an act of justice is just, whoever commits injustice is unjust, and whoever tells a lie is a liar. If the servant does not perform his own acts of lying, injustice, and justice, but Allah performs them, it follows that He is the one characterized by lying and injustice.”

They said:

“This parallels what you and all others who affirm the divine attributes have said: it is firmly rooted in human nature that whoever has knowledge subsisting in him is knowledgeable; whoever has power subsisting in him is capable; whoever has motion subsisting in him is moving; whoever has speech subsisting in him is speaking; and whoever has will subsisting in him is willing. You have also said that if speech were created, it would be the speech of the locus in which He created it, just as with the other attributes. This consistent principle concerning those in whom attributes subsist has its counterpart in those who perform actions.”

They also said:

“The Quran abounds in passages attributing these actions to the servants, such as His words, Exalted is He:

‘As a reward for what they used to do,’

and His words:

‘Do whatever you will,’

and His words:

‘And say, “Work, for Allah will see your deeds,”’

and His words:

‘Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds,’

and other such passages.”

They also said:

“Revelation and reason agree that the servant is praised or blamed for his own action, which counts as a good or evil deed on his part. If it were nothing but someone else’s action, that other would be the one praised or blamed for it.”

This is not the place for a full discussion of this question. We shall, however, draw attention to some useful points concerning this difficult issue. Thus we say: