And among the Kullābiyyah are those who say that its descent means making it known and enabling the angel to understand it, or the angel’s descent with what he has understood. What they have said is false on linguistic, scriptural, and rational grounds. “The purpose here” is to discuss descent.

We say, then—and success comes from Allah—that descent in the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, is of “three kinds”: descent specified as being from Him; descent specified as being from heaven; and descent not qualified in either way.

The first occurs only in reference to the Quran, as He, Most High, says:

“Those to whom We have given the Scripture know that it has been sent down from your Lord in truth.”

And He, Most High, says:

“The Holy Spirit has brought it down from your Lord in truth.”

And He, Most High, says:

“The revelation of the Book is from Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise.”

There are two grammatical interpretations of this. “The first” is that nothing is omitted: His words, “The revelation of the Book,” form the subject, and its predicate is “from Allah, the Almighty, the All-Wise.” “The second” is that it is the predicate of an omitted subject, meaning: “This is the revelation of the Book.” On either interpretation, it is established that it has been sent down from Him. The same applies to His saying: