Since the distinction between hearing speech directly from its original speaker and hearing it from someone conveying it on his behalf is firmly rooted in the innate nature of all creatures, this distinction in hearing Allah’s speech from those who convey it on His behalf is too obvious to require lengthy explanation. The leading scholars of the Sunnah—such as Imam Ahmad, al-Bukhārī, the compiler of the Sahīh, in his book on the creation of acts, and others—have explained the distinction between Allah’s voice heard directly from Him and the voices of His servants reciting the Quran or speaking otherwise. No scholar endowed with sound reason and religious commitment disputes this distinction.

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As for His saying, Most High:

“Indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger,”

He mentions this in two places. In Sūrat al-Hāqqah, He says:

“Indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger.”
“Nor is it the word of a poet; little do you believe.”
“Nor the word of a soothsayer; little do you reflect.”

The messenger here is Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. In Sūrat al-Takwīr, He says:

“Indeed, it is the word of a noble messenger,”
“Possessed of power, held in honour with the Lord of the Throne,”
“Obeyed there and trustworthy.”
“And your companion is not mad.”
“And he certainly saw him on the clear horizon.”

The messenger here is Gabriel. Thus, He attributed it at one point to the human messenger and at another to the angelic messenger, using the designation “messenger.” He did not say, “It is indeed the word of an angel,” or “of a prophet,” because the term “messenger” makes clear that he is one who conveys