of the truth; instead, all reliance is placed upon the opinions of men and the dictates of their intellects.

When you examine their interpretations, you will find that many of them cannot be sustained by the wording in the language in which the discourse was delivered; and even if the word could bear such a meaning, that particular syntactic construction will not allow it. No one is entitled to impose upon the words of Allah and His Messenger every meaning that a poet, orator, essayist, or the common folk might deem linguistically or conventionally possible—unless that meaning is not at odds with what is known of the Lord’s attributes and majesty, with the descriptions He has given of Himself, and with those His Messenger has affirmed for Him. Furthermore, attributing the intention of that (1) meaning to that wording must be something that may rightly and appropriately be ascribed to Allah and His Messenger, especially since the interpreter is claiming (2) to relate the intention of Allah and His Messenger. For to interpret the speech (3) of a speaker—whether in harmony with its apparent sense or in opposition to it (4)—is, in the end, a clarification of his intent.

Once it is known that the speaker did not mean this (5) sense, that it is impossible for him to have meant it, that His attributes of perfection and majestic qualities preclude such an intent, and that from numerous angles it is inconceivable for Him to intend it, then it becomes impossible to judge that He intended it.

This is a fundamental principle that must be grasped; whoever (6) comprehends it thoroughly will realize that much of what (7)