your heart.” He thus declared that, supposing such fabrication occurred, He would inevitably punish anyone who fabricated lies about Him.

Section

This is an issue concerning which people have fallen into confusion. The Qadarīs who deny divine decree and the proponents of compulsion argued that if it is possible for Him to lead one person astray, it is possible for Him to lead all people astray. If it is possible for Him to torment a living creature without its having sinned and without compensating it, it is possible for Him to torment every living being without its having sinned and without compensating it. And if it is possible for Him to withhold assistance in obeying His command from one person whom He has commanded, it is possible for Him to withhold assistance from all creation.

Thus, neither group distinguished between particular and universal evil, or between relative and absolute evil. Nor did they acknowledge any wise purpose in relative evil by virtue of which it would fall within the category of good.

The deniers then said: “It is known that He is exalted above such actions. For if we considered this possible for Him, we would also consider it possible for Him to support a liar with miracles, torment the prophets, honor the disbelievers, and do other things that rational people regard as too grievous to attribute to Allah Most High.”