on which He depends, then everything that exists other than Allah is created. Allah is the Creator of all things; everything besides Him is dependent upon Him, while He has no need of anything besides Himself. But if he means that Allah, glorified is He, is above His heavens, over His Throne, distinct from His creation, then this is correct, whether expressed using the word “direction” or otherwise.

The same applies to the expression “compulsion.” If someone asks, “Is the servant compelled or not?” the response is: If by compulsion he means that the servant has no will, no power, or no action of his own, then this is false. The servant performs his voluntary actions through his own power and will. But if by compulsion he means that He is the Creator of the servant’s will, power, and action, then Allah, exalted is He, is indeed the Creator of all these.

If someone asks, “Is faith created or uncreated?” he should be asked: What do you mean by “faith”? Do you mean something belonging to Allah’s attributes and speech, such as His saying, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,” and His “īmān” (affirmation of truth), indicated by His name al-Mu’min (the Affirmer of Truth)? If so, it is uncreated. Or do you mean something belonging to the servants’ actions and attributes? The servants are all created, and all their actions and attributes are created. A servant who was brought into existence and created cannot possess an eternal, uncreated attribute. No one who understands what he is saying would claim this.

Once clarification is sought and the distinctions are made, guidance becomes evident and the way becomes clear. It has been said: Most disagreements among rational people arise from words having more than one meaning. In these and similar matters over which people frequently dispute, affirming or denying them, a precise explanation distinguishes error from what is correct. People are obliged to affirm whatever the Book and the Sunnah affirm, and whatever is negated by the Book