(82) “Do they not then contemplate the Quran? Had it been from anyone other than Allah, they would have found in it much inconsistency.”
The Exalted commands people to contemplate His Book—that is, to reflect on its meanings, focus their thoughts upon it, and consider its premises, outcomes, and the implications ⦗190⦘ of all this. Contemplating Allah’s Book is the key to knowledge and understanding. Through it, every good may be deduced and every branch of knowledge derived; through it, faith increases in the heart and its tree becomes firmly rooted. It acquaints one with the Lord who is worshipped, His attributes of perfection, and the traits of deficiency above which He is exalted. It acquaints one with the path that leads to Him, the characteristics of those who follow it, and what awaits them when they come before Him. It also acquaints one with the enemy who is the true enemy, the path that leads to punishment, the characteristics of those who follow it, and what awaits them when the grounds for punishment are realized.
The more a servant reflects upon it, the more he grows in knowledge, deeds, and insight. For this reason, Allah commanded and encouraged such contemplation, and stated that [this] is the purpose for which the Quran was revealed. As the Exalted says: “This is a blessed Book which We have sent down to you, so that they may contemplate its verses and people of understanding may take heed.” The Exalted also says: “Do they not then contemplate the Quran, or are there locks upon their hearts?”
Among the benefits of contemplating Allah’s Book is that, through it, the servant attains the degree of certainty and knows that it is the speech of Allah, for he sees its parts confirming and agreeing with one another. Rulings, narratives, and reports recur in several places throughout the Quran, yet they are all consistent and mutually confirming; no part contradicts another. Through this, one recognizes the Quran’s perfection and knows that it comes from the One whose knowledge encompasses all things. The Exalted therefore says: “Had it been from anyone other than Allah, they would have found in it much inconsistency.” That is, since it is from Allah, there is no inconsistency in it whatsoever.