the angels. Allah Most High says:

“No indeed! This is a reminder. So whoever wills may remember it—recorded in honored scrolls, exalted and purified, carried by the hands of noble and righteous scribes.” [Abasa]

This verse explains the verse in Surat al-Waqi‘ah. Thus, His words, “recorded in honored scrolls,” are like His words, “in a hidden Book.” [al-Waqi‘ah]

And His words, “carried by the hands of noble and righteous scribes,” are like His words, “None touch it except the purified.” [al-Waqi‘ah]

The Quran explains one part of itself through another. Had what the majority maintained been intended, it would have said, “None touch it except those who purify themselves,” using al-muṭṭahhirūn rather than al-muṭahharūn. There is a difference between al-muṭahhar (one who has been purified), a passive participle, and al-mutaṭahhir (one who purifies himself), an active participle, as Allah Most High says:

“Indeed, Allah loves those who constantly repent and loves those who purify themselves.” [al-Baqarah: 222]

Their claim that a declarative statement may convey a command is correct. However, a statement is not interpreted as a command except where there is an indication to that effect, and there is no such indication here. Therefore, the wording must remain upon its apparent meaning: it is a declarative statement. This supports what we have mentioned—that what is meant by “the purified” is the angels, as indicated by the verses in Surat Abasa.

As for His words, “a revelation from the Lord of all worlds,” [al-Waqi‘ah] they refer to the Quran, for that is what the passage is discussing. There is nothing to prevent pronouns from referring to different antecedents, provided that the contextual indication is present.

Moreover, even if the two possibilities are equally likely, the scholars’ principle is that when a possibility exists, the proof drawn from the text is invalidated. Thus, the argument based on this verse falls away, and we return to the presumption of freedom from liability..