“Because of wrongdoing committed by the Jews, We forbade them certain good things.”

[Surah al-Nisā’: 160] (1)

“Every person is held in pledge for what he has earned.”

[Surah al-Tūr: 21]

“Whoever does good does so for his own benefit, and whoever does evil does so to his own detriment.”

[Surah Fussilat: 46]

“That is because of what your own hands have sent forth.”

[Surah al-Hajj: 10]

“Whatever calamity befalls you is because of what your own hands have earned.”

[Surah al-Shūrā: 30]

And so forth (2).

It may be replied: The response (3 may be given in several ways, the first of which 3) (3) is to say (4): All of this is true. The majority of Ahl al-Sunnah maintain [this, and they maintain] (5) that the servant is truly the agent of his own act, not merely figuratively. This was disputed only by a group of speculative theologians (6) among those who affirm divine determination, such as al-Ash'arī and his followers.

(7 Second: It may be said 7) (7): The Quran is likewise replete with evidence (8) that the servants’ acts come into being through Allah’s will [and power] (9) and creation. It is therefore obligatory to believe in everything contained in the Quran; it is impermissible to believe in one part of the Book while disbelieving in another.