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The sixth distinction: The sins with which a person is tried, although created by Allah, are a punishment for his failure to do what Allah created him for and made part of his innate disposition. Allah created him to worship Him alone, and his innate disposition points to this. When he fails to do what he was created for and innately disposed to, he is punished by Satan making his acts of associating partners with Allah and disobedience appear attractive to him. He Most High says:

“Go! Whoever among them follows you, Hell will surely be your recompense—an ample recompense.”

Then, further on, He says:

“Indeed, you will have no authority over My servants.”

He Most High also says:

“Indeed, he has no authority over those who believe and put their trust in their Lord. His authority is only over those who take him as their ally”—to the end of the verse.

He Most High says:

“Indeed, when those who fear Allah are touched by a temptation from Satan, they remember, and at once they see clearly. But their brothers draw them further into error and never desist.”

It is thus clear that sincere devotion to Allah prevents Satan from gaining mastery over a person. As He Most High says:

“Thus We turned evil and immorality away from him. Indeed, he was one of Our chosen servants.”

Thus, his being inspired to wickedness was a punishment for him. Failure to perform good deeds is not an existing entity of which it could be said, “Allah created it.” Whoever reflects on the Quran will see that, in most passages where Allah mentions His creation of disbelief and sins, He presents it as recompense for that conduct. For example, He Most High says:

“Whomever Allah wills to guide, He opens his heart to Islam; and whomever He wills to lead astray, He makes his heart tight and constricted”—to the end of the verse.

He Most High says:

“When they deviated, Allah caused their hearts to deviate.”

He also says:

“But as for the one who is miserly, considers himself self-sufficient, and denies the best reward, We will ease him toward hardship.”

In these and similar passages, He mentions deeds with which He punished them for doing what was forbidden and abandoning what was commanded. They must necessarily act and exercise their will; so when they did not engage in good deeds, they were impelled