many spiritual wayfarers: their acquiescence in the decree in opposition to the divine commands and prohibitions. The servant is commanded to strive in Allah’s cause and to counter decreed acts of disobedience with whatever acts of obedience he can perform. He thus counters what is decreed but forbidden with what is decreed and commanded by Allah Most High. This is Allah’s religion, with which He sent the messengers, from the first to the last—may Allah’s blessings be upon them all.

Many philosophers resemble these people, as in Ibn Sīnā’s statement about witnessing the secret of divine decree. Al-Rāzī endorses this, for he was an absolute determinist. In general, this notion circulates in the minds of many of the elite among scholars and worshippers, let alone ordinary people, yet it contradicts the religion of Islam.

Some of these people say: “Al-Khidr was absolved of blame only because he witnessed the reality of divine decree.”

One of their shaykhs used to say: “Even if I killed seventy prophets, I would not be in the wrong.”

Some carry their position through as consistently as possible, saying: “Anyone who is able to do something and does it incurs no blame. If it happens that he acts contrary to another person’s purpose, that person will contend with him, and the stronger of the two will defeat the other. Whichever of them is favoured by the decree is in the right insofar as he prevails; otherwise, there is no such thing as wrongdoing.”

Among these are the “monists,” who say: “Existence is one.” Then they say: