Third, He says:

“So the angels prostrated, all of them without exception.”

Even if the noun “angels” did not itself encompass every member of the class, reinforcing it with “all” would necessarily convey that meaning. Even if this did not suffice, “without exception” would provide yet further emphasis and confirmation. Even those who dispute the implications of general terms do not dispute them once they are reinforced by expressions conveying universality. Indeed, such emphatic expressions are introduced precisely to exclude the possibility of restriction and similar interpretations.

It has reached me that one of the early generations said:

“No people introduce an innovation without there being something in the Quran that refutes it, though they do not know it.”

Perhaps His words, “all of them without exception,” were included to answer anyone who might claim that only some of the angels prostrated to him, not all of them. This expression would thus refute their claim.

Anyone who still inwardly entertains a restricted interpretation after such confirmation and emphasis should offer himself condolences over his understanding and his ability to draw evidence from the Quran, for he can have no confidence in anything derived from it. I wonder: if all the angels had prostrated and Allah wished to inform us of that, what wording could be more complete and comprehensive? What other statement could be made? Is this not among the clearest possible expressions?

Fourth, this expression occurs repeatedly in the Quran. In the hadith of intercession, the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“And He made His angels prostrate to you.”

The same occurs in the account of the debate between Moses and Adam. Some maintain that when a general statement is accompanied by something specific, its clarification must accompany it and may not be delayed, lest the listener be led into an erroneous belief. None of these statements is accompanied by evidence restricting its scope, so their universality must be affirmed with certainty. Others maintain—and this is the more correct view—that clarification may be delayed beyond the time the statement is made