for you to emigrate therein?” [al-Nisā’ 97]

He also said:

“The earth belongs to Allah; He grants it as an inheritance to whomever He wills of His servants.” [al-A‘rāf 128]

He thus attributed the earth to Himself because He created it and spread it out. He also said:

“The natural disposition upon which Allah created mankind.” [al-Rūm 30]

What Allah attributes to Himself therefore bears one of two meanings: an attribution relating to His Essence, or an attribution relating to His creation. Understand these two meanings, and do not engage in sophistry.

He said: Thus, if this report is authentically transmitted with a connected chain, its meaning is that the son of Adam was created in the form that the Most Merciful created when He fashioned Adam and then breathed the spirit into him. Allah, Majestic and Exalted, said:

“We certainly created you, then gave you form.” [al-A‘rāf 11]

The evidence supporting the correctness of this interpretation is that Abū Mūsā Muhammad ibn al-Muthannā narrated to us, saying: Abū ‘Āmir ‘Abd al-Malik ibn