that proceeds from Him is right. He does nothing in vain; He is just, never unjust, and all-knowing, with nothing hidden from Him. He has willed, and has never ceased to will, to make them steadfast and punish them for deeds they themselves acquire.

He is just towards His servants:

“Indeed, Allah does not wrong people at all.”

And He, exalted is He who speaks, says:

“We did not wrong them, but they wronged themselves.”

Yet He has always been their Master, holding power over them and governing their affairs. They cannot do without Him, nor can they escape Him. Thus He, mighty and majestic, created them with the natural disposition, as He has stated, and created their deeds, as we have mentioned, without compelling anyone to any of them.

Had He created them as disbelievers by their very constitution, He would not have said to them:

“How can you disbelieve in Allah when you were lifeless and He gave you life?”

For it does not befit the All-Wise to create an innate constitution and then change the very thing He created without any act on the creature’s part.

He, glorified is He, says:

“Do you indeed disbelieve in the One who created the earth in two days, and set up equals to Him? That is the Lord of all worlds.”

Had He created a person as a disbeliever, faith would not have been possible for him, and he would have been excused, able to plead his case. Allah Most High says:

“There is no changing Allah’s creation.”

That would have amounted to imposing an obligation beyond one’s capacity, just as something black might be directed to be white, and something white to be black. Such a thing is inconceivable of One who is wise.

As for His words, glorified is He:

“It is He who created you; some of you are disbelievers, and some of you are