merely figurative, and their deeds something they have no part in bringing about—he is the basest of the Qadariyyah and the most defiant of the advocates of compulsion. He goes to extremes in Allah’s religion: a Murji’ite who blames his Lord for his sins and attributes his wickedness to the One who is far above his deeds. Indeed, He is exalted above what the wrongdoers say. He has always been knowing and willing, wise and just, gracious and equitable, upholding truth, compelling and creating, commanding and forbidding—neither acting without purpose nor leaving their affairs aimless or neglected.

He created the disbeliever upon the innate disposition, and He created his disbelief and willed it within His dominion. Yet He neither compelled him to it nor forced him into it. He did not endorse it; rather, He disavowed it and left him with it, while forbidding him to embrace it, become involved in it, or perform its deeds. He gave him the power and ability to acquire it and left him to his own desires. When he submitted to it, embraced it inwardly, attached himself to it, chose it and loved it, his case became as we have described concerning conjunction and distinction, creation and acquisition. Through what he believed and acquired, he became a disbeliever and was called wicked. He did not create himself or originate his disbelief; rather, he acquired it. By uniting himself with it, he parted from faith and excellence, with both of which he had been commanded to remain united. He thus became estranged from them, mingled with disbelief and entered into it. The threat was consequently directed at him, and the warning became binding upon him. Allah held him to what he had acquired, brought him to the outcome He had known, and included him within His warning. He deserved His punishment, and Allah consigned him to it forever on account of his intention:

“And your Lord is never unjust to His servants.”

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says: ‘I created My servants upright in faith, but the devils led them astray.’”

This is an explicit statement from the bearer of the revealed Law, clear and plain, admitting no doubt. It clearly elucidates what we have presented: upright in faith, knowing Him according to the innate disposition He gave them,