another: a person is more likely to attain knowledge of this when revelation draws his attention to it, and better placed to gain certain knowledge of what is within himself. Yet even if left to his reason alone and referred to sound reflection, he would affirm what revelation has drawn his attention to, though this might require further thought, sustained effort, deliberation, and exertion in seeking the truth.”

He said:

“This, then, is how the passages of revelation he recited draw attention to these matters.”

He made similar remarks concerning divine oneness and resurrection, unlike the denial of resemblance, which he placed among the matters established by the Quran through its statements.

As for what he and others mentioned—that they initially recognized the Messenger’s truthfulness through miracles—this may take either of two forms:

First, they knew the Creator’s existence as a self-evident truth, then recognized the Messenger’s truthfulness through miracles.

Second, it may be said that the very appearance of miracles demonstrated both the Creator’s existence and His Messenger’s truthfulness, just as Moses’ display of signs, such as the staff and the hand, was evidence both of the Maker and of the Messenger’s truthfulness.

Thus, when Pharaoh said to him:

“If you take a god other than me, I will surely put you among the imprisoned,”

Moses said to him:

“He said, ‘Even if I brought you something manifest?’ He said, ‘Then bring it, if you are truthful.’ So he threw down his staff, and it became a serpent, plainly visible. And he drew out his hand, and it was white for all to see.”

Moses thus displayed these signs when Pharaoh said to him:

“If you take a god other than me, I will surely put you among the imprisoned.”

This indicates that he displayed them to establish