created things—whether it is said to act by nature without life or awareness, or to possess life and awareness—it is not as these people claim. Rather, nothing in existence does anything except with an assisting partner, the two together serving as causes. Allah Most High has no partner. Moreover, once such a partner is present, the effect proceeds from the two without the former’s choice or will, and it is powerless to prevent the effect once its partner is present. Allah Most High, however, does nothing except by His choice and will. Nor is He powerless to prevent something because another brings it about. Rather, whatever He wills happens, and whatever He does not will does not happen.

It is thus clear that all these people fell into error by likening Allah to His creation. Furthermore, they were mistaken about the property of the original case to which they likened Him. Allah Most High says:

“Yet they have made the jinn partners with Allah, though He created them, and have falsely attributed sons and daughters to Him without knowledge. Glorified and exalted is He above what they ascribe to Him! {100} The Originator of the heavens and the earth! How could He have a child when He has no consort? He created all things, and He has knowledge of all things. {101}”
[al-An‘ām 100-101]

This is some of what bears upon their claim in the first premise that the effect must accompany the cause when the latter is complete. As for the second premise, it is that, if the complete cause does not exist, no act can proceed from it, and it cannot become complete after having been incomplete; hence it is impossible