16. `Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Imran al-Daqqaq said: Muhammad ibn Abu `Abd Allah al-Kufi said, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isma`il al-Barmaki, on the authority of al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan, on the authority of Bakr ibn Salih, on the authority of `Ali ibn Asbat, on the authority of alHasan ibn al-Jahm, on the authority of Bukayr ibn A`yun that

I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq : “Are the Knowledge and Will of Allah separate or united?” Thus, he replied, The Knowledge of Allah is not the same as the Will of Allah. Do you not say that you will do something `Allah willing’, yet you do not say that you will do something `Allah knowing.’ Therefore, your statement `Allah willing’ is a proof that He did not will it, If He had willed, it would have been as He had willed. Allah’s Knowledge is prior to Allah’s Will.