and Sovereign, but does not witness His oneness in divinity or what is due to the Lord in worship, obedience to Him, and obedience to His messengers. Thus, he makes no distinction between the believer and the disbeliever, the blind and the seeing, darkness and light, or the people of Paradise and the people of Hell.

This is akin to the words of the polytheists who said:

“If Allah had willed, neither we nor our fathers would have associated partners with Him, nor would we have forbidden anything.” (Surah al-Anʿām, 148)

The polytheists invoked divine decree to negate commands and prohibitions, what is loved and hated, and obedience and disobedience. Whoever follows this path falls into a form of manifest disbelief.

The statement that one who affirms Allah’s oneness does not exercise choice is ambiguous. If it means that he does not choose independently and for his own sake, then it is well said. But if it means that he does not choose what Allah has chosen, commanded, loved, and approved—and has commanded him to choose, desire, and love—then this is disbelief and heresy. Rather, the believer must desire, choose, love, approve, seek, and strive for what Allah has commanded, loved, approved, willed, and chosen as religion and revealed law.

Likewise, the statement that he must not presume to dictate what takes place in the dominion: if it means that he does not oppose Allah’s commands and prohibitions, then this is good and true. He must be content with what Allah has commanded and submit to Allah, which includes submitting to His Messenger.

As Allah Most High says:

“But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they make you judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves, then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in full submission.” (Surah al-Nisāʾ, 65)