Abū al-Abbās Abd Allah ibn al-Saqar al-Sukkarī narrated to us, saying: Ibrāhīm ibn al-Mundhir al-Hizāmī narrated to us, saying: Abd Allah ibn Wahb narrated to us ⦗522⦘. Abū Bakr ibn Abī Dāwūd also narrated to us, saying: Ahmad ibn Sālih al-Misrī and Abū al-Tāhir Ahmad ibn Amr narrated to us, both saying: Ibn Wahb narrated to us ⦗523⦘. Al-Firyābī informed us, saying: Abū Masūd Ahmad ibn al-Furāt narrated to us, saying: Asbagh ibn al-Faraj said: Abd Allah ibn Wahb narrated to us, saying: Hishām ibn Sad narrated to us, from Zayd ibn Aslam, from his father, from Umar—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: The Messenger of Allah said:

“Moses—peace be upon him—said, ‘My Lord, show us Adam, who caused us to leave Paradise.’ Allah Most High then showed him Adam. Moses asked, ‘Are you our father Adam?’ Adam replied, ‘Yes.’ Moses said, ‘Are you the one into whom Allah breathed of His Spirit, whom He taught all the names, and before whom He commanded His angels to prostrate?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ Moses asked, ‘Then what led you to cause yourself and us to leave Paradise?’ Adam asked him, ‘And who are you?’ He replied, ‘I am Moses.’ Adam said, ‘Are you the prophet of the Children of Israel—the one to whom Allah Most High spoke from behind a veil, without placing any messenger from among His creation between you and Him?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ Adam said, ‘Did you not find in Allah Most High’s Book that this had been recorded in His Book before I was created?’ He replied, ‘Yes.’ Adam said, ‘Why, then, do you blame me for something Allah Most High had already decreed in His foreknowledge before I came into being?’ The Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him—then said, ‘Thus Adam prevailed over Moses in argument.’”

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn said: If someone asks, “Where is the proof for what you have stated?” he should be told: It lies in Adam’s words to Moses: “Are you the one to whom Allah spoke from behind a veil, without ⦗524⦘ placing any messenger from among His creation between you and Him?” There was nothing between the two of them except speech. This proves that the speech of Allah Most High is not created, for Adam said: “He did not place any messenger from among His creation between you and Him.” Understand this well, and you will gain insight, if Allah wills.