the office of khalīfah be assigned to them and the khalīfah be one of them, as they said:

“Will You place in it someone who will spread corruption there and shed blood?”—to the end of the verse.

Had this office not been an exalted rank above their own ranks, they would not have sought it or wished to share the distinction of its holder.

The seventh proof (1): The descendants of Adam were shown to be superior to them through knowledge. When Allah, Mighty and Majestic, asked them about the names, they did not answer Him and acknowledged that they did not know them; Adam then informed them of those names. Allah Most High has said:

“Are those who know equal to those who do not know?”

The eighth proof (2), the first drawn from hadith, is what Hammād ibn Salamah narrated from Abū al-Muhazzim, from Abū Hurayrah, from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said:

“The passing away of this world is indeed of less consequence to Allah than the killing of a believing man, and a believer is more honoured in Allah’s sight than the angels who are with Him.”

This explicitly states that believers are more honoured in Allah’s sight than the angels brought near to Him. He then mentioned what al-Khallāl narrated:

“Abū Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, addressed us.” He related his words, at the end of which he said: “‘Come closer and make room for those behind you.’ The people came closer and gathered tightly together. A man asked, ‘Are we to make room for the angels or for people?’

“He replied, ‘For the angels. When they are with you, they are neither in front of you nor behind you, but to your right and left.’

“They asked, ‘Why are they not in front of us or behind us? Is it because we are superior to them, or because they are superior to us?’

“He replied, ‘Yes. You are superior to the angels.’”