remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins—and who forgives sins except Allah?—and do not knowingly persist in what they have done.”

Whoever thinks that “divine decree” is an excuse for sinners is like the polytheists of whom Allah Most High said:

“Those who associate partners with Allah will say, ‘Had Allah willed, neither we nor our forefathers would have associated partners with Him, nor would we have forbidden anything.’”

Allah Most High said in reply to them:

“Likewise, those before them denied the truth until they tasted Our punishment. Say, ‘Do you have any knowledge that you can produce for us? You follow nothing but conjecture, and you do nothing but guess.’”

“Say, ‘To Allah belongs the conclusive argument. Had He willed, He would have guided you all.’”

If “divine decree” were an excuse for anyone, Allah would not have punished those who rejected the messengers, such as the people of Noah, ʿĀd, Thamūd, the overturned cities, and the people of Pharaoh. Nor would He have commanded that the prescribed punishments be carried out upon transgressors. No one invokes divine decree as an excuse unless he is following his desires without guidance from Allah.

Whoever regards divine decree as an excuse that absolves sinners of blame and punishment must neither blame nor punish anyone who wrongs him. Rather, he must regard whatever brings pleasure and whatever brings pain as equal, making no distinction between someone who treats him well and someone who treats him badly. Human nature, reason, and divine law all rule this out.

Allah Most High has said:

“Should We treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like those who spread corruption on earth? Or should We treat the God-fearing like the wicked?”

And He Most High said:

“Should We then treat the Muslims like the criminals?”

And He Most High said:

“Or do those who