Abū al-Muzaffar al-Samʿānī said:

“As for the debate between Adam and Moses concerning this matter, it was permissible for them to engage in it because they were two eminent prophets granted special knowledge of realities and permission to uncover hidden mysteries. Their position was unlike that of other people, who were commanded to remain within the limits set for them and to remain silent about what had been concealed from them. The statement, ‘Thus Adam prevailed over Moses in argument,’ does not invalidate the obligation of obedience or dispense with obligatory deeds. Rather, it means giving greater weight to one of two considerations and giving the cause precedence in rank over the means. Wisdom may indeed lie in giving greater weight to the significance of one of two considerations. It is in this sense that the statement, ‘Thus Adam prevailed over Moses in argument,’ should be understood. This became evident in Adam’s case. Allah Most High said:

‘Indeed, I will place a successor on earth.’”

He went on to say:

“It thus followed that Adam could not continue dwelling in Paradise unless he refrained from approaching the tree, because of the prior decree written for him that he would leave it. On this basis he gained the upper hand over Moses in their debate. In this sense, the judgment was in his favour against Moses, hence the statement: ‘Thus Adam prevailed over Moses in argument.’”

I say: This is why Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir—may Allah sanctify his soul—says: “Many men, when they come to divine ordainment and decree, hold back. But a window into it was opened for me, and I countered the decrees of the True One with truth and for truth. The true man is one who contends with the decree, not one who simply conforms to it.”

He—may Allah be pleased with him—held the divine commands and prohibitions in great reverence, urged adherence to them, and forbade invoking the decree as an excuse. His teacher, Hammād al-Dabbās, did likewise. This was because of what they observed among