creation by anyone other than Allah. Nevertheless, there was no disagreement within the Muslim community that these acts have a beginning, coming into existence after not having existed. No one said that they were eternal. However, the “Qadariyyah” among the Mu‘tazilah and others believed that Allah did not create the voluntary acts of angels, jinn and humans—whether acts of obedience or disobedience—or the acts resulting from them.

They argued that, had He created them, this would necessarily mean that the servant was compelled to act, and that religious accountability, promise and warning, reward and punishment would all be nullified. They also argued that the servant knows with self-evident certainty that he himself brings his acts into being. They supported this with reasoned arguments.

When they introduced this “doctrine,” the imams of the Sunnah denounced it, just as the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—had denounced the beginnings of this innovation when the Qadariyyah emerged towards the end of the Companions’ era. Ibn ‘Umar, Ibn ‘Abbās, Wāthilah ibn al-Asqa‘ and other Companions refuted them. The imams explained that anyone who holds that something which has come into existence, such as the servants’ acts or anything else, was not created by Allah is like someone who denies that Allah created other things that have come into existence, such as the heavens and the earth.

For Allah is the Lord of all worlds, the Sovereign of all dominion and the Creator of all things. Nothing in all the worlds lies outside His lordship, nothing in all dominion lies outside His sovereignty, and nothing that has come into existence lies outside His creation. Allah Most High says:

“Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the Guardian over all things.”

“To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth.”

And Allah Most High says:

“Or have they assigned to Allah partners who created as He created, so that it became difficult to distinguish