567 — Abū Muhammad Yahyā ibn Muhammad ibn Sāid narrated to us, saying: al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan al-Marwazī narrated to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, saying: Sharīk informed us, from Sālim, from Saīd ibn Jubayr, concerning the words of Allah Most High, “Those endowed with strength and insight” [Sād: 45]. He said: “Strength” means strength in deeds, while “insight” means their understanding of the religion ⦗970⦘ they followed.

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn said: If one of these Qadarites raises an objection based on his erroneous interpretation, saying, “Allah Most High said, ‘Whatever good befalls you is from Allah, and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself’” [al-Nisā: 79], and thus claims that the evil comes from himself without Allah Most High having decreed and ordained it for him, he should be told: “Ignorant man! The one upon whom this verse was revealed knew its interpretation better than you. He is the one who explained to us everything previously mentioned concerning the affirmation of divine decree. Likewise, the Companions who witnessed the Revelation—may Allah be pleased with them—explained to us and to you that everything which comes to pass, whether good or evil, is divinely decreed.”

He should also be told: “Had you understood its interpretation, you would not have raised it as an objection, and you would have known that it is evidence against you, not for you.” If he asks, “How so?” he should be told: “As for His words, ‘Whatever good befalls you is from Allah, and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself’ [al-Nisā: 79], is it not Allah Most High who caused it to befall him, whether it was good or evil? Understand this, ignorant man! Did Allah Most High not say, ‘We bestow Our mercy upon whomever We will’ [Yūsuf: 56]? And He Most High said, ‘Has it not become clear to those who inherited the land after its former inhabitants that, had We willed, We could have afflicted them for their sins? We seal their hearts, so they do not hear’ [al-Arāf: 100]? And He Most High said, ‘No ⦗971⦘ calamity befalls the earth or yourselves except that it is recorded in a Book before We bring it into being. That is certainly easy for Allah’ [al-Hadīd: 22].”

There are many such passages in the Quran. Do you not see that Allah Most High informs us that everything which befalls His servants, whether good or evil, is caused to befall them by Allah? He had already recorded what would befall them in His prior knowledge, and the Pen had written it, in accordance with what we previously mentioned. Understand this, O Muslims, for the Qadarite is denied divine enabling grace.

It has also been narrated that, according to the reading of Abd Allāh ibn Masūd and Ubayy ibn Kab, the verse cited as evidence by the Qadarite reads: “Whatever good befalls you is from Allah, and whatever evil befalls you is from yourself—and I have decreed it upon you.”