by furqān is the act itself denoted by the verbal noun, then sending it down is like sending down faith and justice. Through the Quran, He has placed in hearts the ability to distinguish between truth and falsehood, just as He has placed faith and justice within them. He, glorified and exalted, sent down the Book and the Balance. The Balance has been interpreted as justice, and also as that by which things are weighed so that justice may be known. It is thus like furqān, which is interpreted both as distinction itself and as that by which distinction is achieved. The two necessarily go together.

If distinction itself is intended, it is the result, fruit, and consequence of the Book. If that which distinguishes is intended, then the Book itself is what distinguishes. It therefore has two names, each indicating an attribute different from the other. It is called a Book because it is a written collection whose letters are preserved, read, and written. It is called a Criterion because it distinguishes between truth and falsehood, as explained above. Likewise, it is called guidance because it guides to the truth, and healing because it heals hearts of the diseases of doubts and desires. The same applies to its other names.

The same is true of the Messenger’s names, such as al-Muqaffī (the successor to the prophets), al-Māhī (the effacer), and al-Hāshir (the gatherer). Likewise, Allah’s Most Beautiful Names include the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful, the Sovereign, the All-Wise, and others.

Names and attributes may be joined by a conjunction because they differ, even when they refer to one and the same entity, as in His words:

“Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High, who created and proportioned, and who destined and then guided.”

And His words:

“He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate.”

There are other similar examples.