through it those who seek His pleasure to the ways of peace.” [al-Mā’idah 15–16]

Allah guides those who seek His pleasure through it to the ways of peace only if they understand it. Speech that is not understood cannot guide anyone to anything, especially if no one understands it.

The twenty-first is His saying, Most High:

“And thus We have revealed to you a spirit by Our command. You did not know what the Book was, nor faith, but We made it a light by which We guide whom We will of Our servants. And indeed, you guide to a straight path (52), the path of Allah, to whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on earth. Surely, to Allah all matters return (53).” [al-Shūrā 52–53]

It is well known that the spirit He revealed—the Book and faith—guides those of His servants who receive guidance only if they have knowledge of it. If the Book could not be understood, no one could be guided by its words, which no one would understand. The same applies to His saying, Most High:

“And indeed, you guide to a straight path (52).” [al-Shūrā 52]

For he guides to that path through the speech heard from him. If what he conveys of the Book and the Sunnah were understood neither by him nor by anyone else, and no one had any way of understanding it, he could not guide anyone through it to a straight path.

The twenty-second is His saying, Most High:

“Its verses have been perfected and then set out in detail by