[261] And on the authority of al-Asbagh b. Nubatah, he said: A man came to the Commander of the Faithful, His glory is might, while he was delivering a sermon from the pulpit, and said to him: "O Commander of the Faithful, inform me concerning good and evil." He replied: "You have indeed asked an expert Knower about them both, so do not ask anyone besides me who is better informed of them than I. Allah is the Creator of all things; good and evil stem from the things that Allah, the Exalted, created, and the servants are the ones who act upon them both."

[262] And the sage Muhammad b. Sinan said: Abu Ja'far al-Baqir, His glory is might, said: "Allah says: 'I am Allah, there is no god but I, the Creator of good and evil, and they are two creations among My creation. So glad tidings to him for whom I have decreed good, and woe unto him for whom I have decreed evil, and woe unto him who says: How is that?'"

[263] And our master the Commander of the Faithful, His glory is might, said in Nahj al-Balaghah: "When you intend to exact an oath from an oppressor, make him swear that he is disassociated from the power and might of Allah. For if he swears by that while lying, his punishment will be hastened; whereas if he swears by Allah, besides Whom there is no god,