Just as one may say, “He betrays them, debauches them, and wrongs them,” meaning only that he attributes those vices to them.

With respect to the divine words, “No soul can believe except by Allah’s permission,” they claimed that the verse means: no soul can believe except through Allah’s knowledge. Aware of the implications that would follow were “permission” taken to signify will and authorization, they turned instead to the colloquial usage, “Ādhantuka bi-l-amr (I have given you notice of the matter),” that is: I have informed you.

Such an interpretation is untenable, whether by rational inquiry or by linguistic evidence.

From the rational standpoint: no one contends that anything occurring on earth escapes Allah’s knowledge, such that He would need to say, “No soul can believe except by Allah’s knowledge.” The disagreement concerns the “permission” that is His will and His granting leave. Those who affirm predestination say: Allah did not will that all people believe; had He willed, they would all have believed. Consequently, no soul can believe until Allah wills it and grants the leave. The Qadarites, however, maintain: Allah has willed this for every soul and has granted the leave, so each soul may believe if it chooses.

The opening words of the revelation themselves support the position of the affirmers, for the Prophet ﷺ earnestly desired the belief of Quraysh. Allah therefore revealed: “Had your Lord so willed, everyone on earth would have believed—all of them together. Will you then compel people until they become believers?” Immediately afterward He said: “No soul can believe except by Allah’s permission,” intending by it His will and His granting leave.

Thus the beginning of the statement corroborates its conclusion, and people universally agree that when someone says, “Had I wished, I would have come to you,” he means he did not wish to come; and when he says, “Had I wished, I would have performed the pilgrimage,” he likewise means that he did not wish to do so.