For this reason, he said:

“He thus witnesses that the True One’s decree and knowledge preceded all things.”

That is, he witnesses that He knew what would come to pass and decreed it—that He willed it, ordained it, and wrote it. According to them, there is nothing beyond this. Many adherents of this doctrine abandon worldly means and regard the existence of a cause as no different from its absence.

Some of them abandon the means pertaining to the Hereafter, saying:

“If knowledge and decree have already determined that we are among the blessed, then we are among the blessed; and if they have determined that we are among the wretched, then we are among the wretched. Thus, there is no benefit in performing deeds.”

Some of them also abandon supplication on the basis of this corrupt principle.

There is no doubt that this corrupt principle (1) contradicts the Book, the Sunnah, the consensus of the Salaf and the leading authorities of the religion. It also contradicts plain reason, sensory perception, and direct observation.

The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was asked about abandoning means on account of the divine decree (2), and he rejected this, as [established] (3) in the two Sahih collections. He—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“There is no one among you whose place in Paradise and whose place in the Fire is not already known.”

They asked, “O Messenger of Allah, should we not then abandon deeds and rely upon what has been written?”

He replied:

“No. Perform deeds, for everyone will be facilitated toward that for which he was created.” (4)