the believer who does not recite the Quran is like a date: its taste is pleasant, but it has no fragrance. The hypocrite who recites the Quran is like sweet basil: its fragrance is pleasant, but its taste is bitter. The hypocrite who does not recite the Quran is like a colocynth: it has no fragrance, and its taste is bitter.”

Inspiration in the heart may take the form of speech, knowledge, supposition, or belief; at other times, it may take the form of action, love, will, or pursuit. It may occur to a person that a particular view is stronger, clearer, and more correct, or his heart may incline towards one of two alternatives rather than the other.

The two Sahīh collections relate that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Among the nations before you were people who received inspiration. If there is anyone like that in my nation, it is Umar.”

A muhaddath is someone who is inspired and addressed. Similar to this is the saying of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the hadith of Wābisa:

“Righteousness is that with which the soul feels reassured and the heart is at ease. Sin is that which troubles you inwardly, even if people give you verdicts again and again.”

This is related in the Sunan collections.

Sahīh Muslim relates from al-Nawwās that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Righteousness is good character. Sin is that which troubles you inwardly and which you would dislike people discovering.”

Ibn Mas‘ūd said: “Sin is what pricks hearts.”

(Moreover, if matters pertaining to the created world may be disclosed to a believing servant, whether with certainty or as a matter of probability, then religious matters may all the more readily be disclosed to him, since his need for their disclosure is greater. In most cases, however, this disclosure must be based on evidence, and it may be