Allah’s Power over Hearts

Question

Our dispute is this: does Allah the Exalted have power over the hearts of human beings or not?… For instance, whatever deeds a man does from the heart, be they good or bad — does God have power over the heart or not? Does he do them by God’s command or not? Explain, and be rewarded.

Answer

Allah the Exalted is the Turner of Hearts (Muqallib al-Qulub): whatever He wills, He casts into whichever heart He wills. For this very reason the Prophet ﷺ used to supplicate: “O Turner of hearts, keep my heart firm upon Your religion.” The whole Umma should make this supplication. But Allah the Pure has commanded good deeds and forbidden evil ones.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.