the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—: ‘I seek refuge in Your Face.’ At the words, ‘or from beneath your feet,’ he said, ‘I seek refuge in Your Face.’ At the words, ‘or divide you into factions and make some of you taste the violence of others,’ he said, ‘These two are easier.’” (1).

Allah Most High also says:

“Had your Lord willed, everyone on earth would surely have believed—all of them together.”

[Surah Yūnus: 99].

And Allah Most High says:

“Had your Lord willed, He could have made humanity one community.”

[Surah Hūd: 118].

And He says:

“Had Allah willed, they would not have fought one another.”

[Surah al-Baqarah: 253].

There are many similar passages in the Quran.

Since He would do it if He willed it, this shows that He is able to do it, for it is impossible to do what lies beyond one’s power. This being so, it is known that if an act came into existence merely because He was able to perform it, everything within His power would occur. Rather, power must necessarily be accompanied by will.

At that point, as for the assertion, “Thus, the Lord’s power] (*) (2) requires a determining factor,” that determining factor is Allah Most High’s will. Allah’s will cannot come from another, unlike the servant’s will. Since the determining factor is Allah’s will, He acts by His own choice rather than by intrinsic necessity without choice. This therefore does not entail disbelief.

Third: It may be said: What do you mean by saying that it follows that Allah acts by intrinsic necessity? Do you mean by this (3) that He necessarily produces the effect without power or will (4), or do you mean