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Among the matters upon which the early generations of the Muslim community and its imams agreed is that people have a will and an ability, by which they do whatever Allah has enabled them to do. They affirmed this alongside their belief in divine decree and predestination: that Allah is the Creator of all things; that whatever He wills comes to pass, and whatever He does not will does not; and that He leads astray whom He wills and guides whom He wills. They also affirmed that people cannot will unless Allah wills.
As Allah Most High says:
“No! Indeed, it is a reminder. So whoever wills may heed it. But they will not heed it unless Allah wills”—to the end of the verse.
And He Most High says:
“Indeed, this is a reminder, so whoever wills may take a path to his Lord. But you cannot will unless Allah wills. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”
And He says:
“It is only a reminder to the worlds, for whoever among you wills to take a straight path. But you cannot will unless Allah, Lord of the worlds, wills.”
The Quran states that people believe and disbelieve, act, work, earn, obey and disobey, establish prayer, give zakah, perform Hajj and ʿumrah (the lesser pilgrimage), kill, commit unlawful sexual intercourse, steal, speak truthfully and lie, eat and drink, fight and wage war. None of the early generations or the imams said that a person neither acts nor chooses, nor has any will or ability. Nor did any of them say that he acts