And the revealed law abounds in this and similar examples. Yet He, Glorified is He, is the Lord, Sovereign, and Creator of everything; nothing comes to pass except by His will and power. He, Glorified is He, also shows goodness and favour to those whom He commands and forbids in a further way that no one else can accomplish or bring about: He makes them believers, Muslims, and obedient. This is beyond the power of anyone else who issues commands and prohibitions. In doing so, He shows them kindness and bestows upon them a second blessing, distinct from His blessing of sending messengers, explaining, and warning. This, then, is a blessing over which they dispute, distinct from the blessing shared by all.

As for the disbelievers, He has not blessed them as He has blessed the believers. Withholding such blessings and kindness does not constitute wrongdoing or injustice, when ability and opportunity have been granted and impediments removed, if He has profound wisdom in withholding them. Were He to do for them what He did for the former, that wisdom—which outweighs their obedience—would be frustrated, and a harm greater than that of their disobedience would result.

On the one hand, He is under no obligation to grant them this; on the other, He has profound wisdom in this that cannot coexist with treating them equally with the others. Wisdom therefore dictates choosing the greater of two goods by forgoing the lesser, and averting the greater of two evils by accepting the lesser.

As for the question:

“How can He perform an act for a purpose when He knows that it will not be achieved?”

The answer is:

This is impossible only if that purpose alone is all that He intends,