take it from a written source. Yet he had never read any book by heart, nor did he read anything that was written. Anyone who learns from another’s book must either read it himself or copy it, but he did neither—he neither read nor transcribed.

The Exalted said:

“Truly, it is a revelation from the Lord of all beings, brought down by the Trustworthy Spirit upon your heart, that you might be one of the warners, in a clear Arabic tongue. And it is indeed foretold in the Scriptures of the earlier peoples. Is it not enough for them that the scholars of the Children of Israel recognise it?” ⦗Ash-Shuʿarāʾ 192-197⦘.

—and up to His words—

“The devils have not brought it down, nor would it befit them, nor could they; they are kept well away from hearing it. So do not call upon any other god alongside Allah, lest you be among those who are punished. Warn your nearest kinsfolk, and lower your wing to the believers who follow you. If they disobey you, say, ‘I am free of what you do.’ Trust in the Almighty, the Most Merciful, who sees you when you stand, and your movements among those who prostrate themselves; indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

Shall I inform you on whom the devils descend? They descend on every habitual liar, sinner; they lend an eager ear, yet most of them are liars. As for the poets—the misguided follow them. Do you not see how they wander aimlessly in every valley and say what they do not do? Not so those who believe, do righteous deeds, remember Allah much, and defend themselves after they have been wronged. The wrongdoers will soon know to what final place they will return.” ⦗Ash-Shuʿarāʾ 210-227⦘.