far above its proper rank. Their way is thus one of hope with scarcely any fear, whereas the former way is predominantly fear with little hope. This resembles the Christians’ excesses in the acts of worship they practise, despite casting off obligation and recommendation. Nevertheless, they perform many acts of worship and persist in them for long periods as recommended devotions. This way predominates among the philosophers, just as the former way predominates among the speculative theologians.

The third category is the Qadariyyah of Iblīs, who acknowledge that both the command and the decree come from Allah, but regard this as a contradiction. They are Allah’s adversaries, as stated in the hadith.

Such people are numerous among those devoted to discourse and practices: foolish poets and other heretics like them. An example is the saying of Abū al-‘Alā’ al-Ma‘arrī:

“Have You forbidden the deliberate taking of lives … and claimed that a return awaits them?
How little need they had of either state!” (1)

Another is the saying of one of these foolish heretics:

“He creates stars, and among them He creates moons.
He says, ‘O people, lower your eyes before them.’
You send women forth and cry, ‘You who are gathered here,
Put out the blaze!’ Yet Your own hand cast the fire.”

These and similar utterances render their speaker a disbeliever and liable to execution.