The second response is as follows:

Rather, it is the negators who contradict self-evident knowledge (1). For the servant to become one who wills and acts after previously not being one who acts (2) is a newly occurring state that did not exist before. Either it has one who brings it into being (3), or it has no such originator. If it has no originator, this entails that originated events can arise without an originator. If it does have an originator, that originator must be either the servant himself, the Lord—exalted is He—or someone other than them both.

If it is the servant himself (4), then the argument concerning his bringing that agency into being is the same as the argument concerning the bringing into being of the events arising from it. This entails an infinite regress, which is invalid here by agreement, because the servant came into being after previously not existing; it is therefore impossible for originated events with no first to subsist in him.

If the originator is someone other than Allah, the same argument applies to him as applies to the servant. It must therefore be Allah who creates the servant’s state of willing and acting. This is what was to be proved.

Ahl al-Sunnah affirm this self-evident knowledge and say (5): The servant acts, and Allah created him as one who acts (6); the servant wills and chooses, and Allah made him one who wills and chooses.

Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, this is a reminder; so whoever wills may take a path to his Lord. Yet you do not will unless Allah wills.”

[Surah al-Insān 29, 30]

And He Most High says:

“For whoever among you wills to follow the straight path. Yet you do not will unless Allah, Lord of all worlds, wills.”

[Surah al-Takwīr 28, 29].