute proof against the Qadariyya. Thus, after what we have already mentioned, the first matter I shall cite here in addition to Zayd ibn Aslam’s words is what Allah Most High has said—words by which the Qadariyya are put to shame. We shall also mention statements of the prophets that refute the Qadariyya, who have been turned away from the path of truth, with whom Satan has toyed and over whom he has gained mastery, and who have opposed the way of the believers.

Allah Most High said concerning a people whom He made wretched and led astray from the path of truth—glorious is His mention:

“Even if We had sent down the angels to them, and the dead had spoken to them, and We had gathered all things before them, they still would not have believed unless Allah willed. But most of them are ignorant” [al-Anʿām: 111].

⦗730⦘ Muhammad ibn al-Husayn said: Such is the Qadarī. He is told, “Allah said this, and He said that; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said this, and he said that; the prophets said this; the Companions of our Prophet said this; and the leading scholars of the Muslims said this.” Yet he listens to and understands nothing except the vile doctrine he follows. May Allah protect us and you from the evil of their doctrine, grant us and you steadfast adherence to the truth, keep our hearts firm upon the true divine law, and protect us from the deviation of hearts. Indeed, His bounty is immense.

The believers know that their hearts are in Allah’s Hand: He causes them to deviate from the truth when He wills and guides them to the truth when He wills. Whoever does not believe this has disbelieved. Allah Most High, concerning the supplication to which He directed His prophets and the believers, instructed them in His Book to say:

“Our Lord, do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us mercy from Yourself. Indeed, You alone are the Bestower” [Āl ʿImrān: 8].