in the same way that He punished others. For it is related that Allah Most High expelled him from Paradise, expelling the serpent and the peacock along with him. The Most High changed their forms, whereas, هـ, He did not change Adam’s form (peace be upon him). Rather, He left him in his original form, honouring him and shielding him from the punishment of metamorphosis.

Thus his statement (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) concerning Allah—“He created Adam in his image”—means that He created Adam in this form, which remains unchanged to this day. The difference between this answer and the preceding one is that this answer seeks to explain that he (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was protected from metamorphosis. The first answer merely explains that this existing form is none other than the form that existed previously, without explaining that He