and is therefore not to be blamed for it.”

The “compulsionists” said: “Rather, His power is affirmed without wisdom. He cannot act for a wise purpose, since that applies only to someone who needs to act, whereas He is free of need. There is neither justice nor injustice; rather, whatever He can do is just. Among actions, there is neither good that ought to be commanded nor evil that ought to be forbidden, nor any right or wrong. Rather, He may command anything and forbid anything.”

Those among them who followed this reasoning through to its conclusion rejected the revealed Law altogether and rejected prophethood. Yet they cannot avoid commanding some things and forbidding others, for this is inescapable for all created beings. Those who follow the prophets, however, command what benefits themselves and others, and forbid what harms themselves and others. Those who oppose the prophets inevitably command what is harmful and forbid what is beneficial, thereby deserving punishment in this world and the Hereafter.

As for someone among them who acknowledges prophethood but inwardly rejects the revealed Law and says, “The spiritual knower neither regards a good deed as good nor an evil deed as evil,” he becomes a hypocrite whose outward professions contradict his inward convictions. He says, “The revealed Law is for the asylum.” This is why they are called “Bātiniyya” (esotericists), just as the heretics have been called “Bātiniyya”: both conceal beliefs contrary to what they outwardly profess, inwardly setting aside the commands and prohibitions brought by the Messenger.

The ultimate outcome for the compulsionist Jahmiyya is to be either polytheists both outwardly and inwardly, or hypocrites who conceal their polytheism. Hence they think evil of Allah, believing that He will not grant victory to Muhammad