and is pleased with after having lost it—the very opposite state.
This reveals enough of Allah’s love for repentance—which comprises faith and righteous deeds—and His dislike of its opposite to refute those among the Jahmiyyah and Qadariyyah who deny any distinction. Both groups regard all things as equal with respect to Him.
[Then] (1) the Qadariyyah say: He intends the servant’s benefit because it is good, and He does not intend injustice because it is evil.
The Jahmiyyah say: If, with respect to Him, there is no difference between the two, then nothing can be good or evil in His sight; rather, these are merely matters relative to the servants.
Thus, relative to the servant, good is whatever accords with him and whatever results (2) in a reward that accords with him, while evil (3) is the reverse. On this basis, they equated love with will. Had they affirmed that He—Glory be to Him—loves and rejoices when what He loves comes to pass—as the Messenger has informed us—they would have recognized His wisdom. They would also have recognized that He acts for a wise purpose.
For the Jahmiyyah said: If all things are equal with respect to Him, it is impossible for Him to act for a wise purpose. [The Mu‘tazilah said: He acts for a wise purpose] (4) whose benefit accrues to the servants.
The Jahmiyyah then asked them: “[That wisdom] (5)—does any consequence (6) from it accrue to Him, or not?” The former (7) contradicts the principle you established (8), while the latter is impossible. It is therefore impossible for anyone to prefer what is good to—