Allah Most High says:

“He is the One who made you successors upon the earth and raised some of you above others in rank.”

[Surah al-An‘ām: 165]

And Allah Most High says:

“Then We made you successors upon the earth after them, so that We might see how you would act.”

[Surah Yūnus: 14] (1)

And Allah Most High says:

“And when your Lord said to the angels, ‘I am placing a successor upon the earth.’”

[Surah al-Baqara: 30]

And He says:

“O David, We have made you a successor upon the earth, so judge between people with truth.”

[Surah Sād: 26] (2)

That is, a successor to those among creation who came before you. What is meant is not that he (3) is a successor to Allah, or that, in relation to Allah, he is as the pupil is to the eye, as some heretics who profess the doctrines of indwelling and union maintain—such as the author of al-Futūhāt al-Makkiyya—or that he encompasses Allah’s Most Beautiful Names. They interpreted in this manner the words of Allah Most High:

“And He taught Adam all the names.”

[Surah al-Baqara: 31] (4)

They also claimed that he is the likeness of Allah, of whom all likeness has been denied—