The first is that to which both kinds of will pertain: righteous deeds that actually occur. Allah wills them by His religious, legislative will, commanding, loving and approving them; and He wills them by His creational will, so they occur. Otherwise, they would not occur.
The second is that to which only the religious will pertains: righteous deeds that Allah commands, but the disbelievers and the wicked disobey that command. All these deeds are objects of His religious will, and He loves and approves them whether they occur or not.
The third is that to which only the creational will pertains: events that He decrees and wills but has not commanded, such as permissible acts and sins. He has not commanded, approved or loved them, for He does not command indecency, nor does He approve disbelief for His servants. Were it not for His will, His power and His creation of them, they would not occur or come into existence. Whatever Allah wills comes to pass, and whatever He does not will does not come to pass.
The fourth is that to which neither kind of will pertains: permissible acts and sins that do not occur.
Accordingly, what the lām signifies in His words:
“I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me”
is this religious, legislative will. What is intended by this will may or may not occur. The meaning is that the purpose He loves and approves for them, and which they have been commanded to fulfill, is worship. This is the deed for which He created His servants: it brings about their perfection and well-being, through which they become pleasing and beloved to Him. Whoever does not fulfill this purpose therefore lacks what is loved, approved and intended for him by the religious will, wherein lie his happiness and salvation, and lacks