this, for it dispels doubts and filters away confusion. Thus, all the names and attributes we hear ascribed and attributed to Him are understood in a manner befitting Allah and appropriate to His Essence.

As for the other two groups: among those who liken Allah to His creation and equate Him with it are some who say, “A hand like my hand”—exalted is Allah above that! Those who deny and negate His attributes say, “The two Hands are the two blessings and the two powers.” Allah is indeed supremely great! In any event, all these groups agree that Adam possesses an excellence and distinction that no one else possesses, since Allah created him with His Hand.

(The third point:

This is counted among the blessings Allah bestowed upon Adam, as when Moses said to him:

“Allah created you with His Hand.”

The same will be said to him on the Day of Resurrection. They mention this among the blessings Allah bestowed uniquely upon him, distinguishing him from other created beings, rather than among those he shared with others. This is a clear explanation and proof of his superiority over all other created beings. As Zayd ibn Aslam related, Allah Most High said to the angels:

“I will not treat the righteous descendants of the one I created with My two Hands like those to whom I said, ‘Be,’ and they came into being.”

(The fourth proof:

Some of our companions have argued for the superiority of the prophets over the angels on the basis of His words:

“Indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah, the family of Abraham and the family of Imrān above all beings.”

And His words:

“We chose them, with knowledge, above all beings.”

The expression “all beings” encompasses angels, jinn, and humans. Yet this calls for scrutiny, for, as regards the categories of beings, the term may refer to