As for an evil deed, He creates it only for a wise purpose, and in light of that purpose, it is an expression of His beneficence. For the Lord never does anything evil. Rather, His acts are all good and beneficent; all that He does is good. Thus, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would say in the opening supplication of prayer:

“All good is in Your hands, and evil is not ascribed to You.”

For He does not create pure evil. Rather, everything He creates serves a wise purpose, in light of which it is good. Yet it may involve evil for some people; this is partial and relative evil. As for universal or absolute evil, the Lord is far exalted above it. This is the evil that is not ascribed to Him.

As for partial and relative evil, it is good in light of the wise purpose it serves. Hence, evil is never ascribed to Him on its own. Rather, it is either included within the generality of created things, as in His words:

“And He created all things”;

or ascribed to its cause, as in His words:

“From the evil of what He has created”;

or its agent is left unmentioned, as in the words of the jinn:

“And we do not know whether evil is intended for those on earth, or whether their Lord intends right guidance for them.”

On this point, two groups of people who engage in false discourse concerning divine decree have gone astray: