Those who invoke predestination to excuse sins are guilty of a graver innovation, hold a more reprehensible doctrine, and follow a more vile path than those who deny predestination. Thus, those among the Mu‘tazila, the Shi‘a, and others who deny predestination but attach great importance to commands (1) and prohibitions, and to the promise and the threat, are better than those who regard predestination as an excuse for anyone who neglects what is commanded and commits what is forbidden. This (2) is found among many who claim to possess spiritual reality (3), who contemplate predestination (4) while turning away from commands and prohibitions—among religious mendicants, Sufis, ordinary people, and others. No one has any excuse for neglecting what is commanded or committing what is forbidden (5) on the grounds that it was decreed (6) for him. Rather, Allah has the conclusive proof against His creation.

The Qadarīs who invoke predestination to excuse sins are worse than the Qadarīs who deny predestination, and they are enemies of all religions. The principal cause that led people to deny predestination was these people’s invocation of it as an excuse. For this reason, more than one person was accused of adhering to the Qadarī doctrine even though they were not Qadarīs; rather, they (7) refused to accept predestination as an excuse for sins (8).

Imam Ahmad was once told, “Ibn Abī Dhi’b was a Qadarī.”

He replied, “People (9)—whenever anyone dealt sternly with them over sins, they would say, ‘He is a Qadarī’ (10).”

It has also been said that this was the reason (11) for the attribution to