His words:

‘And when your Lord took from the children of Adam—from their loins—their descendants,’

and the rest of the verse. They say that Allah never took a covenant from Adam or his descendants before creating them; that He only ever created them in their mothers’ wombs; and that He never brought forth from Adam’s loins descendants who were addressed. Had that happened, He would have brought them to life three times. Yet the Quran reports the people of the Fire as saying:

‘Our Lord, You caused us to die twice and gave us life twice,’

without rejecting their statement. Allah Most High also says, confirming this:

‘You were lifeless, and He gave you life; then He will cause you to die, then bring you to life.’

They ask: How can Allah, Mighty and Majestic, address someone who has no understanding? How can someone without understanding respond? How can He use a covenant they do not remember as evidence against them? And how can they be held accountable for something they have forgotten and do not recall, when no one remembers experiencing it or taking part in it?