And that is what He refers to in His words: ‘The people of the right and the people of the left.’

Then He took the covenant from them, saying:

‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said, ‘Yes.’

One group obeyed Him willingly, while another did so reluctantly, as a means of self-protection. Then He and the angels said:

‘We bear witness, lest you say on the Day of Resurrection, “We were unaware of this,” * or say, “It was only our forefathers who associated partners with Allah before us.”’

Thus, there is no descendant of Adam who does not know Allah as his Lord. This is what He, Almighty and Majestic, refers to in His words:

‘To Him has submitted whoever is in the heavens and the earth, willingly or unwillingly.’

And in His words:

‘To Allah belongs the conclusive argument. Had He willed, He would have guided you all.’

This means the day He took the covenant.”

If this report is true, it indicates that every descendant of Adam knows Allah. If, then, they were born from this drop of semen, they were born with that knowledge. However, it also states that some acknowledged Him reluctantly despite possessing that knowledge, like someone who recognizes another person’s right but acknowledges it only under compulsion. This does not undermine the innate character of that knowledge. Nevertheless, this has reached us only through this report, and a report of this kind cannot be relied upon.

For this is found in works such as al-Suddī’s Quran commentary, which contains accounts some of which are known to be false. Although al-Suddī himself was trustworthy, these accounts would, at best, be comparable to reports with disconnected chains of transmission—if they were taken from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. What, then, if they include material taken from the People of the Book, who frequently tell lies? Indeed, these accounts are known to contain much that is demonstrably false, not