'They will surely swear, "Our aim was (aradna) only good."' ¹

A slightly different shade of meaning comes into the word when it is used to describe the attempt to carry out the desire. 'So oft as they, for very anguish, would fain (aradu) come forth thence, back shall they be driven into it.' ² 'For when our distinct signs are recited to them, they say, "This is merely a man who would fain (yurid) pervert you from your father's worship."' ³

At other times the act of will in making a choice between different objects, or different possible desires, is more prominently brought into view, and then the word seems to point to this choice or act of will rather than to the simple desire. 'Some of you were for (yurid) this world, and some for (yurid) the next.' ⁴ ' If any one desire (yurid) the reward of this world, yet with God is the reward of this world and of the next.' ⁵ 'But man chooseth (yurid) to deny what is before him.' ⁶

Again, in other passages there seems to be a union of the two thoughts of desire and choice, apparently with the underlying implication that desire leads to choice, or decision of will. In the passages which speak of God, there seems to be felt less need to distinguish between the two, or in other words, there seems to be a greater

tendency to speak of the two as one. 'And who can have any power over God in your behalf, whether He will (arada) you some loss, or whether He will (arada) you some advantage? ¹ 'But if they choose (aradu) to wean the child by consent and by bargain, it shall be no fault in them. And if ye choose (aradtum) to have a nurse for your children." ² ' Moreover, had they been desirous (aradu) to take the field, they would have got ready for that purpose the munitions of war.' ³ 'And God willeth not (ma Allah yurid) injustice to mankind.' ⁴ God desireth (yurid) to make this known unto you, and to guide you into the ways of those who have been before you, and to turn Him unto you in mercy.' ⁵

Thus it happens that in many passages where Muhammad speaks of the divine pleasure, it is difficult, if not impossible, to say whether he intended by the words used to express the idea that a special act of the divine will, in other words, a special decree, lay at the base of such and such occurrences, or whether he merely meant to express in a general way his conviction that all things were working out a divine plan, and were in accordance with the divine good pleasure.

With regard to some of these passages, it seems most probable that in them Muhammad is not speaking at all of the divine decrees, but of the providential dealings of God whereby He causes all that occurs to accomplish the wise purpose of His will. For instance, in the