and by which He, glorified is He, has given things their rightful names. These are people of disbelief and of innovations that contain elements of both faith and disbelief. They give things names that imply praise or blame, negation or affirmation. Yet these are names that they and their forefathers have devised, for which Allah has sent down no authority.

An example is the unbelievers’ calling the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—a poet, a sorcerer, a soothsayer, and a madman. This was based on a certain apparent resemblance, which he dispelled through the clear proofs he presented. When they saw that the Quran was measured speech, they likened it to metrical poetry; and they saw the Messenger reporting matters of the unseen received from a spirit who descended to him with them