and influence over creation sufficient to support insight and influence in religious matters—that is, knowledge of religion, acting upon it, and enjoining it. He is also granted knowledge of religion and the ability to act upon it that enable him to employ disclosure of the unseen and influence over creation, so that extraordinary events in creation serve religious commands. Alternatively, the ordinary course of things may be transcended for him in religious matters, so that he attains religious knowledge, acts upon it, enjoins it, and secures people’s obedience in it to a degree that others have not attained in the ordinary course of things. These are the greatest miraculous gifts and prophetic miracles. Such is the state of our Prophet Muhammad, may Allah Most High bless him and grant him peace, of Abū Bakr al-Siddīq and ʿUmar, and of all Muslims.

This third category is what is entailed by:

“You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help.”

For the first is worship, and the second is seeking help. Such is the state of our Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the elect of his community who adhere inwardly and outwardly to his law and way. Their miraculous gifts, like his miracles, were manifested only to establish a proof or meet a need. As for proof, its purpose is to make Allah’s religion manifest, so that the disbeliever believes, the hypocrite becomes sincere, and those who believe increase in faith. Their benefit was thus to bring about adherence to Allah’s religion in knowledge and practice, just as this is the purpose of jihad.

As for need, this includes obtaining a benefit they require, such as food and drink when needed, or warding off harm from them, such as defeating the enemy with the pebbles he threw at them. Thus he was told:

“It was not you who threw when you threw, but it was Allah who threw.”

Both of these ultimately serve the interests of religion, as do eating, drinking, fighting the enemy, and giving charity to