Yet its occurrence may leave unfulfilled a wise purpose of His that is dearer to Him than those people’s obedience, or may bring about something whose prevention is dearer to Him than the occurrence of their disobedience.

Accordingly, when He commands His servants and forbids them, so that they may obey and worship Him, do what He loves, and attain their perfection—the end for which they were created—it is correct to say:

“We did not send any messenger except to be obeyed by Allah’s permission.”

And to say:

“Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship for you.”

And to say:

“Allah intends to make things clear to you, guide you to the ways of those before you, and turn to you in forgiveness.”

And to say:

“Allah does not intend to place any hardship upon you, but intends to purify you and complete His favour upon you.”

And other statements of this kind—even if He has not brought about what He commanded His servants to do.

Likewise, when He creates them and creates for them things from which they benefit, so that they may worship and obey Him, thank and remember Him, and attain the praiseworthy end that He loves and approves for them, it is correct to say that He created them only to worship Him—even if He has not created for every one of them that by which he becomes a worshipper of Him.

Similarly, it is correct to say, “I built the mosque only so that they might pray in it,” and “I gave them money only so that they might perform Hajj and wage jihad,” and the like. For when someone acts for an end to be fulfilled by another, he need not himself be the one who fulfils that end.

Then, if he knows that many of these people will neither pray nor perform Hajj nor wage jihad, and that someone whom