so the Prophet’s statement (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), “Allah created Adam in His image,” means that the relationship of Adam’s essence—peace be upon him—to this body is like the relationship of the Creator, exalted is He, to the world: neither inheres in this body, although each acts upon it through direction and governance.

He said: The second report is what Ibn Khuzayma narrated in the book he entitled al-Tawhīd (Divine Oneness), through his chain of transmission from Ibn ‘Umar, from the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), who said: