, but are not acts of His, for His act—when He acts—is what subsists in Him, and in their view an act is distinct from what is brought about. They therefore say that these acts are brought about by the Lord, but are not acts of His (1), and that they are the servant’s acts.

They likewise say concerning the servant’s capacity that it is a capacity belonging to the servant and an object of the Lord’s power, not that it is itself the Lord’s capacity. Similarly, the servant’s will is a will belonging to the servant and is willed by the Lord.

The same applies to all the servant’s other attributes: they are attributes belonging to him, and they are (2) brought about by the Lord and created by Him; they are not attributes of the Lord.

Further illustrating this is that Allah Most High has attributed many originated events both to Himself and to some of His creatures, sometimes attributing the very same event and sometimes its counterpart. Thus He Most High says:

“Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that have not died during their sleep. He then keeps those for whom He has decreed death and releases the others until an appointed term.”

[Surah al-Zumar 42]
].

And He Most High says:

“He is the One Who takes your souls by night and knows what you have committed by day.”

[Surah al-An‘ām 60].

This is alongside His saying, Most High:

“Say: The Angel of Death, who has been entrusted with you, will take your souls.”

[Surah al-Sajda 11].

And His saying:

“Our messengers take his soul, and they never fail in their duty.”

[Surah al-An‘ām 61].

Likewise, He Most High says concerning the wind:

“It destroys everything by its Lord’s command.”

[Surah al-Ahqāf: 25].