a command concerning what is more general also concern what is more specific, unless contextual evidence indicates that one of the two is intended.’”

He said: “This is why we stated that an agent authorized to sell without qualification has no authority to sell at a grossly unfair price.”

Al-Āmidī said: “This is incorrect, because what particular instances have in common is a universal meaning whose existence in concrete reality cannot be conceived. Otherwise, it would exist in its particular instances. This would entail confining what can be shared by many within something that cannot be so shared, which is impossible.”

He said: “On this basis, saying that particular instances share a universal meaning means only that the definition corresponding to the nature described as universal also corresponds to the particular nature. Indeed, if its existence can be conceived, it can only be in minds. Accordingly, a command is a request to perform an act, as explained earlier. Requesting something requires that it be conceivable in the mind of the requester. Bringing a universal meaning into concrete existence is itself inconceivable, so it cannot be conceived in the mind of the requester. Thus, a command does not