so that it pours down the rain He determined. He determined the provision that would grow there and His servants’ need for that provision. He guided them to it and guided those who would bring it to them.

The Quran commentators have mentioned various forms of His determination and guidance. Ibn Jarīr, Ibn Abī Hātim, and others narrated with a sound chain of transmission that Mujāhid said concerning His words,

“Determined and guided”:

“He determined mankind’s wretchedness and felicity, and guided livestock to their pastures.”

Likewise, ‘Abd ibn Humayd narrated in his commentary:

“He guided mankind to felicity and wretchedness, and guided livestock to their pastures.”

He also said: Yūnus narrated to us, from Shaybān, from Qatādah, concerning:

“Determined and guided”:

“No, by Allah! Allah has never compelled any servant to commit a sin or follow misguidance, nor has He approved it for him or commanded him to do so. Rather, He approved obedience for you and commanded you to obey Him, and forbade you to disobey Him.”

I say: Qatādah mentioned this in connection with this verse to make clear that Allah determined whatever He determined of felicity and wretchedness, as al-Hasan, Qatādah, and other leading Muslim scholars stated. They did not dispute the foregoing point concerning Allah’s prior determination. Some of them differed only concerning the divine will and the creation of actions.