a declaration that the person reporting is truthful, while rejection as false is a declaration that he is lying. A man who is lying may sometimes be affirmed as truthful, while a truthful man may at other times be declared a liar. Affirmation and rejection as false are thus two kinds of report: both are reports about reports. As for realities that exist in their own right and may be known independently of any report, the terms “affirmation” and “rejection as false” are scarcely used of them unless someone reporting them is presupposed. This is unlike faith, acknowledgment, denial, repudiation, and similar terms, which apply both to realities and to reports about those realities.

Furthermore, beings may be loved or hated, befriended or opposed, obeyed or disobeyed; one may humble oneself before them or arrogantly refuse to do so. In relation to these beings, such meanings are specifically conveyed by the terms “faith,” “disbelief,” and the like. By contrast, terms such as “affirmation” and “truthfulness” apply to what is directed towards those beings, such as love and hatred. Thus one speaks of “true love” and “true hatred.” Just as truth and falsehood, when realities are affirmed or denied, pertain to the report affirming or denying them rather than directly to the reality itself, so too, in love, hatred, and the like, they pertain to the love or hatred rather than directly to the reality itself. This differs from the terms “faith” and “disbelief,” which apply directly to beings, without the mediation of acknowledgment or denial, love or hatred, reassurance or aversion.

This is borne out by the well-known transmitted supplication recited when touching the Black Stone:

“O Allah, with faith in You, affirmation of Your Book, fidelity to Your covenant, and adherence to the Sunnah of Your Prophet Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

It says “with faith in You,” not “affirmation of You,” whereas it says “affirmation of Your Book.” And the Most High said of