and reflects, among other activities in which the angel does not share. Yet the angel has a greater share of what they have in common, and the qualities they share are far superior to those peculiar to the human being.

“An illustration”: one man has a hundred dinars, while another has fifty dirhams, or fifty dinars, or fifty copper coins. Since this is so, the decisive answer is as stated above.

If, however, you seek an unqualified judgment, angelic essence, together with its necessary attributes, is superior to human essence with its necessary attributes. There is no doubt about this. For the life, sensory perception, knowledge, action, attainment of pleasure, and fulfillment of desire necessarily belonging to human essence are of little account. Its forms are merely more numerous in comparison with what resembles angelic essence. It is like comparing someone who knows a little about everything with someone who has mastered knowledge of Allah, His names, and His signs. The condition of someone possessing a dirham is not comparable to that of someone possessing a pearl, nor is the condition of someone who governs all people comparable to that of someone who governs one human being and a horse.

This is clearly indicated by the words of the Most High:

“We have certainly honored the children of Adam, carried them on land and sea, provided them with good things, and favored them greatly above many of those We have created.”

This indicates that they have not been favored above all. His word “mimman” (“of those”) is partitive.

If you say: “This argument rests on an implication drawn by the opposing party, yet you oppose and dispute it.”