This question arose in al-Junayd’s time, as has been mentioned elsewhere. Al-Junayd explained to them the second distinction: while contemplating the all-encompassing divine will, they must also recognize the distinction between what Allah commands and what He forbids—that is, between what He loves and what He hates.

Al-Junayd made this clear to them, as in his statement concerning divine oneness:
“It is to distinguish what has come into being from what has always existed.”

Those Sufis and masters of gnosis who follow al-Junayd’s path are rightly guided, attain salvation, and find felicity. But whoever does not follow his path concerning divine decree, and instead treats everything alike, must consequently make no distinction between good deeds and evil deeds, or between prophets and the wicked. He therefore does not say that Allah loves these people and these deeds, nor that He hates those people and those deeds. Rather, Allah loves all that occurs just as He wills it, as al-Ash‘arī maintained.

The only distinction is that some are granted bliss while others are punished. By affirming this distinction with respect to created beings, al-Ash‘arī was more reasonable than they were. For they claim that the gnostic who reaches the station of self-effacement makes no distinction between the two.