For this reason, the Murji’a were generally better than the Qadariyya. Indeed, even jurists from Kufa and elsewhere embraced the doctrine of the Murji’a, whereas none of the jurists or imams of the early generations adhered to Mu‘tazilism.

Section

If, then, error concerning divine decree has arisen sometimes through denying divine decree and Allah’s creation of acts, sometimes through denying the revealed Law and the threatened punishment, and sometimes through attributing injustice to the Lord, then this surah contains a refutation of all these groups. His statement, Exalted is He:

“Then inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness”

affirms divine decree through the words “Then inspired it.” It also affirms the servant’s actions by ascribing wickedness and righteousness to his own soul, making it clear that the soul itself is wicked or righteous. Furthermore, the words “its wickedness and its righteousness” affirm the distinction between good and evil, and between commands and prohibitions.

His subsequent statement:

“He has succeeded who purifies it, and he has failed who corrupts it”

affirms the servant’s actions, the promise of reward and the threat of punishment, through the success of whoever purifies his soul and the failure of whoever corrupts it. This explicitly refutes the Magian Qadariyya and the Jabriyya concerning the revealed Law or the servant’s actions. They are those who deny the truth.