This position is also reported from (1) Iyās ibn Muāwiya (2), who said:

“I never debated anyone with the full force of my intellect except the Qadariyya. I said to them (3), ‘Tell me: what is injustice?’

“They replied (4), ‘For a person to dispose of what does not belong to him.’

“I said, ‘But everything belongs to Allah.’”

They (5), however, do not concede that if He were to punish a person because of his color or because he was tall or short, He would thereby be unjust, such that this analogy could be used against them. Rather, they deem punishment permissible without any prior offense (6) or any subsequent purpose. The critic who condemns this as abhorrent has presented no proof of its invalidity and has therefore presented no proof that their position is invalid.

The second position is that injustice lies within the scope of divine power, though Allah Most High is exalted above it. This is the position of the majority [among those who affirm divine predestination and those who deny it. It is also the position of many speculative theologians who affirm divine predestination, such as the Karrāmiyya and others, as well as many followers of Abū Hanīfa, Mālik, al-Shāfiī, Ahmad, and others. It is also the position of Judge Abū Khāzim (7) (8) and others; and this] (9) is like punishing a person for another’s sin, as Allah Most High says:

“Whoever does righteous deeds while being a believer will fear neither injustice nor deprivation.”

[Surah Tā Hā 112].