Another consideration is this: being the Creator of everything and having power over everything is more perfect than being the Creator of only some things and having power over only some things. The “Qadariyyah” do not acknowledge Him as the Creator of everything or as having power over everything. Those who espouse philosophy and hold that He is a final cause are worse than them. They do not acknowledge Him as the Creator of any events arising in the world—neither the motions of the celestial spheres nor any other moving things—nor as the Creator of what comes about through them. Nor do they acknowledge that He has power over any of this or knows its details. Yet Allah, glorified and exalted is He, says:

“It is Allah who created seven heavens, and of the earth their like. His command descends among them so that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah encompasses all things in knowledge.”

These people examine the world, yet do not know that Allah has power over all things or that Allah encompasses all things in knowledge.

Another consideration is that, if we suppose two sovereigns—one who wills something that does not come to pass, while what he does not will does come to pass; and another whose every will comes to pass, and nothing comes to pass except what he wills—we know necessarily that the latter is more perfect.

In short, the position of “those who affirm divine power” entails that He is the Creator, Lord, and Sovereign of everything, that He has power over all things, and that whatever He wills comes to pass. It thus entails the perfection of His creative activity, power, and will. The “deniers of divine decree” deny Him these perfections.

As for his statement, “For Him to punish for what has been decreed is injustice on His part,” this is a bare assertion for which they have no support beyond drawing an analogy between the Lord and themselves. No rational person would say that everything that constitutes an imperfection