their distortion of words from their proper places and their deviation concerning Allah’s names and signs—that is, over the truth they have dismissed, negated, and denied. For those engaged in speculative reasoning err more in what they reject and deny than in what they affirm and know.

As for the first interpretation—their claim that it means “in the image of a king”—although it has a semblance of plausibility from this perspective, it may be answered in several ways.

First: His statement, “When one of you fights, let him avoid the face, for Allah created Adam in His image.” If this meant that Adam was made an obeyed king who governs affairs, just as Allah is an obeyed King who governs affairs, this would not provide a fitting reason for the command to avoid the face, since that status is not peculiar to the face. Moreover, kingship does not preclude deserving punishment.

Second: His statement, “Let none of you say, ‘May Allah disfigure your face and any face resembling yours,’ for Allah created Adam in His image.” He mentioned Adam’s creation in His image in connection with the words “any face resembling yours.” Yet Adam’s being a king does not entail this. It would be like saying, “For Allah created Adam as one of the kings.”