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246 Chapter 4 on what is possible concerning the most high [By “possible,”] I mean what is neither necessary nor impossible, but is possible for Him. This chapter is divided into sections. Section 1: The Doctrine of Acquisition A person who is subject to the law must believe that God the Glorious created human beings (al-‘ibad) and created their acts and created reward and punishment for these acts, and that they acquire (iktasabu) their acts and do them, [266] and are not compelled or forced to do them. There is disagreement concerning the definition of an act, insofar as it is [their] act. The best definition of it, according to the principle of our companions and those who agree with them on this, is that it is an accident1 brought into being at the same time as the capacity (istita‘a) to do it. This matter is referred to as “acquisition” (kasb), which is one of the obscure topics of study in theology (min ghawamid mabahith ‘ilm al-kalam). The truth is that a person does not create his [or her] own acts, but merely acquires them by the necessity of the attachment of accountability to them (darurat ta‘alluq al-taklif bi-ha). We know by demonstration (bi-’l-burhan) that there is no creator but God Most High, and we know of necessity that power that is originated for a person (al-qudra ’l-haditha li-’l-‘abd) attaches to some of his deeds, such as getting up, but not others, such as falling. The effect of the originated power is called “acquisition.” Although we cannot completely understand it, it 1. In the philosophical sense of something that is nonessential, transitory, and changeable. What Is Possible Concerning the Most High • 247 is said that a person’s acquisition of an act occurs at the same time as his power and will, without his affecting anything or bringing anything into existence; he is merely the locus (mahall) for the act. Acquisition does not make necessary the existence of the act for which a person is given power, although it does necessitate the ascription of the act to the person doing it. Because of this ascription, the person is variably described according to the deed: good if it is an act of obedience and bad if it is an act of disobedience, because a bad deed done intentionally and willfully is bad, unlike the creation of evil, which does not negate a praiseworthy benefit; indeed it may be both, because it is established that the Creator is wise2 and that He does not create things without a praiseworthy outcome, although we may not understand it. So anyone who imagines that the Most High does evil must understand that there may be wisdom and good in His creating them, just as there is in the creation of ugly, harmful or painful bodies—unlike the acquirer, who may do good or evil. Therefore we say that the acquisition of evil after its prohibition is evil, foolish, and deserving of blame and punishment. One cannot say, “The Most High’s independence in creating acts is proven, and a single object of power cannot come under two different powers, as is necessary by your assertion that the act is both created by God and acquired by the person who does it,” [267] because we say that since it has been demonstrated that the creator of the act is God, and it is necessary that the power and will of the person enter into some acts, such as the movement of anger, but not others, such as shivering, we need to avoid this difficulty by saying that God Most High creates the act and the person acquires it. It has been established that the application of a person’s power and will to an act is limited to acquisition and that God, as the one who brings the act into being, is its creator. Therefore, a single object of power (almaqdur al-wahid) is subject to two different powers from two different aspects; it is subject to human power from the aspect of acquisition. This determination of meaning is necessary, although we cannot say more than to summarize by saying that human acts are created and brought into being by God at the same time as human power and choice. We may distinguish between acquisition and creation 2. The published text, which is very flawed...

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