He is Aware of all things before their existence...

He is Aware of all things before their existence, the Creator when there was no creation, the Reckoner.’ Muhammad bin Salih said to the imam, ‘I bear witness that you are the authority of Allah and His guardian, and you are on the true path of Imam Ameerul Mu’minin.’[^4] Muhammad bin Salih al-Armani asked Imam Abu Muhammad (a.s.) about this saying of Allah (Allah's is the command before and after) [^5] and the imam said, ‘The command is His before He issues it, and the command is His after He commands as He wills.’ I said to myself, ‘This is the saying of Allah (Surely His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds) .[^6]’ The imam looked at me, smiled, and then said, ‘ (His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds) .’[^7] Abu Hashim said, ‘I was with Abu Muhammad (a.s.) when ibn Salih al-Armani asked him about this verse, (And when your Lord brought forth from the children of Adam, from their backs, their descendants, and made them bear witness against their own souls: Am I not your Lord?

They said: Yes, we bear witness) .[^8] Abu Muhammad (a.s.) said, ‘The knowing was proved and they forgot that situation, but they will remember it, and without that no one would know who his creator and provider is.’ I was astonished with myself at the great favors Allah had endowed His guardian (Imam Abu Muhammad) with and the great task He had entrusted him with. Abu Muhammad turned to me and said, ‘O Abu Hashim, the matter is greater and more astonishing than what you have been astonished at.

What do you think about some people whom whoever acknowledges, acknowledges Allah, and whoever denies, denies Allah?

There is no believer that does not believe in them and is not certain in knowing them.’[^9] Sufyan bin Muhammad as-Sayfi said, ‘I wrote to Abu Muhammad (a.s.) asking him about the “waleejah” (friend or protector) mentioned in this saying of Allah, (and take none for friends and protectors except Allah, His Messenger, and the believers) .[^10] I said with myself: ‘Whom does he think the “believers” are here?’ His reply came to me saying, ‘The “waleejah” are those who are proper for the “guardianship”.

Your self ( nafs ) spoke to you asking who were meant by the “believers” in this verse.