As for “unqualified” descent, it occurs in several passages. These include His mention of sending down tranquillity, in His words:

“Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers.”

And:

“He is the One who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers.”

There are other such passages. Another example is “sending down the Balance,” which He mentions alongside the Book in two places. Most Quran commentators hold that what is meant is justice. Mujāhid—may Allah have mercy on him—held that it means an instrument used for weighing. There is no contradiction between these two interpretations. Likewise, justice and that by which justice is recognized are sent down into hearts. The angels may descend upon the hearts of believers, as in His words:

“When your Lord revealed to the angels, ‘I am with you, so strengthen those who believe.’”

That steadfastness descended into their hearts through the angels; it is tranquillity. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Whoever seeks judicial office and solicits help in obtaining it is left to his own devices. Whoever neither seeks judicial office nor solicits help in obtaining it, Allah sends down to him an angel to guide him aright.”

Thus Allah sends down to him an angel, and that angel inspires him with sound judgment, which descends into his heart.

Another example is the hadith of Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, recorded in the two Sahīh collections, in which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Indeed, Allah sent down the trust into the depths of men’s hearts, and they learned from the Quran and learned from the Sunnah.”

The trust is faith, which He sent down into the very foundations of men’s hearts. This resembles the sending down of the Balance and tranquillity. It is also recorded in the Sahīh that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“No people gather in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah”—and so on to the end of the hadith. He mentioned four things: being enveloped by