And His word, “So whoever wills—let him believe, and whoever wills—let him disbelieve” (Q 18:29) is a threat. His saying, “I did not create the jinn and humankind except that they worship Me” (Q 51:56) means: that they single Me out in worship; yet everything occurs only by Allah’s decree—its good and its evil, its sweetness and its bitterness, its harm and its benefit.

Allah, Exalted is He, also says, “Had your Lord willed, everyone on earth would have believed, all of them together. Will you then compel people until they become believers?” (Q 10:99); and, “Even if We had sent down to them the angels, the dead had spoken to them, and We had gathered before them every‐thing face to face, they still would not have believed unless Allah so willed” (Q 6:111). He further says, “No soul can believe except with Allah’s permission” (Q 10:100), and, “Had your Lord willed, He would have made mankind a single community; yet they will not cease to differ, except those upon whom your Lord has mercy—and for that He created them” (Q 11:118-119).

He the Exalted says, “Worship Allah and shun the taghūt (false deities). Among them were those whom Allah guided, and among them were those who deserved misguidance” (Q 16:36); and, “You do not will except that Allah, Lord of all worlds, wills” (Q 81:29), meaning: by Allah’s predestination, glorified be He.

And Shuʿayb—may blessings be upon our Prophet and upon him—said, “We would indeed be forging a lie against Allah…"