The Sunni Position on Allah’s (s.w.t.) Will

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Imam Abu Manswur Muhammad ibn Muhammad al-Maturidi (r.a.) said that Allah (s.w.t.) Wills obedience or disobedience for all beings, be they essences or accidents, however; obedience occurs by Allah’s (s.w.t.) Will and Decree, and His Pre-Ordainment and Predestination, Pleasure, Love and Command.  Disobedience occurs by Allah’s (s.w.t.) Will and Decree, and His Predestination and Pre-Ordainment; not with His Pleasure, Love or Command.  In contrast, Imam Abu al-Hasan ‘Ali ibn Isma’il al-Ash’ari (r.a.) said that Allah’s (s.w.t.) Love and Pleasure are inclusive of all things just as His Will. 

Shaykh Sa’id ‘Abd al-Lathif Fawdhah wrote, in Sharh Risalah al-Ikhtilaf bayn al-Asha’ira wa al-Maturidiyyah, “As for Imam al-Ash’ari, the ustadz reported that he believed that Allah’s (s.w.t.) Love is inclusive of every accident, be it an act of obedience or an act of disobedience.  This general statement suggests that Allah (s.w.t.) Loves disobedience.  The correct view, however, is that this is not the doctrine of al-Ash’ari.  On the contrary, he said that Allah (s.w.t.) Loves disobedience insomuch as He Punishes on account of it, just as He Loves obedience insomuch as He Rewards on account of it.  There is a distinction between this, and what Ustadz ibn Kamal Basha and others, mentioned and ascribed to al-Ash’ari.”  The “ustadz” referred to here is Imam Shams ad-Din Ahmad ibn Sulayman ibn Kamal Basha (r.a.).