and the third is their acknowledgment that dominion over all things is in His hand, and that He protects and supports created beings, shielding them from harm and injury. He grants protection against whomever He wills, while no one can grant protection against Him. If He intends harm for anyone, no one can prevent Him; and if He removes harm from anyone, no one can harm that person. His holding dominion over everything makes clear that He is the One who governs it and brings it benefit: He brings benefit and wards off harm. As He says in another verse:

“Say, ‘Have you considered those you invoke besides Allah? If Allah intends harm for me, can they remove His harm? Or if He intends mercy for me, can they withhold His mercy?’” [The Groups 38]

And as He says in another verse:

“If Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it but He; and if He intends good for you, none can repel His bounty.” [Jonah 107]

Since they acknowledge this, they thereby acknowledge His all-encompassing lordship and governance over everything. This acknowledgment goes further than that of the Qadariyyah, the Sabians, the naturalist philosophers, and others like them who take the lord of some created things to be something other than