it was sent with, and we seek refuge in You from the evil of this wind and the evil of what it was sent with.” He also said:

“The wind is of Allah’s mercy. It brings mercy and brings punishment, so do not revile it. Rather, ask Allah for its good and seek refuge in Allah from its evil.”

He thus explained that it brings mercy and brings punishment, and instructed us to ask Allah for its good and seek refuge in Allah from its evil.

This, then, is the Sunnah concerning the causes of good and evil: the servant should respond to manifest causes of good and righteous deeds by doing that through which Allah brings good, and to manifest causes of evil by performing acts of worship through which Allah wards off evil from him. As for hidden causes, the servant is not commanded to go to great lengths to discover them. Rather, if he does what Allah has commanded and refrains from what He has forbidden, Allah will spare him the burden of evil and facilitate the means of good for him:

“And whoever fears Allah, He will make a way out for him and provide for him from where he does not expect. And whoever relies upon Allah, He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose. Allah has appointed a measure for everything.”

Allah Most High has said of those who practice magic to obtain worldly benefits:

“They followed what the devils recited during the reign of Solomon. Solomon did not disbelieve”—through to His words—“Had they believed and feared Allah, a reward from Allah would have been better, if only they knew.”

He, glorified be He, thus stated that whoever acquires this in exchange knows that he will have no share in the Hereafter. He merely hopes for what he supposes to be its benefit in this world, just as those who practice magic connected with celestial bodies and other things hope thereby to gain such things as authority and wealth.

Then He said:

“Had they believed and feared Allah, a reward from Allah