Section

The Seventh Distinction

The seventh distinction concerning good and evil—which encompass both deeds and recompense—and why evil is attributed to the self and good to Allah is this:

The evils that befall a person—the afflictions of this world and the Hereafter—have no cause other than his sin, which originates in his own self. Their cause is thus confined to his own self.

As for the good and blessings that come to him, their causes are not so limited. They come from Allah’s bounty and kindness, through a person’s deeds or without them. His deeds themselves are among Allah’s blessings upon him. Glorified is He, Allah does not reward him merely in proportion to his deeds, but multiplies his reward. The servant cannot fully account for the causes of these blessings, but he knows that they come from Allah’s bounty and generosity. He therefore turns to Allah for them, placing his hope in Allah alone and relying on Him alone. He knows that all blessings come from Allah and that everything He has created is a blessing, as explained earlier. He therefore deserves the absolute, all-encompassing and complete gratitude that none besides Him deserves.

There is also gratitude offered in return for the good facilitated through a person