Fourth fundamental: The Qur'an is superior to all other Divine Scriptures, speech, and writings: This truth is explained in the following two parables: First, a king has two forms of speech and address. He uses the first one while speaking on his phone to a common subject regarding a minor matter or private need. He uses the second one in his capacity as the supreme sovereign, supreme head of the religious office, and supreme ruler. He directs his words toward an envoy or high official so that his commands will be promulgated through an exalted decree that manifests his majesty.

Second, a person holds a mirror toward the sun. According to the mirror's capacity, he receives the sun's seven‑colored light and thereby establishes a connection with it. When he directs this light‑filled mirror toward his dark house and roof‑covered garden, he benefits from the sun only according to the mirror's ability to reflect it. Another person opens broad windows in his house or roof‑covered garden, thus exposing them to the benefits of direct and continuous sunlight. In gratitude, he says: “O fine sun, beauty of the world and skies, who gilds Earth with your light and makes flowers smile. You have furnished my house and garden with your heat and light, just as you have done for the skies, Earth, and flowers.” The first person cannot say such things, for he has to be content with his mirror's reflections of the sun's light and heat.

Consider the Qur'an in the light of these two parables. See its miraculousness and understand its holiness. The Qur'an declares: If all the trees on Earth were to become pens and all the seas ink, and if they were to write the words of Almighty God, they would never finish them.

The Qur'an holds the greatest rank among God's infinite words because it originated in His Greatest Name and in the greatest level of every Name, each of which has infinitely different levels of manifestation.[1]·It is the Word of God because He is the Lord of the Worlds; His decree because He is the Deity of all creatures; and a Divine address because He is the Creator of the Heavens and Earth. It is a speech of God in regard to His absolute Lordship, an eternal address in regard to His universal Divine Sovereignty; a ledger of the All‑Merciful One's favors from the point of view of His all‑embracing, comprehensive Mercy; a collection of communications that sometimes begin with ciphers in respect of His Divinity's sublime majesty; and a wisdom‑infusing Holy Scripture that, having originated from the Divine Greatest Name's all‑comprehensive realm, looks to and examines the all‑embracing domain of the Supreme Throne of God. This is why the Qur'an deserves to be called—and is called—the Word of God.

Some other Divine Words are Divine speech manifested for a specific reason, under a minor title, and through the particular manifestation of a particular Name. This results from a particular manifestation of Divine Lordship, Sovereignty, or Mercy. Divine Words vary in degree with respect to particularity and universality. Most inspiration is of this kind. For example, in ascending order, God sends the most particular and simple inspiration to animals. It increases in importance as it is sent to ordinary people, ordinary angels, saints, and greater angels, respectively.

This is why saints who supplicate without mediation directly through the telephone of the heart “connected to God” say: “My heart reports to me from my Lord.” They do not say: “It reports to me from the Lord of the Worlds.” They can say: “My heart is a mirror, a Throne, of my Lord,” but not: “My heart is the Throne of the Lord of the Worlds,” for saints receive the Divine address only according to their capacity and to how many of the 70,000 veils separating humanity and God they have removed.

A king's decree issued in his capacity as the supreme sovereign is higher and more exalted than his conversation with a commoner. We receive far more benefit from direct exposure to the sun than we do from its reflection. The Qur'an is superior to all speech and books in the same way. Next come the other Divine Scriptures,[2]·which are superior to all other speech and books, for they are based on Revelation. If all non‑Qur'anic but nevertheless fine words, epigrams, and wise sayings known to humanity and jinn were collected, they could not equal the Qur'an.

If you want to have some understanding of how the Qur'an has originated in God's Greatest Name and in the greatest level of every Name, consider the universal, sublime statements of Ayat al‑Kursi (2: 255) and the following verses:

God, there is no god but He; the Ever‑Living, the Self‑Subsisting (by Whom all subsist.) Slumber seizes Him not, nor sleep. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. Who is there that shall intercede with Him save by His leave? He knows what lies before them and what lies after them, (what lies in their future and in their past, what is known to them and what is hidden from them;) and they comprehend not anything of His Knowledge save what He wills. His Seat (of dominion) embraces the heavens and Earth, and their preservation wearies Him not; He is the All‑High, the Tremendous. (2:255)

With Him are the keys of the Unseen. (6:59)

O God, Owner of sovereignty. (3:26)

He covers the day with the night, each pursuing the other urgently. (7:54)

“O Earth, swallow your water, o sky, cease (your rain)!” (11:44)

The seven heavens and Earth, and all within them extol Him. (17:44)

Your creation and your upraising are as but as a single soul. (31:28)

We offered the Trust to the heavens and Earth and the mountains. (33:72)

On the day when We shall roll up heaven as a scroll is rolled for books. (21:104)

They measure not God as is due to Him. Earth altogether shall be His handful on the Day of Resurrection. (39:67)

If We had sent down this Qur'an upon a mountain, you would have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the fear of God. (59: 21)

Meditate upon the initial verses of those suras beginning with al‑hamdu li‑llah (All praise be to God) or tusabbihu (glorifies Him), and try to understand this significant fact. Look at the openings of those suras beginning with Alif Lam Mim, Alif Lam Ra, and Ha Mim, and try to understand the Qur'an's importance in the sight of God Almighty.

If you understand the significant kernel of this fourth fundamental, you understand the following facts:

• Revelation mostly came to Prophets via an angel; inspiration is mostly without mediation.
• The greatest saint cannot attain the level of any Prophet.
• The Qur'an possesses its own grandeur, sacred glory and honor, which are the sources of its sublime miraculousness.
• Prophet Muhammad was honored with Ascension, ascended to the Heavens, reached the furthest lote‑tree and to the distance of only two bows' length,[3]·and there supplicated the All‑Majestic One, Who is closer to us than our jugular veins, and returned in the twinkling of an eye for specific reasons. Just as splitting the moon was a miracle of Messengership demonstrating his Prophethood to the jinn and humanity, the Ascension was a miracle of his worship and servanthood to God demonstrating to spirits and angels that he is the Beloved of God.

[1] For example, the manifestations of the All-Coloring and the All-Decorating in spring are not at the same level as in winter. (Tr.)

[2] Divine Books and Pages.

[3] The furthest lote-tree signifies the furthest limit to which a mortal, however great, can reach. The distance of two bows' length signifies the nearness Prophet Muhammad attained in the Ascension to the Almighty, which is unattainable by any other mortal. (Tr.)

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