their cause, and they are a punishment for him; for the soul desired those sins and was prompted toward them.

At other times, this attribution concerns good and evil deeds, and the ideas and intentions cast into the heart. Thus, truth is said to be from Allah, who inspired His servant with it; falsehood is said to be from Satan, who whispered it, and also from the soul, because it desired it. Thus, concerning conclusions they reached through independent reasoning, ʿUmar, Ibn ʿUmar, and Ibn Masʿūd said: “If it is right, it is from Allah; if it is mistaken, it is from us and from Satan, and Allah and His Messenger are free of it.”

These are Ibn Masʿūd’s words in the report concerning Birwaʿ bint Wāshiq. He said: “If it is right, it is from Allah; if it is mistaken, it is from me and from Satan.” For he had given a ruling: if it accorded with Allah’s ruling, then it was from Allah, because it accorded with His knowledge and judgment. It was from Him in the sense that He, glorified is He, inspired His servant with it, without the mediation of Satan or the soul. If it was mistaken, however, Satan whispered it, and the soul desired it and whispered it—even though it was created within him and Allah created it within him. Yet Allah did not prescribe it, even if what occurred to me was not inspired by the angel. As Ibn Masʿūd said:

“The angel has a prompting in the heart of the son of Adam, and Satan has a prompting. The angel’s prompting promises good and affirms the truth, while Satan’s prompting promises evil and denies the truth.”

Affirmation pertains to statements of fact, whereas promising good and evil pertains to urging and volition.

The Most High said:

“Satan threatens you with poverty and commands you to commit immorality, while Allah promises you forgiveness