in his body in the form of movement, nor does he have any power over it. Nor can he be described as loving or hating an action, willing it or being averse to it, or as bowing, prostrating, fasting, performing Hajj, or fighting the enemy.

As for the statement of those who maintain this view:

A dead person is neither praised nor blamed for the actions of the person washing him, nor is he rewarded or punished. The servant, however, has been made by Allah to be alive, endowed with will and power, and capable of acting. He fasts, prays, performs Hajj, kills, and engages in illicit sexual intercourse by his own choice and will. Allah is the Creator of his being, his attributes, and his actions. He has a will, and Allah is the Creator of his will, as the Most High says:

“For whoever among you wills to follow the straight path.”

“And you do not will unless Allah, Lord of the worlds, wills.”

He has power, and Allah is the Creator of his power. He prays, fasts, and performs Hajj and Umrah, while Allah is his Creator and the Creator of his actions. Thus, likening him to a dead person is a false analogy.

Third, it may be said: If he is like a dead person with the one washing him, then the one washing him would be the one subject to obligations. Allah would therefore be the one subject to obligations. It would consequently follow that the Lord is the one subject to obligations.

Fourth, all rational human beings agree, in accordance with the innate disposition Allah has given them, that a living servant is commanded and forbidden, and is praised and blamed for his voluntary actions. They also agree that anyone who invokes divine decree to excuse his wrongdoing and indecencies has no acceptable excuse. If someone wronged another person, no one would accept his invoking divine decree to absolve himself of blame. As for a dead person, no rational person blames him, commands him, or forbids him. How, then, can the one be compared to the other?

As for the statement:

“If Allah did not give the servant the strength to fulfil his obligations, he would be unable to do so,”