The second is that it means: He has power over everything that lies within His power, but He has no power over what does not lie within His power.

The first meaning is what Ahl al-Sunnah, who affirm divine predestination, intend when they say, “He has power over everything subject to power.” They hold that Allah has power over everything that could possibly be subject to the power of any agent whatsoever. Thus, there is nothing intrinsically possible over which Allah does not have power. In their view, it is inconceivable that human beings could have power over something while Allah does not.

This is the meaning of His statement, Most High:

“Indeed, He is All-Powerful over everything.”

[Surah Fussilat: 39]

As for what is intrinsically impossible, it is not a thing according to rational people generally. They have disputed only concerning a possible nonexistent: is it a thing or not?

As for the impossible, no one has said that it is a thing existing in external reality, for the impossible is precisely that which cannot exist in external reality. An example is something being both existent and nonexistent, for this is intrinsically impossible and cannot conceivably have existence in external reality. The same applies to something being entirely black and entirely white, or one and the same body being in two places at the same time.

The term “impossible” is applied both to what is intrinsically impossible, such as these examples, and to what is impossible because of something else, such as that which Allah, Most High, knows will not occur, has stated will not occur, and has written will not occur. Such a thing will not occur.

It may be said that its occurrence is impossible because, were it to occur, Allah’s knowledge would necessarily be contrary to its object and His report contrary to what it reports. Yet the event itself is intrinsically possible, and Allah has power over it, as He said:

“Yes indeed! We are able to fashion his fingertips anew.”

[Surah al-Qiyāmah: 4]

And He, Most High, said:

“And indeed, We are fully capable of taking it away.”

[Surah