and predestination together is impossible, just as another group considers this contrary to wisdom and justice.

These three categories are the Magian Qadariyyah, the polytheistic Qadariyyah, and the satanic Qadariyyah. We have discussed these sects at length elsewhere.

The form that most commonly afflicts spiritual wayfarers, aspirants, and ordinary people in our time is the polytheistic Qadariyyah: they attend to predestination and turn away from the command. As one scholar said of them, “When obeying, you are a Qadarī; when disobeying, you are a determinist. You adopt whichever doctrine suits your desires.” What is prescribed, however, is the reverse: before performing an act of obedience, one seeks Allah’s help in doing it, and afterwards thanks Him for it. One strives not to disobey, but if one sins and disobeys, one hastens to repent and seek forgiveness.

As stated in the hadith, the foremost supplication for forgiveness is for the servant to say, “I acknowledge to You