and did not address the beginning of their creation, whereas he spoke of the heavens and the earth in terms indicating their creation. Whether his words were “And He created the heavens and the earth” or “Then He created the heavens and the earth,” in either case he stated that they were created. Every created thing comes into being after not having existed, even if it was created from matter. Thus, in Sahīh Muslim, ‘Ā’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, narrated that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Allah created the angels from light, created the jinn from a flame of fire, and created Adam from what has been described to you.”

If the Messenger’s wording, peace and blessings be upon him, was “Then He created,” this indicates that the creation of the heavens and the earth followed what he had previously mentioned: His Throne’s being upon the water and His writing in the Record. This wording is more fitting for the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, because it provides a complete explanation and conveys the intended meaning through a word denoting sequence. If his wording used “and,” the context nevertheless indicates that he meant that He created the heavens and the earth after that, as the other texts also indicate.

It is known that his purpose was not to speak of the creation of the Throne or the water, much less to suggest that their creation coincided with the creation of the heavens and the earth. If the wording contains nothing indicating the creation of those things except their being created concurrently with the heavens and the earth—yet he spoke of the creation of the heavens while those things existed—then it is clear that he meant that He created the heavens and the earth when