It has been said concerning His words:

“Successful indeed is the one who purifies it,”
“and failed indeed is the one who corrupts it,”

that the pronoun refers to Allah, meaning: “Successful indeed is the one whose soul Allah purifies, and failed indeed is the one whose soul Allah corrupts.” This contradicts the apparent meaning and departs considerably from the Quran’s characteristic manner of expression. The more fitting wording would then have been: “Successful indeed is she whom Allah purifies, and failed indeed is she whom He corrupts.” This is weak. Moreover, His words, “And inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness,” explain divine predestination. There is therefore no need to mention it again immediately afterwards in such a short surah.

For this reason, only this verse, rather than the latter passage, is reported from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as evidence establishing predestination. Thus, in Sahīh Muslim, Abū al-Aswad al-Du’alī reported:

‘Imrān ibn Husayn said to me, “Tell me about what people do today and strive to accomplish: is it something already decreed for them and settled by a prior decree, or is it something they face anew in response to what their Prophet has brought them and the proof established against them?”

I replied, “Rather, it is something already decreed for them and settled for them.”

He said, “Would that not then be injustice?”

I was greatly alarmed by this and said, “Everything is Allah’s creation and belongs to Him. He is not questioned about what He does, but they will be questioned.”

He said to me, “May Allah have mercy on you! I asked you this only to safeguard your understanding. Two men from Muzaynah came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, tell us about what people do today and strive to accomplish: is it something already decreed for them and settled concerning them as part of a decree