And it is easier for Him regarding what is obligatory upon you and is measured by your principles and is required by your reason. This is because whoever among you repeats the craft of something, it is easier for him and less burdensome than creating it anew. You excuse the craftsman if he makes a mistake in some of what he creates by saying: 'The first attempt is clumsy.' And you call the skilled one in his craft a repeat performer, meaning that he has repeated it time after time until he has become accustomed to it and it has become easy for him. If you say: Why is the pronoun mentioned in His saying 'And it is easier for Him' and the intended meaning is the repetition? I say: Its meaning is: And to repeat it is easier for Him. If you say: Why is the connection delayed in His saying 'And it is easier for Him' while it is advanced in His saying 'It is easy for me'? [Mahamud said: 'If you say: Why is the connection delayed here while it is advanced in His saying: 'It is easy for me'? I say: Because the intended meaning in what we are discussing is different from the intended meaning there. There, it is the exclusivity of Allah, glorified and exalted is He, in the ability to create the living and the barren. As for the intended meaning here, there is no reason for exclusivity in it, how could it be when the matter is based on what they believe in the observable world that repetition is easier than initiation? Thus, exclusivity is not meaningful.' Ahmad said: 'This is precious speech that deserves to be written with gold, not with ink, and exclusivity is only indicated by advancing what should be delayed, and you have known his view on such matters.']? I say: There the intention was exclusivity, which is its place, so it was said: 'It is easy for me,' even if it is difficult for you that it is born between the living and the barren. As for here, there is no reason for exclusivity, how could it be when the matter is based on what they understand that repetition is easier than initiation? If the connection had been advanced, the meaning would have changed. If you say: Why is repetition considered significant in His saying 'Then when He calls you' to the point that it seems to be preferred over the establishment of the heavens and the earth by His command? [Mahamud said: 'If you say: Why is repetition considered significant in His saying 'Then when He calls you' to the point that it seems to be preferred over the establishment of the heavens and the earth? I say: Repetition in itself is great, but it is made easier in comparison to creation.' Ahmad said: 'The significance of repetition in the question is indicated by its conjunction with 'then,' signaling a difference in its rank and high status. And in the response, it is said that it is made easier in comparison to creation, which does not suffice, for repetition is mentioned here following the establishment of the heavens and the earth by His command. And their establishment is initiation and creation, which is greater than repetition, thus necessitating the significance of repetition in comparison to what it is conjoined with regarding creation, and the issue returns. The resolution - and Allah knows best - is that 'then' is used in its proper place for the delay of time, not for the delay of ranks, so that the rank of what is conjoined is higher, and the rank of what is conjoined to it is lower. This is rare in its coming for the delay of ranks, for what is conjoined is usually in most cases of a higher degree than that to which it is conjoined, and Allah knows best.'] Then it was made easier after that? I say: Repetition in itself is great, but it is made easier in comparison to creation. And it is said that the pronoun in 'for Him' refers to creation. Its meaning is that resurrection is easier for creation than initiation, because its formation is in the state of firmness and completion, which is easier for Him and less burdensome than to transition through states and to be included in them until it reaches that state.

The easier means the light. Another aspect is that creation is of the kind of favor in which the doer chooses between doing it and not doing it. And the repetition is of the kind of obligation that must be done, because it is for the recompense of deeds, and their recompense is obligatory. This saying, 'and their recompense is obligatory,' is according to the Mu'tazilites, and nothing is obligatory upon Allah according to the Ahl al-Sunnah, as has been previously stated in its place. Actions are either impossible, and the impossible is fundamentally prohibited. His words clarify: He said in explaining the meaning of his saying, 'and it is easier for Him': Actions are either impossible in themselves, or impossible due to a deterrent that prevents the Wise from doing it. Or it is a favor in which the Wise is given the choice to do it or not. Or it is obligatory upon the Wise to do it. Thus, the initial creation is of the kind of favor, while the repetition is obligatory upon Allah, the Exalted, due to the recompense. Since it is obligatory, it is further from the impossible, and therefore it is described as easy and is easier than creation. Ahmad said: He has gone astray and deviated from the path, so we do not agree with him nor accompany him. The truth is that nothing is obligatory upon Allah, the Exalted, and all that he mentioned in this section are deviations of the Qadarites, and they are also not consistent with their uprooted principles. For their implication is the obligation of creation in wisdom, for if there were no benefit that necessitated creation, it would not occur. And that benefit necessitates its related matter. It has become clear that the author has neither risen to the heights of the Sunnah nor remained in the depths of the Mu'tazilah; rather, Allah is the Protector. The actions are either beyond the capable, or there is a deterrent that prevents the Wise from doing it, which is the ugly, and it is akin to the impossible, because the deterrent prevents the existence of the action just as the impossibility does. Or it is a favor, and favor is a state in between, where the doer can do it or not do it. Or it is obligatory, which must be done, and there is no way to neglect it. Thus, the obligatory is the furthest of actions from refusal and the closest to occurrence. Since the repetition is of the kind of obligation, it is the furthest of actions from refusal. And if it is the furthest from refusal, it is more included in deliberation and ease, so it is easier than the rest of the actions. And if it is easier than them, it is easier than creation. To Him belongs the highest example, meaning the highest description that no one else has a likeness to, which He is known by. And it is described in the heavens and the earth on the tongues of creatures and the tongues of signs, that He is the Able who is not incapable of anything of creation, repetition, or other capabilities. This is indicated by His saying, 'And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise,' meaning the overpowerer of every capable, the Wise who conducts every action according to the realities of His wisdom and knowledge. Mujahid said: The highest example is the saying 'There is no deity but Allah,' and its meaning is: To Him belongs the highest description, which is the description of oneness. This is supported by His saying, 'He has set forth for you an example from yourselves.' And Al-Zajjaj said: To Him belongs the highest example in the heavens and the earth, meaning His saying, 'And it is easier for Him.' He has set it forth for you as an example in what is difficult and what is easy. He means the first interpretation.