We have noted elsewhere that, just as this verse refutes the Waʿīdiyyah—those among the Kharijites and Muʿtazilah who maintain that divine threats must be fulfilled—it also refutes those Murjiʾah who suspend judgment, saying: “He may punish every evildoer and forgive none, or He may forgive them all.” For He has said:

“But He forgives anything less than that for whom He wills.”

He thus affirms that sins less than that are forgiven, but only for whom He wills. If He were to forgive no one, this would contradict His words:

“But He forgives anything less than that.”

And if He were to forgive everyone, this would contradict His words:

“For whom He wills.”

By affirming both that He forgives anything less than that and that forgiveness is for whom He wills, He indicates that forgiveness encompassing all sins short of associating partners with Him does occur, but only for some people.

Accordingly, whoever is forgiven will not be punished, and whoever is not forgiven will be punished. This is the position of the Companions, the early generations, and the leading scholars: it is certain that some sinners within the Muslim community will enter the Fire, while others will be forgiven.

But does this occur according to the weighing of deeds and wisdom, or is the weighing of deeds given no consideration? Those who affiliate themselves with the Sunnah, both scholars of our school and others, hold two views on this. These stem from the underlying question concerning divine acts: whether they are governed by wisdom and justice. Moreover, numerous scriptural texts concerning recompense indicate that deeds are weighed, as has been explained at length elsewhere.

The point here is that His words:

“O My servants who have transgressed against themselves, do not despair of Allah’s mercy. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins,”

forbid despairing of Allah Most High’s mercy, however grave and numerous one’s sins may be. Thus, no one may despair of