that they hold back from the decree except for me, for a window has opened for me in it, so I contend with the decrees of the Truth with the Truth for the Truth. And the true man is the one who contends with the decree, not the one who agrees with it. What the shaykh (may Allāh have mercy on him) mentioned is what Allāh and His Messenger commanded. However, many of the men have erred in it, for they may witness what is decreed upon one of them in terms of sins and transgressions, or what is decreed upon people in general, even disbelief. They witness that this occurs by the will of Allāh, His decree, and His predestination, and it falls under the rule of His lordship and the requirements of His will. They then think that surrendering to that, agreeing with it, and being content with it, and similar things, are a religion, a path, and a form of worship. In doing so, they resemble the polytheists who said (al-Anʿām 148): "If Allāh had willed, we would not have associated partners with Him, nor would our fathers, nor would we have forbidden anything," and they said (Yā Sīn 47): "Shall we feed those whom, if Allāh had willed, He would have fed?" and they said (al-Zukhruf 20): "If the Most Merciful had willed, we would not have worshipped them." If they were guided, they would know that we are commanded to be content with the decree and to be patient with its implications in the calamities that befall us, such as poverty, illness, and fear. Allāh, the Exalted, said (al-Taghābun 11): "No disaster strikes except by..