Another example is His saying: “for whoever among you wishes to remain upright” (Al-Takwir 81:28). In this He affirms that they possess a will. Yet someone (1) might imagine that this will is autonomous (2)—that if he so chooses he can put it into effect (3), and if he chooses he can refrain (4). Allah, exalted is He, dispelled that notion with His words: “You do not will unless Allah wills” (Al-Takwir 81:29).

Then someone might suppose that He (5) wills things without wisdom or knowledge of where His will is best applied. He removed this misconception with His statement: “Indeed, Allah has always been All-Knowing, All-Wise” (Al-Insan 76:30) (6).

A similar case is His saying: “No indeed; it is but a reminder (54). So whoever wills may remember it (7) (55). Yet they do not remember except as Allah wills. He alone is worthy of piety and worthy of forgiveness” (Al-Muddathir 54–56).

Another instance is His words: “a true promise incumbent upon Him in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran” (Al-Tawbah 9:112). Someone (8) might imagine that Allah, exalted is He, could refrain from fulfilling what He