One group adopted the second position. This is the view of those who say without qualification that nothing is obligatory upon Allah and nothing is forbidden to Him.

Another group said:

Rather, He has imposed obligations upon Himself (1) and has forbidden things to Himself, as explicitly stated in the Book and the Sunnah, as in His words [Most High] (2):

“Your Lord has decreed mercy upon Himself” [Surah al-Anʿām: 54];

and His words:

“It was incumbent upon Us to aid the believers” [Surah al-Rūm: 47];

and His words in the [authentic] (3) divine hadith:

“O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden among you.” (4)

As for His servants imposing obligations upon Him or forbidding things to Him, this is impossible according to Ahl al-Sunnah [all of them] (5).

Those who say that He has imposed obligations upon Himself (6) or forbidden things to Himself hold that this obligation (7) and prohibition are known through revelation. But can they also be known through reason? Ahl al-Sunnah hold two positions on this question.

Since (8) all these positions are well known among Ahl al-Sunnah—indeed, among the adherents of