beneficial in every field of knowledge, whether descriptive or prescriptive, and in every argument or counterargument drawn from the Book and the Sunnah, as well as in all other evidence employed by people. If it is possible for a servant to draw near to his Lord and to bring his Lord near to himself, in either or both of the two senses previously mentioned, then a text may be understood accordingly if it indicates that meaning. If it does not indicate that meaning, it may not be interpreted that way. If it admits either meaning, judgment must be suspended. The possibility that a meaning may be intended in general is not the same as its being the intended meaning of every text.

As for His constant nearness to His servants through His knowledge, power, and governance, this has already been discussed. The disagreement concerning His constant nearness in Himself has also been mentioned, and the points of agreement and disagreement concerning His occasional and constant nearness have been identified.

Regarding His words—glory be to Him:

“We certainly created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are nearer to him than his jugular vein,”

some groups hold that they require no reinterpretation, while others consider reinterpretation necessary. I would then say: this verse must refer either to His nearness—glory be to Him—or to the nearness of His angels, as people have differed over this. If the nearness of the angels is intended, then His words are:

“When the two recording angels record, seated on the right and on the left.”

Allah—glory be to Him and Most High—would thus be declaring His own knowledge of what is within the human soul and declaring the nearness of the noble recording angels to the person. The evidence for this is His saying:

“And We are nearer to him than his jugular vein, when the two recording angels record.”

This is thus explained as the nearness that occurs when the two recording angels record. Whatever interpretation is given to it, His knowledge and power are all-encompassing; likewise, He Himself—glory be to Him—is not confined to this time. This would then be