is, when done, praiseworthy wisdom, even if one allows that the benefit may be obtained without it. For example, acquiring wealth and other desired things through the means that customarily lead to them is not folly, even though wealth may be obtained without (1) any effort, as through inheritance.

The Fifth Aspect:

His statement, “because He acts without a purpose” (2), has already been answered. We have explained that most of Ahl al-Sunnah say (3) that His acts are grounded in wisdom—which is what is meant here by “purpose.” [Some of Ahl al-Sunnah explicitly state that He acts for a purpose] (4).

Those affirmers of divine decree who say that He does not act for any wisdom nevertheless say: Although He does whatever He wills, a person may know what He wills (5), as distinguished from what He does not will—whether through the regular course of customary events, through the report of a truthful informant, through necessary knowledge that He places in our hearts, or through some other means.

[A Section from the Rāfidī’s Discussion of Ahl al-Sunnah’s Doctrine concerning Divine Decree: No One Can Affirm the Truthfulness of Any Prophet]

(Section)

The [Rāfidī] (6) said: “Another consequence is that no one can affirm the truthfulness of any prophet, because that conclusion and the proof of it can be established (7) only through two premises. The first is that Allah [Most High] caused the miracle to occur at the hand of the Prophet [may Allah bless him and grant him peace] (8) in order to attest to his truthfulness. The second is that