The meaning of receiving the words is to accept and act upon them when learned. It has been read with 'Adam' in the accusative and 'the words' in the nominative: as if it received him by conveying it and connecting with him. If you ask: What are they? I say: The saying of Allah, the Exalted: "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves..." the verse. And from Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him: "The most beloved words to Allah are those said by our father Adam [[stopped. Narrated by Ibn Abi Shaybah in the beginning of prayer from the narration of Ibrahim al-Taymi from al-Harith ibn Suwayd who said: Ibn Mas'ud mentioned it but did not say 'what our father Adam said when he committed the sin.']] when he committed the sin: 'Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You, blessed is Your name, and exalted is Your majesty. There is no deity but You; I have wronged myself, so forgive me, for none forgives sins except You.' And from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with both of them, he said: 'O Lord, did You not create me with Your hand?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'O Lord, did You not blow into me from Your spirit?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'O Lord, did Your mercy not precede Your anger?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Did You not settle me in Your Paradise?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'O Lord, if I repent and amend, will You return me to Paradise?' He said: 'Yes.' [[stopped. Narrated by al-Hakim in the biography of Adam, from the virtues of the prophets, from the narration of al-Minhāl ibn 'Amr from Sa'id ibn Jubair from him.]]" He sufficed by mentioning the repentance of Adam without mentioning the repentance of Hawwa, as she was following him, just as the mention of women is omitted in most of the Qur'an and Sunnah for that reason. And he mentioned her in His saying: "They both said: Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves." So He accepted their repentance and returned to them with mercy and acceptance. If you ask: Why is it repeated: "We said: Descend?" I say: For emphasis and because of the addition of His saying: "So if guidance comes to you from Me." If you ask: What is the answer to the first condition? I say: The second condition with its answer is like saying: If you come to me, then if you are able, I will do good to you. The meaning is: So if guidance comes to you from Me through a messenger I send to you and a book I reveal to you, as evidenced by His saying: "And those who disbelieved and denied Our signs" in contrast to His saying: "So whoever follows My guidance." If you ask: Why was the word of doubt used [[Mahamud said: 'If you ask why was the word of doubt used and the coming of guidance is inevitable... etc.?'. Ahmad said: These are two mistakes he made, so he corrected them in one: The first is presenting the question based on the assumption that guidance is obligatory upon Allah, the Exalted. The second is basing the answer on the assumption that legal obligation is established by reason before the arrival of the law. The truth is that Allah, the Exalted, is not obliged to anything - glorified is He above obligation, the Lord of the Lords. - And as for the obligation to reflect on the evidence of monotheism, it is established by hearing, not by reason, although the attainment of knowledge of Allah and His oneness is not contingent upon the arrival of hearing; rather, pure reason is sufficient for it by consensus.]] and the coming of guidance is inevitable due to its obligation? I say: To indicate that belief in Allah and monotheism does not require the sending of messengers and the revelation of books. And that if He did not send a messenger or reveal a book, belief in Him and His oneness would still be obligatory due to what He has instilled in them [[The phrase 'obligatory due to what He has instilled in them' is according to the Mu'tazila. As for the Ahl al-Sunnah, there is no ruling before the law. (A)]] of intellects and the evidence He has set for them and enabled them to reflect and deduce. If you ask: The sin by which Adam was brought down [[Mahamud said: 'If you ask about the sin by which Adam was brought down from Paradise... etc.' Ahmad said: Its implication is the interpretation of the verses that imply the occurrence of minor sins from the prophets, to purify them from it. However, the permissibility of minor sins upon them has been stated by some groups of Ahl al-Sunnah. And in the occurrence of it is a kindness and an increase in resorting to Allah, the Exalted, and humility before Him, and compassion for sinners, and praying for them for repentance and forgiveness, as it has been reported from Dawud that after Allah tested him, he would pray for sinners frequently.

In general, the Qadarites allow minor sins for the prophets. They say that avoiding major sins necessitates the expiation of minor sins in the case of people. Therefore, it is no wonder that Al-Zamakhshari raised the question, because Adam, peace be upon him, is infallible from major sins by consensus. It follows from the principle of the Qadarites that a minor sin must be expiated and erased, and he is not held accountable for it nor deserving of punishment or anything that occurred because of it. Al-Zamakhshari has no answer to this except fairness and returning from false beliefs and corrupt doctrines. The question has been made severe by saying that what happened to Adam, peace be upon him, is like what happened to Iblis, may Allah's curse be upon him. And may Allah protect us from equating the two situations, as the outcomes are, as you know: Adam, peace be upon him, is eternal in the everlasting bliss, while Iblis is eternal in the painful torment. If it was a major sin, then a major sin is not permissible for the prophets. If it was a minor sin, then why did he experience what he did because of it, such as the removal of clothing, being expelled from Paradise, and being cast down from the heavens, as was done with Iblis, and being attributed to error and disobedience, forgetting the covenant, lacking resolve, and needing repentance? I say: It was nothing but a minor sin overshadowed by the works of his heart, such as sincerity and righteous thoughts, which are the noblest of deeds and the greatest of acts of obedience. What happened to him occurred to magnify the sin and to emphasize its gravity and to terrify, so that this would be a kindness to him and his descendants in avoiding sins and evading wrongdoings. It serves as a reminder that he was expelled from Paradise for a single sin, so how could one enter it who has many sins? And it has been recited: 'So whoever follows My guidance' in the dialect of Hudhayl, thus there is no fear - with the opening.