doing it, nor can anyone do without Allah or escape His knowledge; that there is no creator except Allah; and that the deeds of His servants are created and decreed by Allah, as He says:

“He created you and what you do (96).” [al-Sāffāt: 96]

And that His servants cannot create anything, while they themselves are created, as He says:

“Is there any creator other than Allah?” [Fātir: 3]

And as He says:

“They create nothing, while they themselves are created (20).” [al-Nahl: 20]

And] as He says:

“Is He who creates like one who does not create?” [al-Nahl: 17]

And as He says:

“Were they created from nothing, or are they themselves the creators (35)?” [al-Tūr: 35]

Such statements abound in Allah’s Book. And that Allah enabled the believers to obey Him, was gracious to them, looked after their welfare, made them righteous, and guided them. He led the disbelievers astray and did not guide them, nor did He bestow upon them the grace of faith, as the people of deviation and transgression claim. Had He been gracious to them and made them righteous, they would have been righteous; and had He guided them, they would have been rightly guided,

[as He—Blessed and Exalted—says:

“Whoever Allah guides is rightly guided, and whoever He leads astray—it is they who