The third level of belief in the Divine Decree is to affirm that everything takes place by Allah’s will; nothing at all lies outside His will. It makes no difference whether the event pertains exclusively to Allah’s own acts—such as sending rain or bringing the dead to life—or to deeds performed by creatures, such as prayer and fasting. All of it occurs only if Allah so wills. Allah the Exalted says: “for whoever among you wills to stay upright; yet you will not will unless Allah, Lord of all worlds, so wills” (At-Takwīr 81:28-29). He also says: “Had Allah willed, those who came after them would not have fought one another after the clear proofs had come to them; but they differed—some believed and others disbelieved. Had Allah willed, they would not have fought, but Allah does whatever He intends” (Al-Baqarah 2:253).

In these verses Allah, glorified be He, makes it plain that we possess no will except through His will; nothing can ever occur in His realm contrary to what He wills. Hence Muslims have unanimously embraced the great maxim: “Whatever Allah wills comes to pass, and whatever He does not will never happens.”

The fourth level is to believe that everything is created by Allah. He says: “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is Guardian over all” (Az-Zumar 39:62), and: “He created everything and determined it with precise determination” (Al-Furqān 25:2). Whatever exists is a creature of Allah. Man himself is created by Allah, and so are his deeds. Allah relates that Abraham, peace be upon him, said to his people: “Allah created you and whatever you do” (As-Ṣāffāt 37:96). Thus the servant’s action is created by Allah, although the one who actually performs the deed is the servant, not Allah. Allah is the One who brings the deed into existence, while the servant is the direct agent who carries it out.