And Shaykh al-Islām said:

Concerning His words, Exalted is He:

“But you do not will unless Allah, Lord of the worlds, wills.”

He states that their willing depends upon His willing. Yet this does not necessarily entail their performing the act, for at most it means that He has made them willing. They do not perform the act until He wills it of them, as in His words, Exalted is He:

“So whoever wills may take heed of it.”

“But they will not take heed unless Allah wills.”

Even so, there must be the will that they perform the act before He wills, on His own part, to help them and grant them success.

Thus, there are four instances of willing here: willing to make clear, willing that they should will, willing that they should act, and willing to help them. And Allah knows best.