Is it permissible for us to say, "The power of Allah willed it"?

Question : The questioner asks: What is the ruling on saying, "The power of Allah willed it"? And if the answer is that it is not permissible, why? Even though the attribute follows the one who possesses it, and the attribute does not separate from the essence of Allah?

Answer : Yes. It is not correct for us to say, "The power of Allah willed it," because will (mashiyah) is desire (iradah), and power (qudrah) is a concept, and a concept has no desire. Rather, desire belongs to the one who desires, and will belongs to the one who wills. However, we say, "The wisdom of Allah necessitated such and such," or we say about a thing that has occurred, "This is the power of Allah," just as we say, "This is the creation of Allah." As for attributing to power something that requires voluntary action, this is not permissible. As for the questioner's statement that the attribute follows the one who possesses it, we say, yes. And the fact that it follows the one who possesses it indicates that we cannot attribute to it something that the one who possesses it does independently. This phrase is common on the tongues of many people, who say, "The power of Allah willed such and such," or "The divine decree willed such and such." This is not permissible, because the divine decree and power are conceptual matters, and they have no will. Rather, will belongs to the One who is capable and the One who decrees.