‘The basin filled and said, “Enough for me.”’ And ‘it said’ (1): ‘the expansion of his belly,’ and the like.”

When the early generations understood the true nature of this view, and that it resembled the doctrine of the philosophizing deniers of the divine attributes—who say that Allah Most High did not speak, but that the messengers attributed speech to Him only by way of what circumstances imply—they declared them disbelievers and exposed their error. Among the arguments they put to them was this:

A herald speaking on behalf of another—such as a ruler’s herald—says, “The ruler has commanded such-and-such,” or, “His decree has been issued concerning such-and-such.” He does not say, “I command you to do this and forbid you to do that.” Yet Allah Most High says when speaking to Moses:

“Indeed, I am Allah. There is no deity except Me, so worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance.”

And when He descends during the remaining third of the night, He, Most High, says:

“Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him? Who is asking Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?”

When the speaker is an angel, however, he speaks as described in the hadith in the two Sahīh collections:

“When Allah loves a servant, He calls out in heaven, ‘O Gabriel, I love so-and-so, so love him.’ Gabriel then loves him and calls out in heaven, ‘Allah loves so-and-so, so love him.’ The inhabitants of heaven then love him, and acceptance is granted to him on earth.”

Thus, when Gabriel calls out on behalf of Allah Most High, he says:

“Allah loves so-and-so, so love him.”

But when the Lord calls out, He says:

“Who is calling upon Me, that I may answer him? Who is asking Me, that I may give him? Who is seeking My forgiveness, that I may forgive him?”