As for what he relates from his teacher—that Adam affirmed divine oneness both outwardly and inwardly, so that His words, “Do not approach,” were outward, while His command, “Eat,” was inward—the reply is as follows:

If saying that He inwardly commanded him to “Eat” means that He gave him an inward religious, prescriptive command to do so, then this is a lie and disbelief. If, however, he means that He created, decreed, and brought it into being, then this applies equally to Adam and all other created beings. For His command, when He wills a thing, is only to say to it, “Be,” and it is.

If it is said that Adam witnessed the command pertaining to divine decree and creation, and was obedient to Allah by complying with it—as these people say that the gnostic who witnesses divine decree is no longer subject to blame—then, besides its falsity being necessarily known in the religion of Islam, this is disbelief by the consensus of the Muslims.

The reply is that the command pertaining to creation exists before the thing brought into being exists. The servant does not hear it, nor is complying with it within his power. Rather, it is the Lord who, by His will and power, creates what He brings into being. Allah Most High has no partner in creating and bringing things into being.

Although the servant acts by his own will and power, Allah is the Creator of all of this. Thus, Allah’s bringing the servant into being is not a command addressed to a servant already existing in concrete reality who can comply with it. Likewise, whatever He has created of the servant’s states and deeds, He has created by His will and power:

“His command, when He wills a thing, is only to say to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.”

Everything brought into being therefore falls within this command.