heavens.’

The hadith scholar Abū al-‘Abbās said: ‘This is taken from his statement: “Allah created seven heavens, then chose the highest and dwelt therein.”’

He, Almighty and Majestic, said:

‘It is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger who reveals, by His permission, whatever He wills.’ [al-Shūrā 51]

The verse specifically refers to human beings, to the exclusion of those who are not of humankind. Had the verse applied generally to humans and others alike, it would have been less liable to cause ambiguity or cast doubt in the mind of anyone hearing a verse had He said: ‘It is not for anyone that Allah should speak to him except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger.’ This would dispel doubt and confusion, rather than saying: ‘It is not for any particular kind of being that Allah should speak to it except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending