and one who is unable. Even if he affirms a power and says that it accompanies acquisition, he is told (1): “You have established no intelligible distinction between what you affirm as acquisition and what you deny as action (2), nor between one who is able and one who is unable. Mere concurrence is not unique to power, for the servant’s [act] (3) also accompanies his life, knowledge (4), will, and other attributes. If power has no effect beyond mere concurrence, then there is no distinction between power and anything else.”

The same applies to [the view] (5) of one who says that (6) power affects the character of the act but not the act itself, as Qadi Abu Bakr and those who agree with him maintain. If he affirms an effect independently of the Lord’s creation, it necessarily follows (7) that some originated things were not created by Allah [Most High] (8). But if he makes that effect contingent upon the Lord’s creation, then there is no distinction between the act itself and its character.

As for the imams of Ahl al-Sunnah (9) and the majority among them, they affirm what is indicated by revelation and reason.

Allah Most High said:

“We drive it to a lifeless land, then send down water with it, and thereby bring forth every kind of fruit.” [Surah al-Arāf: 57] (10)

And He said:

“And the water Allah sends down from the sky, thereby reviving the earth after its death.” [Surah al-Baqara: 164]

And He said: