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Just as the early generations and leading scholars agree on belief in divine decree—that whatever Allah wills happens, whatever He does not will does not happen, and that He is the Creator of everything, including His servants’ deeds—and agree on affirming His commands and prohibitions, His promises and warnings, and that no one has any argument against Allah to justify neglecting a command or committing a forbidden act, they also agree that Allah is All-Wise, Most Merciful, the wisest of judges and the most merciful of those who show mercy.

It is authentically reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Allah is more merciful to His servants than a mother is to her child.”

Allah has made known His wisdom in His creation and commands through what He has revealed in His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger.

Al-Jahm ibn Safwān and his followers deny His wisdom and mercy, saying: “The purposive ‘in order to’ does not apply to His acts or commands: He does nothing for a purpose and commands nothing for a purpose.” Many later speculative theologians who affirm divine decree, along with those who agree with them, have followed Jahm’s approach on many questions in this area, although they differed with him on some of